Feds Will Keep Transportation Funding on Track

It appears that highway and transit funding will remain at levels guaranteed in the most recent federal highway bill (SAFETEA-LU) and won’t face the cuts coming for many other programs. While Congress is set to cut over 60 programs below FY 2006 levels and rescind unobligated balances, providing roughly $10 billion in savings, the Federal-aid highway program is fully funded at the level guaranteed in SAFETEA-LU and the Federal Transit Administration will be granted $8.97 billion for programs, an increase of $470 million to meet the transit funding guarantees as required by SAFETEA-LU.

Legislation adopted by the House of Representative today to fund the government through September 30th (the end of the fiscal year) fully funds surface transportation programs as noted above. Support for full funding is even stronger in the Senate.

RAMP was among the groups nationwide who urged Congress to keep funding at levels promised in SAFETEA-LU.

Paul Ellis is lead staff for RAMP; an employee of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, Ellis led the Pierce County Transportation Advisory Committee (PCTAC), the community's largest transportation planning effort.