By Martin Cassidy
Many states would expand highways rather than repair bridges and roads or build rail, bike and pedestrian projects with money from a $750 billion federal economic stimulus plan, according to an analysis released Monday by a Connecticut environmental group.
The stimulus plan touted by congressional Democrats and President-elect Barack Obama will give preference to ready-to-build projects that will provide jobs soon after the money is approved.
States are seeking a total of $44.8 billion for road projects and only a quarter of that amount, $11.8 billion, for mass transit projects, according to ConnPIRG, which did the analysis.
But highway expansion is less urgent than shoring up the nation's roads and bridges and creating rail and bus facilities, said Ilicia Balaban of ConnPIRG.
"The new Congress and president need to put their foot down if they will deliver on the forward-looking green recovery they promised," Balaban said. "If it is between adding additional lanes and fixing a deficient bridge, the choice should be clear. There should also be operational funds to run mass transit systems as well as build them."
In Connecticut, Gov. M. Jodi Rell and transportation officials are considering hundreds of projects suggested by cities and towns, said Chris Cooper, a Rell spokesman. He did not provide details.
Balaban challenged Connecticut to publicize the list of projects.
"Without full transparency from the Connecticut DOT, we can only assume they plan to spend the majority of the stimulus building new roads and expanding highways," Balaban said.
Cooper said Rell has emphasized finding projects that would create jobs and expand rail and other mass transit.
"One of the governor's top priorities is developing a 21st-century transportation system, and certainly rail is a key component of that," Cooper said. "They contend that wish lists seem to be skewed towards building new highways, and I don't think that can be really related to Connecticut." Congress likely will require that projects approved for funding already have most local, state and federal environmental approvals, Cooper said.
"They may require they be ready to break ground within 180 days of receipt of the funds," Cooper said. "There are many, many, projects recommended that don't really fit that category."
Stamford is seeking nearly $473 million, including $333 million for school construction and upgrades and $40 million for the second phase of the Stamford Urban Transitway. It also is seeking $50 million for roads, parks, sewers and other infrastructure projects.
Connecticut leaders face the challenge of easing congestion on Interstate 95 and other highways, which has stunted economic growth, while spurring use of rail and bus lines, said Frank Moretti, director of policy and research for the Road Information Program, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., that lobbies Congress on transportation issues.
"You want to spend transportation dollars where they do the most good," Moretti said. "If you have an increasingly congested transportation system impeding economic development, you can't arbitrarily hand-cuff transportation officials in terms of the best way to invest the money."
