By Ron Thaniel
October 26, 2009

As U.S.MAYOR heads to press, there are increasing reports that the Senate has changed its position on the length of the extension of the federal surface transportation programs under SAFETEA-LU.

If the reports are correct, and with SAFETEA-LU operating under a 31 day continuing resolution (CR), which expires at the end of this month, Senate transportation leaders will need to move quickly to bring the six-month extension to the Senate floor before the CR expires – and this is only part of the challenge. Once the Senate passes its extension, which is an amendment to the House three-month extension bill passed in September, House and Senate leaders will quickly need to settle any remaining issues.

This would be an abrupt reversal; although not totally unexpected, from the 18-month draft extension completed by the key Senate authorizing committees (Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science and Transportation; and Environment and Public Works) prior to the August recess.

Of note, in a discussion with U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s staff on October 20, Conference of Mayors staff were told that the Obama Administration is still supporting the eighteen-month extension it originally proposed in June.

Continuing to express his opposition to an eighteen-month extension, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (MN) wrote, “Under their approach, in 18 months, we would once again find ourselves with the same difficult decisions, the same outdated and inefficient programs, and even greater investment needs for all modes of the surface transportation system.”

“The difficult decisions that we face today will not be any easier in 18 months, and the American people will pay the price for our inaction through lost jobs, decreased mobility, diminished productivity, and continued high levels of traffic fatalities and injuries,” wrote Oberstar in the October 15 edition of The Hill.

SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users) was signed into law in 2005. The prior law, Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), was extended 12 times over two years.