The dialog about the best way to fund the transportation system has dominated the reauthorization course of on the expense of its core function: safely delivering individuals to the locations they need to get to. To construct a system that truly works for individuals, we should acknowledge what’s not working and what Congress should do to search out options. Persevering with to ensure funding for a clearly failed federal program that isn’t delivering on its guarantees is just not the best way ahead—and throwing billions extra at it, as some of us have recommended, isn’t the answer both. What we want is accountability for outcomes.
Don’t present me the cash, present me outcomes
The prevailing federal transportation program doesn’t produce good outcomes. We have now written extensively about the truth that the federal transportation program has completely didn’t ship on measurable outcomes like security, state of restore, and entry: There was a 75 % enhance in deaths of individuals strolling since 2010, roads scored a D+ and bridges scored a C in the latest infrastructure report card, congestion has elevated, and our transportation system stays one of many main producers CO2 emissions. Regardless of these disastrous outcomes, Congress retains bailing out this bankrupt program with normal fund transfers with out intervention. Sooner or later, Congress should cease and ask, Why are we bending over backwards to guard and fund a system that isn’t producing outcomes on the core, tangible targets of improved security, elevated entry, and improved circumstances of current infrastructure?
An improved transportation program and a safer nationwide transportation community are attainable. Many different international locations are actively outperforming us on all fronts. Norway has taken pedestrian deaths significantly and is ranked one of many most secure international locations in Europe for all roadway customers resulting from their focused targets and legislative reforms. Switzerland has the very best infrastructure score of 2024 in keeping with the World Inhabitants Assessment (credited to its well-maintained roadway community). Many international locations are racing in direction of internet zero emissions via their transportation sectors. The U.S. can compete with all of those international locations, and we will meet our targets, however there are some clear issues holding us again.
One main hurdle is state DOTs and their lack of accountability with any type of versatile funds. Many of the federal cash state DOTs obtain comes from formulation funds that can be utilized for basically any mission. The dearth of path or explicitly said use of those funds often signifies that they are going to be spent misguidedly. Not for bridge upkeep, not for highway restore, not for increasing transit choices, however often for elevated roadway enlargement. The largest impediment, nonetheless, is Congress’s hyperfixation on dumping more cash on the issue moderately than demanding the system ship outcomes. Reauthorization appears to strike the identical drained discourse and potential “political” wins of which facet is ready to pour (or retract) cash from the system.
Total, cash is the issue, however not as a result of there’s a scarcity, however as a result of we’re spending it irresponsibly. The dearth of accountability means there isn’t any incentive to make roads safer, preserve them in state of restore, or construct something moreover highways. The largest situation for the system isn’t that the devoted autopilot income stream of a belief fund can’t pay for the transportation enhancements the nation wants; it’s that we’re getting unhealthy outcomes and ignoring the problem by making an attempt to drown it in greenback indicators. You may’t pay away the truth that we’re constructing inefficient, unsafe infrastructure—we’ve to alter course now.
Accountability and outcomes are the tip purpose
Whereas it’s lengthy been debated, on the finish of the day, Congress has just a few attainable choices to resolve the Freeway Belief Fund’s structural solvency downside. We may pour in additional normal fund {dollars} to maintain the belief fund solvent and preserve spending on the identical ranges; we may scale this system all the way down to the dimensions of what the gasoline tax brings in annually; we may abolish the (already functionally lifeless) belief fund and shift the transportation program to 1 funded solely by yearly appropriations; or do one thing else utterly.
However all of those options are meaningless if this system doesn’t begin delivering on its guarantees and producing tangible outcomes on security, state of restore, and different targets which can be supposedly embedded in this system. We’ll by no means produce higher outcomes from our federal transportation system if the one dialog about it revolves round cash. The dialog ought to concentrate on measuring progress, spending inside our means, and guaranteeing that our infrastructure is protected and well-maintained.
Outcomes and enhancements have to be the last word precedence of this program earlier than we put a single additional dime in it. Growing the gasoline tax or dumping extra normal fund {dollars} into the belief fund doesn’t remedy unhealthy outcomes—persistently good outcomes require a system that calls for them. Solely when outcomes develop into the measures of success will we get a program that produces safer roads, structurally sound bridges, and transit programs price paying for.
Name in your member of Congress to prioritize accountability and outcomes in upcoming laws.
We’re quickly approaching the subsequent floor transportation reauthorization. The federal authorities has spent $1.5 trillion of American taxpayer {dollars} over the previous 30-plus years for a transportation system that’s producing poor outcomes on the core, tangible targets of improved security, elevated entry, and improved circumstances of current infrastructure. Congress can’t do extra of the identical; they need to focus our transportation system round outcomes and accountability, not simply the value tag.
Your members of Congress want to listen to from you. Whether or not you act individually or as a corporation, your assist is important to making sure the subsequent reauthorization is centered round improved outcomes that profit all group varieties. Contact your members of Congress on to encourage them to make outcomes and enhancements the last word precedence of the federal floor transportation program at this hyperlink.
