Mayors Approve TEA-21 Reauthorization Agenda Calling For Increased Local Control
Metro Areas Receive Just Six Cents of Every Dollar Made Available to States For Transportation
By Ron Thaniel
July 1, 2002
On June 20 in Madison, Fort Worth Mayor and Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Transportation and Communications Committee, Kenneth L. Barr convened a Transportation Committee TEA-21 Reauthorization Briefing that approved TEA-21 Reauthorization policy priorities. These priorities call on an increased local control of funding and decision making, "suballocation," in the TEA-21 Reauthorization.
Joining the mayors for this discussion was special guest Emil H. Frankel, Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy for the U.S. Department of Transportation. Frankel who served as the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation from 1991 to 1995 and was a Management Fellow of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies from 1995 to his appointment with the U.S. Department of Transportation spoke on the Administration's core principles for the reauthorization.
The Administration's reauthorization principles include assuring adequate and predictable funding; preserving funding flexibility; building on the intermodal approaches of ISTEA and TEA-21; expanding and improving innovative financing programs; increased security; simplifying federal transportation programs and continuing efforts to streamline project approval and implementation; better data; fostering increased intelligent transportation systems; and focusing more on the management and performance of the system as a whole.
Building on the May 20, 2002 meeting held in Washington, D.C. with U.S. Department of Transportation Associate Deputy Secretary Jeffrey Shane and Vermont Senator James M. Jeffords, Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works, Senior Policy Advisor, Jeff Squires, Mayor Barr emphasized that the U.S. Conference of Mayors strongly believe in the success of the TEA-21 partnership. He said "this law has provided the nation's cities with transportation resources to enhance the quality of life for our citizens and has increased the competitiveness of our cities in the world economy."
In addressing the issue of suballocation of federal surface transportation funds directly to cities, counties or their regional transportation agency, Mayor Barr noted the release of the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual Metro Economies Report at the Annual Meeting, Mayor Barr said "our annual Metro Economies Report makes it clear that metro areas must continue to be the object of national and state infrastructure investment to sustain United States global competitiveness and yet, on a national scale metropolitan areas receive about six cents of every dollar made available to states for transportation projects. It is imperative that in the reauthorization of TEA-21 that Congress and the Administration substantially increase the suballocation of fundMayor Barr noted "in enacting ISTEA, Congress recognized that for flexibility to result in good choices, people with on the ground experience need a strong role in decision-making. The intention was to turn over significant authority to state and local government, and assert the importance of a strong local role in project selection and this is where this very good law breaks down."
Mayor Barr noted "in enacting ISTEA, Congress recognized that for flexibility to result in good choices, people with on the ground experience need a strong role in decision-making. The intention was to turn over significant authority to state and local government, and assert the importance of a strong local role in project selection and this is where this very good law breaks down."
In the reauthorization of TEA-21, Mayor Barr noted "that the nation's mayors call on the federal government to preserve and grow a program that suballocates surface transportation funds to metropolitan areas for the repair and maintenance of existing urban highways while giving equal weight to expanding public transit systems, congestion mitigation, safety programs, intermodal projects, land use, and environmental stewardship."
Core Principles
The basic structure of the TEA-21 law is fundamentally sound and should be preserved.
Suballocate state federal surface transportation funds to local government and encourage the public involvement in the process.
Maintain the firewalls and guaranteed funding levels for the transit and highway programs.
Streamline Project Delivery.
Maintain TEA-21 innovative programs, such as flexible funding provisions.
Support the increase suballocation of federal surface transportation funds directly to cities, counties or their regional transportation agency.
Obtain a substantial increase in the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ).
Dedicate financial resources to combat increasing urban congestion through expanded use of technology (ITS).
Maintain current matching shares for the transit program as authorized under TEA-21.
Support doubling the federal transit program to a $14 billion program level by FY 2009.
Support transit linkages related to land use development emphasizing strong consideration of projects with transit supportive land use patterns.
Increase both formula and discretionary funds to continue to reduce the backlog of substandard bridges with targeting of funds to the local level.
Continue the development of a comprehensive transportation security improvement program that secures the nation's transportation network without utilizing TEA-3 funding.
Emphasize the development of a seamless transportation system for all modal elements including airports, commuter and passenger rail, and highways, allowing cities to utilize innovative approaches (ie. rights-of-way access to freight tracks for commuter rail) and flexible funding sources to enhance cross modalism.
Identify and advance funding of major transportation projects by challenging the Federal Highway Administration to work with states and local government to develop a program that would address the needs of "mega projects."
Expand innovative incentive-based programs for encouraging alternative transportation use, such as tax credits for using public transit, walking or biking.
Explore flexible financing options to address a variety of road, transit, commuter rail, bicycle, and pedestrian needs.
Increase funding and coordination of human and social service programs with transportation policies, such as Job Access / Reverse Commute.
Seek Federal Highway Administration language that will direct AASHTO to develop urban infrastructure standards that take into account the fixed rights-of- way and existing infrastructure most often found in high-density urban areas.
TEA-21 will expire September 30, 2003. The Administration and the Congress is starting the process of developing the new bill, which is now being called TEA-3. The Department of Transportation is expected to send their draft bill to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) by the end of September of this year. OMB will then send the bill to Congress in early January 2003, with a hopeful completion by fall of 2003. Over the six years of its authorization, TEA-21 will provide spending of more than $165 billion for core highway programs and more than $36 billion for public transit systems.
In closing, Mayor Barr told the mayors that "this meeting puts us in a key position to make sure that our views are considered and heard during the upcoming consideration of the transportation bill."
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