The American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE – the organization that gave us the National infrastructure Report Card – sent an announcement out to its members earlier today. It’s an important reminder that our Federal Highway Bill, although extended a couple time so that SAFETEA-LU now doesn’t expire until December 31 2010, really expired a year ago. The following is from that announcement. I’ve left the links in so that you can use them to let your representatives in Washington know that we need a long-term solution that will not only address our immediate transportation needs but also prepare for the future. If we’re going to compete in global commerce we need the tools that will give us the competitive edge we had for so long.
As a country we need many things but without solid manufacturing and agricultural production objectives and the transportation infrastructure to deliver the resulting product to market, domestically and globally, we will not be able to sustain economic growth.
ASCE’s reminder:
“365 days. That’s how long it has been since SAFETEA-LU expired and the country has been left with no clear, long-term path to address its transportation needs. Meanwhile, even in the midst of a severe recession, we still experience congestion in our cities and deteriorating conditions across the country.
As Congress heads home for the fall election season, please remind your lawmakers that prompt action on a new, long-term transportation authorization bill needs to happen soon. The current extension of SAFETEA-LU runs out on December 31, 2010. If progress cannot be made in an expected lame duck session after the election, transportation must be a high priority for the beginning of the 112th Congress.
- Write your lawmakers today using ASCE’s Click & Connect with Congress advocacy website”
Greg Sitek