BY BRAD BARNUM, VP GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
AGC SAN DIEGO CHAPTER

Earlier this month, AGC San Diego Chapter was represented at a news conference with local officials to ask Congress to pass a long-term funding solution for public transportation projects. As part of a National Stand Up for Transportation Day, San Diego residents were encouraged to take public transit on Thursday to celebrate the job, economic prosperity, and quality of life improvements public transportation projects create.

Tom Brown of Sierra Pacific West, Inc. and Jeff Turner of Flatiron (Chairman of Engineering General Contractors Council) joined over 100 business, community, and political leaders in the front of a trolley car at the Metropolitan Transit System headquarters (MTS). After remarks by MTS Chair Harry Mathis, County Supervisor Ron Roberts, San Diego Councilmember Todd Gloria, Santee Councilmember and SANDAG Chair Jack Dale, Encinitas Councilmember Tony Kranz, Jerry Sanders (Regional Chamber of Commerce), Kris Michelle (Downtown Partnership), and Jim Stone (Circulate San Diego), Tom Brown had an opportunity to speak. Tom is the Chairman of AGC of America's Highway and Transportation Division's Work Zone Safety Committee, and he re-emphasized the importance of investing in public transit and highway infrastructure: "A 5% annual increase of investment over the next five years will create 122,000 new jobs, will result in an average annual increase of $40 in real household income each year, and will generate an additional $96 billion in real GDP for the U.S. Economy."

 

There were more than 90 similar events held throughout the country, so hopefully Congress got the message to provide a long-term funding solution and a multi-year transportation bill to keep transit and highway programs afloat. The Department of Transportation has warned that failure to fix the current funding problem before May 31 will result in states cancelling or deferring projects due to the lack of funding predictability. Further, DOT Secretary Foxx said if a bill isn't passed by the end of May, the U.S. Department of Transportation is planning on notifying states that the agency could begin rationing funds as early as July. This rationing would result in delayed payments to contractors.

 

With the pending Highway Trust Fund shortfall already impacting state construction bid lettings, the time is now to contact your U.S. Senators and Congressional Representative and urge them to fix the Highway Trust Fund before it goes broke. Simply click here to email a letter.