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It’s Time for Action - Statement of Robert O. Chase |
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In 1993, the state’s 20-year unfunded highway needs were estimated at $19 billion. Total unfunded transportation needs at $52 billion. The General Assembly provided no new ongoing revenue sources.
In 1997, the General Assembly’s Commission on the Future of Transportation estimated the state’s highway construction shortfall at $54 billion and overall needs at $65 billion. And still the General Assembly provided no new ongoing revenue sources.
The 2004 VTrans2025 report, commissioned by the General Assembly, pegged total highway needs under a “moderate needs” scenario at $83 billion and overall transportation needs at $108 billion – or about $5 billion per year. Last year, the legislators provided only $130 million in new revenue or about 2% of what’s needed.
If we’ve learned anything over this time period, it’s the longer the General Assembly waits the more the price tag grows.
Over the last 15 months, land acquisition costs for the Gainesville Interchange in Prince William County increased from $55 million to $95 million. And that’s just for right-of-way.
Transportation funding has been studied to death.
We know the options. We know what revenue each produces. And we know that $1 billion/year statewide, plus $400 million/year for Northern Virginia and $250 million for Hampton Roads are the minimums needed.
Postponing transportation deliberations until fall only ensures more congestion, misery and higher costs for more Virginians.
It’s been twenty years since the Virginia General Assembly last provided serious new sustained transportation funding.
The shortfall keeps going up, yet some in the General Assembly still feel now is not the time to address serious solutions.
We don’t need more delay. We need more action.
Far from being time to take a break, it’s time for the General Assembly to get to work.
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