Continuing his mission to seek funding for West Virginia’s transportation projects, U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) helped lead final passage Thursday of H.R. 6532, the Highway Trust Fund Restoration Act, which would provide an immediate $8.017 billion infusion of funds to address the oncoming shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund and continue critical highway projects.  Having passed both the House and Senate, the bill will now be sent to the President to be signed into law.

“We sent the President a bill that will help protect West Virginia’s jobs and West Virginia’s highways,” said Rahall.  “Without this bill, highway projects such as the I-73/74 Corridor, Route 10, the Coalfields Expressway, the New River Parkway, and the Shawnee Parkway, which I included in the 2005 Transportation Bill, could lose critical funding.”

In 2005, Congressman Rahall was instrumental in winning Congressional passage of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), which authorized $41.2 billion for Federal-aid highways and $10.34 billion for public transportation in Fiscal Year (FY) 2009.  This new bill will provide $8.017 billion to shore up a projected shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund for FY 2009 and help to achieve the funding levels for highways and public transportation authorized by SAFETEA-LU in 2005.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, failing to enact this bill could lead to a devastating $14 billion, or 34 percent, reduction in federal highway investment in FY 2009.  West Virginia alone would stand to lose nearly $120 million in highway funds and an estimated 4,154 transportation related jobs.

“Construction of safer, more modern highways continues to be one of the greatest needs affecting southern West Virginia and is one of my highest priorities in Congress,” said Rahall.  “As part of my Three Ts Agenda, I have been a long-time advocate of fully funding our highway system, which is essential to the growth and advancement of West Virginia’s economy.”