Concord Monitor
By Rep. Sherman Packard
December 29, 2011
When it comes to statistics that can cripple an economy, there's nothing stronger than this one from a leading transportation institute: The poor quality of the roads in the Boston-New Hampshire-Rhode Island region in 2010 cost drivers 45 hours of wasted time and nearly $1,000 in unnecessary upkeep on their vehicles. That translates into lost revenue and lost jobs.
Economic strength is determined by our ability to move people and goods efficiently throughout our region. But in New Hampshire, the American Society of Civil Engineers gives a grade of C-minus to our roads, rail and mass transit systems, and nearly one in every seven bridges here has been red-listed as out-of-date, inadequate or not structurally functional or safe. How can we expect to move $30 billion in commodities on our highways every year and compete with neighboring states?
The solution is simple. The federal surface transportation funding bill that expired in 2009 must be rewritten and renewed. Twenty-four percent of all funds for road and bridge construction, repair, and improvements comes from the federal government. That investment is critical to our economy's success... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Thu, December 29, 2011
by John Cox