Contact: Rob Ostrander 202.224.7627 Shana Stribling 202.224.0309
Saturday, September 10, 2005

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Kit Bond today joined Congressman Kenny Hulshof, local community leaders and Missouri Department of Transportation officials for the groundbreaking of the new Missouri River Bridge in Hermann, Missouri.

“This bridge is about our future. The new bridge will bring jobs, economic development and opportunity to this part of Missouri. It will connect rural mid-Missouri with the rest of the state. Most important, it will make travel safer for school students, residents and tourists,” said Bond.

With its open sides, narrow two lanes, and no shoulders, the old bridge is in serious need of replacement, Bond said. While the bridge was state-of-the-art when it was built in the 1930’s, it is now unsuitable for the large school buses, tractor trailers and tourist buses that must cross every day.

Since the 1990’s local leaders have made a new bridge a goal. Over the years, Bond, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, along with Congressman Hulshof, have secured $15 million in federal funds for the Hermann bridge project.

Today the Hermann Bridge will be named the Senator Christopher S. Bond Bridge in recognition of Bond’s efforts to make the new bridge a reality and to improve transportation infrastructure across the state.

In addition to the funds for the new bridge, Bond recently announced more good news for the entire state. As chairman of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee, Bond coauthored the federal highway bill which was signed into law earlier this month. The five-year bill provides $286.5 billion for our nation's highways, roads and bridges, including $1.3 billion in new highway funds for Missouri. Bond secured $467.5 million for Missouri transportation projects statewide.

For years, Bond fought to increase the return on the dollar that Missourians pay in federal transportation taxes. In 1987, when Bond first joined the Senate, Missourians received 76 cents on the dollar. Bond ensured that under the new highway bill, Missourians will receive an increase from the current 91 cents to more than 98 cents on the dollar. The new formula funding, combined with project dollars, means for the first time in Missouri's history, the state will receive more in federal highway funds than paid to the federal government in gas taxes.