The International Bridge, Toll and Turnpike Association (63 IBTTA) and 560 ITS America have applauded Congressional committee members on reaching agreement on a long-term surface transportation bill.
The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act is a five-year, fully paid-for surface transportation reauthorisation of federal highway, transit, highway safety, motor carrier safety, hazardous materials, and passenger rail programs. The bill reforms and strengthens transportation programs, refocuses on national priorities, provides long-term certainty and more flexibility for states and local governments, streamlines project approval processes and maintains a strong commitment to safety.
Leaders of the US House and Senate lead committees working to reach agreement on surface transportation legislation released a joint statement on the Conference Report for the FAST Act, saying, “This legislation is a vital investment in our country. A safe, efficient surface transportation network is fundamentally necessary to our quality of life and our economy, and this conference report provides long-term certainty for states and local governments, and good reforms and improvements to the programs that sustain our roads, bridges, transit, and passenger rail system. We knew that reaching an agreement on this measure would be challenging, but every member of the conference committee was certainly up to the task. We appreciate their hard work in this effort, and we look forward to moving this measure forward and getting it signed into law.”
“With today’s release of the conference report to reauthorize federal transportation programs, the five-year, US$286 billion 'Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act,' Congress has taken an important step to provide the certainty needed to move forward on transportation improvements across the country,” said Patrick D. Jones, executive director and CEO of IBTTA.
Jones added, “While we review all 1,300 pages of the conference report, we are pleased that it contains important improvements to federal tolling programs. We particularly want to express our strong support for Section 1411, Tolling; HOV Facilities; Interstate Reconstruction and Rehabilitation. This section would allow States to consider the use of tolls for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Interstate System in their respective states. In addition, this section streamlines the process for approval and implementation of state pilot programs so that states that are ready to move forward are able to do so. Providing this type of flexibility to three states is an important and modest step to enable states to meet the growing funding needs of the aging Interstate System.”
Jones concluded, “While we urge Members of Congress to quickly pass this conference report, we remain concerned about the lack of any long-term, sustainable funding stream for transportation programs into the future. IBTTA and the tolling industry are ready to work with Congress, state officials and other stakeholders over the next few years to identify funding sources and other financing and funding tools that can serve as the basis for the next reauthorisation bill.”
ITS America president and CEO Regina Hopper commented, ““The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act recognises that intelligent transportation systems (ITS) are a critical component to making our nation’s surface transportation network safer and more efficient. ITS America thanks the surface transportation conferees who worked to create the first-ever Innovation Title, within the long-term bipartisan bill, that recognizes the importance of funding critical research as well as accelerating the adoption of new and existing technologies to help solve our nation’s transportation safety, mobility, and infrastructure challenges.”
The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act is a five-year, fully paid-for surface transportation reauthorisation of federal highway, transit, highway safety, motor carrier safety, hazardous materials, and passenger rail programs. The bill reforms and strengthens transportation programs, refocuses on national priorities, provides long-term certainty and more flexibility for states and local governments, streamlines project approval processes and maintains a strong commitment to safety.
Leaders of the US House and Senate lead committees working to reach agreement on surface transportation legislation released a joint statement on the Conference Report for the FAST Act, saying, “This legislation is a vital investment in our country. A safe, efficient surface transportation network is fundamentally necessary to our quality of life and our economy, and this conference report provides long-term certainty for states and local governments, and good reforms and improvements to the programs that sustain our roads, bridges, transit, and passenger rail system. We knew that reaching an agreement on this measure would be challenging, but every member of the conference committee was certainly up to the task. We appreciate their hard work in this effort, and we look forward to moving this measure forward and getting it signed into law.”
“With today’s release of the conference report to reauthorize federal transportation programs, the five-year, US$286 billion 'Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act,' Congress has taken an important step to provide the certainty needed to move forward on transportation improvements across the country,” said Patrick D. Jones, executive director and CEO of IBTTA.
Jones added, “While we review all 1,300 pages of the conference report, we are pleased that it contains important improvements to federal tolling programs. We particularly want to express our strong support for Section 1411, Tolling; HOV Facilities; Interstate Reconstruction and Rehabilitation. This section would allow States to consider the use of tolls for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Interstate System in their respective states. In addition, this section streamlines the process for approval and implementation of state pilot programs so that states that are ready to move forward are able to do so. Providing this type of flexibility to three states is an important and modest step to enable states to meet the growing funding needs of the aging Interstate System.”
Jones concluded, “While we urge Members of Congress to quickly pass this conference report, we remain concerned about the lack of any long-term, sustainable funding stream for transportation programs into the future. IBTTA and the tolling industry are ready to work with Congress, state officials and other stakeholders over the next few years to identify funding sources and other financing and funding tools that can serve as the basis for the next reauthorisation bill.”
ITS America president and CEO Regina Hopper commented, ““The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act recognises that intelligent transportation systems (ITS) are a critical component to making our nation’s surface transportation network safer and more efficient. ITS America thanks the surface transportation conferees who worked to create the first-ever Innovation Title, within the long-term bipartisan bill, that recognizes the importance of funding critical research as well as accelerating the adoption of new and existing technologies to help solve our nation’s transportation safety, mobility, and infrastructure challenges.”
