Highway Trust Fund Runs Out. Bush Administration Leaves the DOT nearly Cashless

[tufsu1]

do you know how all that even works....enhacement projects (bike paths, sidewalks, etc.) get 1% of all federal transportation $...and transit gets less than 10%.

cite your source please

the Transportation authorization bills since 1991

ISTEA
NEXTEA
SAFETEA-LU

here's a wikipedia link to start your own research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAFETEA-LU

and also a link to an interest group coalition for the upcoming reauthorization

http://t4america.org/

[RiversideGator]

Im sure it will cause people to hate Republicans needlessly, TUFSU

It will also include some reference to the far left whackos who apparently use these 'roads' and 'highways'.

I would be curious to know what River has to say abolut this!

Typically nonsensical and ad hominem post, Stephen.  BTW, did it occur to the original poster that the Democrats control the spending branch of the federal government, the US Congress, and could add in additional spending and just risk a veto (which Bush is not known for) if they so desired?

The other posts about the feds taking money from the trust fund for other uses are also very persuasive IMO.

[Charles Hunter]

The rationale for using fuel taxes for transit is that a functioning transit system removes commuters (and others) from their cars and onto that transit system.  This eliminates (or delays) the need to build more highway lanes, and their attendant environmental and social problems, including splitting neighborhoods.

Should more money be spent on maintaining infrastructure than expanding it?  I'm sure the folks in Minneapolis would think so.

[Charles Hunter]

Federally funded bridges?
The new Fuller Warren (Corrine Delivers!) and Trout River Bridges on I-95, the Buckman on I-295, the Acosta, and the Atlantic Blvd. bridge over the Intracoastal.
The Mathews, Hart, JTB, Wonderwood, and Dames Point were built by JTA with bonds backed either by tolls or the sales tax.  I think Better Jax is paying for the new Beach Blvd. bridge over the ICW - so it is local sales tax, too.

Although, all are maintained with Federal and State gas taxes (JTA doesn't maintain any roads now) - like the new deck on the Mathews.

[tufsu1]

Im sure it will cause people to hate Republicans needlessly, TUFSU

It will also include some reference to the far left whackos who apparently use these 'roads' and 'highways'.

I would be curious to know what River has to say abolut this!

Typically nonsensical and ad hominem post, Stephen.  BTW, did it occur to the original poster that the Democrats control the spending branch of the federal government, the US Congress, and could add in additional spending and just risk a veto (which Bush is not known for) if they so desired?

The other posts about the feds taking money from the trust fund for other uses are also very persuasive IMO.

I'm pretty sure the Democrats have controlled Congress for less than 2 years and they do not have a governing majority in the Senate...the previous 12 years have been controlled primarily by the Republicans. 

Regardless, its pretty hard to fund anything properly when we are working with a $500 billion deficit...this is the "inconvenikent truth" about tax cuts

[RiversideGator]

No one said we shouldnt have good roads or bridges.  I am saying that we should stop wasting money elsewhere and give more power and responsibility to local governments to allow them to handle their own needs.

[tufsu1]

here's an interesting article on the subject

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/09/06/MNKS12OVM3.DTL