In a letter to the Trump administration, more than 40 transportation industry groups urged the federal government to infuse state departments of transportation with $49.95 billion in funding.
From American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials to the American Highway Users Alliance to Volvo Group North America, 43 organizations asked President Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to put $49.95 billion in federal funding for transportation departments into any further COVID-19 response packages to preserve any programs the departments may be working on now.
“With millions of Americans following ‘stay-at-home’ orders, many state governments are facing severe losses in revenues across the board, including dedicated user fee revenues on which State DOTs heavily rely,” the groups wrote in their June 5 letter. “Projections continue to show decreases in state motor fuel tax and toll receipts as nationwide vehicle traffic reduction bottomed out at about 50 percent in early April. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials estimates a 30 percent average decline in state transportation revenue over the next 18 months. Some states could experience losses as high as 45 percent.”
Providing state departments of transportation with an “immediate infusion of funding” would prevent delays in transportation projects, job losses, and the elimination of critical department functions.
“This urgently needed funding will prevent disruptions to planned transportation projects and allow state DOT employees and transportation construction workers essential to planning and delivering these projects to remain on the job,” the group said. “This action to preserve core state DOT capabilities is absolutely critical in order for states to carry out a robust, bipartisan, and long-term surface transportation legislation later this year that can serve as our national platform for economic recovery and growth.”