A reduction in traffic while stay-at-home orders remain in effect is expected to lead to a big drop in state revenue from gas taxes and tolls. And that imperils road and bridge projects across the U.S. By DavidALieb
In this April 6, 2020 photo, a bus drives past a roadwork construction project in Seattle where ramps off of the Highway 520 floating bridge meet Montlake Blvd. that has been shut down due to concern over the spread of the coronavirus. The $2 trillion federal stimulus package enacted in March included billions of dollars for public transit systems, publicly owned commercial airports and Amtrak passenger train service, but earmarked nothing for state highways and bridges.
“This is a critical need at the national level,” said Patrick McKenna, president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and director of Missouri’s transportation department.for an immediate $50 billion to prevent major cuts to road and bridge projects over the next year and a half. As an economic stimulus, they also want Congress to authorize a long-term plan that doubles the amount of regular funding going to state transportation agencies.
Ohio has delayed projects until next year on interstate highways in Columbus and Cincinnati because of the expected decline in fuel tax revenue. “We were hoping to bid it out for construction very soon, but then COVID-19 and all that, so that timeline is kind of in the air,” said West Plains Administrator Tom Stehn, a former state highway engineer. “It was a high priority for us.”
Most states have classified road construction as essential work that can continue despite orders shutting down certain businesses. But some states have not. “Every project is sort of at risk of running out of quality weather days to complete the work,” said Jeremy Reed, construction engineer for the state’s transportation agency.
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