Issue Position: Transportation

Issue Position

One of the core functions of each state, and the Federal Government, is creating the infrastructure necessary to conduct commerce, trade and allow general transportation. Our transportation infrastructure was once among the best in the world. It was in 1956 that the Federal-Aid Highway Act went into effect and Congress appropriated funds to build the world's largest interstate highway network. Considered the largest public works program in our country's history, it provided facilitated economic development, and set the United States' transportation network well above any other nation in the world.

But this was over 50 years ago, and our infrastructure is in need of attention. Our country's highway system, bridges, and railroads have been well used, and with time and use, they need to be upgraded and refurbished. The longer this issue persists, the more expensive the undertaking becomes. According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's 2008 "Report to Congress on the Conditions and Performance of the Nation's Highways, Bridges and Transit," (which is the latest data available), all levels of government should currently be spending $139 billion per year in highway improvements just to maintain current physical and performance conditions on the nation's highways and bridges. This would grow to $150 billion by 2015 if highway construction costs grow at the same rate as the overall inflation rate.

Traditionally, the federal highway program has financed about 43 percent of all highway improvements while state and local governments have financed the rest. Every time you buy gas, you pay a federal gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon. Overall, federal, state and other fuel taxes account for close to 33% of the cost of fuel. The tax money is supposed to go to building roads, bridges and other infrastructure. This means the federal highway program should currently be investing about $72 billion in highways, including administrative and research costs. In Fiscal Year 2010, federal highway investment totaled $41.8 billion, or $30 billion less than the federal share needed to maintain current conditions.

Arizona is the second fastest growing state in the nation. Its population has nearly quadrupled since 1970. Pinal County alone grew over 109% over the past ten years. This population growth has posed additional strains on our state's transportation infrastructure system. Arizona simply does not have the infrastructure in place to accommodate the people living here. This is even more of an issue in rural areas that have experienced significant growth like some of the communities in my district.

In addition, our state's economy relies heavily on tourism. Travelers spend $19.3 billion in our state, which equates to almost 53 million pumped directly into our economy every day. Visitor spending generated 171,500 jobs, $5.1 billion in employee earnings and $2.7 billion in local, state and federal taxes in 2007. The Grand Canyon National Park alone hosts 700,000 park visitors each year, generating $687 million annually in directand indirect revenues. Almost 80 percent of all travel spending in Arizona comes from out-of-state and international visitors; safe and reliable transportation infrastructure in our state and throughout the country is crucial to a robust tourism economy.

I understand the need to give our infrastructure the proper attention and restore highways and bridges that need to be updated. The federal government has a constitutional role in funding interstate commerce. Congress must find a pragmatic approach to addressing our roads and bridges without borrowing billions more and sending us further into debt.

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