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Absolutely! Virginia's last significant
increase in transportation funding took place in 1986, and as a result the commonwealth
is having to fund its increasingly outdated transportation system at funding levels
that were established more than 20 years ago.
As the "buying power" of these 1986 dollars has been reduced by more than 50 percent,
the demand on our transportation system will only continue to rise.
- According to The Road Information Program's (TRIP) calculations in 2007, vehicle
travel on all of Virginia's roads and highways increased by 33 percent from 1990
to 2005, and is expected to increase by 50 percent by 2025.
- According to TRIP, in 2004, 30 percent of Virginia's Interstate, primary and secondary
roadways were considered congested. By 2025, 45 percent of the state's roadways
are expected to be congested unless the state's roadways and public transit systems
are expanded.
- According to the American Public Transportation Association, from 1995 through 2008,
public transportation ridership increased by 38 percent – a growth rate higher than
the 14 percent increase in U.S. population and higher than the 21 percent growth
in the use of our nation's highways over the same period.
- According to the Virginia Railway Express (VRE), from July 2008 through June 2009,
average daily ridership increased by nearly 8 percent or an additional 464 riders.
- According to the VTRANS 2025 report, the Port of Virginia will reach full operating
capacity by 2010 unless improvements are made. It will require significant modernization
and expansion to maintain its place as one of the most successful networks of cargo-handling
marine terminals on the eastern seaboard.
- According to the VTRANS 2025 report, the effects of unprecedented international
and domestic growth will require Virginia's commercial service airports to add new
runways, expand passenger terminal and parking facilities in addition to addressing
growing air cargo industry requirements. The costs of new capital improvements during
the next 20 years are in excess of $5.5 billion.
Virginia's budget for new transportation construction and expansion projects is
shrinking.
In spite of the staggering numbers above, investments in Virginia's transportation
system is in dramatic decline.
Even though Governor Kaine called for two recent transportation funding special
sessions the General Assembly has failed to successfully implement a transportation
funding solution that addresses the commonwealth's ever-growing funding shortfall,
which is conservatively estimated at $1 billion a year.
How does this affect our families?
The continuing stalemate on a transportation funding solution costs the average
Virginia driver more than $1,000 a year in lost time and auto repairs along with
approximately 38 hours of lost time due to congestion.
The commonwealth's outdated transportation system also continually threatens our
economic prosperity, the commonwealth's best-in-the-nation business environment
and the quality of life for all Virginians.
It is clear – the demands on our transportation system will continue to grow, but
the resources are simply not available to meet these needs.
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