Emilia Istrate, Senior Research Analyst. July 28, 2009 Washington DC

Transcription

1 National Surface Transportation Legislation: Metropolitan Outlook Government Research Association Annual Conference Emilia Istrate, Senior Research Analyst July 28, 2009 Washington DC

2 1 2 3 The Background: Federal current Role in Primacy of Metros transportation Metropolitan debate Transportation

3 1 2 3 Primacy of Metros

4 Our Country s Top 100 Metros Engines of Growth 65% 74% 74% 75% 77% 84% 12% Land Area Population GDP Highest Residential Knowledge Educated Real Estate Economy Citizens Values Jobs Most Recent Immigrants Source: Brookings Analysis

5 Our Country s Top 100 Metros Concentrate Most of Our Transportation Functions 65% 72% 78% 92% 93% 100% 12% Land Area Population Seaport Tonnage Interstate Miles Traveled Air Passengers Amtrak Passengers Subway, Commuter, and Light Rail Passengers Source: Brookings Analysis

6 Transportation within Metros 80 percent of all travel occurs within metro areas Source: Federal Highway Administration

7 Transportation within Metros Half of all commute trips are suburb-to-suburb Two-thirds of freight tonnage travels less than 100 miles metro area city center

8 Intrametro Challenges Large Metropolitan Areas National Average 54 Hours The number of hours spent in traffic 38 Hours 14 Hours Source: Texas Transportation Institute

9 Intrametro Challenges The number of hours spent in traffic

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13 Intrametro Challenges 8.4% Lower income workers spend more of their income to reach jobs 3.8% 6.1% Other Workers Working Poor Working Poor Commuting with a Car Source: Elizabeth Roberto, Commuting to Opportunity: The Working Poor and Commuting in the United States

14 Intrametro Challenges Transportation has become the second largest household expense Housing Transportation Food Healthcare Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditures in 2005

15 Intrametro Challenges American Metro Drivers X 26 Gallons of Fuel 2.9 Billion Gallons of Wasted Fuel Per Year Source: Texas Transportation Institute, 2007 Urban Mobility Study

16 1 2 3 The federal government is struggling to respond to the metro transportation challenges

17 Three Problems: The Federal Government Is Absent European TEN-T Network For example, unlike competitor nations, we have no national freight and passenger rail policy Picture Credit: European Commission, Trans- European Networks

18 Three Problems: The Federal Government Is Outdated Metros receive only 7 percent of highway allocations directly Bridge 14.1% Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality Improvement 5.8% Interstate Maintenance 16.7% State 7.3% National Highway System 20.4% High Priority Projects 5.0% Other 3.3% Surface Transportation Program 23.9% Minimum Guarantee 10.1% Metro Planning 0.7% Small Metro and Rural 6.0% Safety 2.4% Enhancements 2.4% Metropolitan Suballocated 5.8%

19 Three Problems: The Federal Government Is Outdated Federal Highway Share: 80% - 90% Federal Transit Share: 47%

20 Three Problems: The Federal Government Is Underperforming The federal government also fails to link transportation to other associated sectors, such as housing and education

21 Three Problems: The Federal Government Is Underperforming The federal transportation program has almost no focus on outcomes, performance, or accountability

22 1 2 3 The current transportation reauthorization debate

23 Transportation Authorization Bills- Short term and long term Surface Transportation Authorization Act of the 6 years House T&I Committee bill Senate s 18 months clean extension of SAFETEA-LU The Administration s proposal for a 18 months modified extension of SAFETEA-LU

24 Surface Transportation Authorizations 2005 and 2009 afe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) xpires September 30, pages $ 286 bln funding Surface Transportation Authorization Act of pages $ 500 billions funding

25 Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009 Great points: Metropolitan mobility and access program National Transportation Strategic Plan Office of Livability Office of Public Benefit Congressmen Oberstar and DeFazio Performance standards Invests in high speed rail Equalizes the federal matching rate for transit and highways Emphasis on intermodalism, sustainability, and connectivity

26 Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009 he contention points are missing: No dollar amounts for the programs No formulas for the allocation of authorized funding to the states No percentage for the Equity bonus program- the donor-donnee debate Not clear the funding source for high speed rail Not clear what funding sources from the Ways and Means Com In addition: Not major changes to the highway program More money for everybody, in a silo manner The National Infrastructure Bank section was eliminated

27 Surface Transportation Authorization Extension President Obama and Secretary LaHood Immediate 18-month extension of SAFETEA-LU $ 20 bln untill March 2011 Use cost/benefit analysis to measure projects Support and strengthen metropolitan areas Promote broad principles of sustainability Clean 18 months extension of SAFETEA-LU Comes with a $ 27 bln patch of the Highway Trust Fund, from the General Fund (discussed) Same old business of SAFETEA-LU Provides a short term solution to HTF bankruptcy Allows for more discussion of the revenue sources for the 6 years reauthorization bill

28 Challenges to Current Transportation Reauthorization NO MONEY The insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund The current economic recession The lack of expedient revenue sources The high price tag of the House bill The crowded Congress schedule

29 Highway Account Balance The cash balance of the Highway Trust Fund - $ 5.1 bln FY $ 9.6 bln FY 2010 Source: GAO 2009

30 Senate s and the Administration s positions What s Next- Short Term Scenarios For the 18 months extension: The Senate Finance Committee attaches the funding piece to the 18 months extension Senate votes on the extension House s position For the 6 years reauthorization bill: House patches the HTF with an short term appropriation bill The Ways and Means Committee specifies the funding sources The bill is brought to the floor

31 National Surface Transportation Legislation: Metropolitan Outlook Government Research Association Annual Conference Emilia Istrate, Senior Research Analyst July 28, 2009 Washington DC