Met yesterday with Maine transportation leaders about addressing shortfalls in the Highway Trust Fund

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today voted for House legislation that would reauthorize federal transportation programs through May 2015 while providing a temporary funding patch to the Highway Trust Fund. Without Congressional action, the Department of Transportation would have implemented a 30% cut in the assistance states use for construction, repaving, and public transportation.

“I’m glad we could prevent what would have been devastating cuts to transportation programs across the country right in the middle of construction season. It would have brought projects to a halt while threatening jobs and services people rely on everyday, ” said Pingree. “But we absolutely need a long-term solution—we can’t afford this kind of manufactured crisis every few months. I hope it’s a wake-up call to get something done in Congress.”

Revenue from the federal Gas Tax goes to the Highway Trust Fund. Currently at 18 cents a gallon, it has not increased since 1993. Between inflation of construction costs as well as the use of more fuel-efficient vehicles, outlays from the fund have far outpaced revenues in recent years. The Department of Transportation projected that the account would have a zero balance later this summer without an infusion in funding.

Yesterday Pingree convened a meeting in Portland of over 40 Maine transportation leaders and policy experts to hear their feedback on addressing the funding shortfall and reauthorizing federal transportation programs. The group included representatives from the Maine Department of Transportation, Maine Turnpike Authority, state lawmakers, transportation planning organizations, construction companies, municipalities, transit providers, and advocacy organizations.

“The attendees spoke passionately about how important Maine’s transportation network is to the economy and how critical federal assistance is in maintaining it. I heard from several people that one of the primary concerns of outside investors is whether Maine’s transportation infrastructure can get their products to market,” said Pingree. “I also heard a lot of agreement that Congress should take a long-term approach so these folks can plan into the future and that a reasonable increase in the gas tax would be a step in the right direction. I hope we can get past the partisan politics to get it done.”