Virginia must do more to address funding for its transportation system

Editor’s note: Jeff Walker’s column will return next Wednesday.

With many families traveling over the summer, it is timely to report on the commonwealth’s transportation system. Unfortunately, current and future transportation funding remains extremely poor. Our transportation system is in serious trouble.

Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer recently addressed the Senate Finance Committee concerning the lack of a sustainable source of transportation dollars. Due to the General Assembly’s inaction over the last decade, we find ourselves in the predicament of cutting vital VDOT resources and reducing or eliminating new construction projects.

However, we are not in this situation due to lack of trying. Repeatedly, the Senate of Virginia, with my whole-hearted active support, passed statewide plans creating a steady stream of transportation dollars, only for these plans to be defeated each time by the House of Delegates. It is hard to believe that the General Assembly has not enacted significant transportation funding since 1986!

Since 2008, the commonwealth has seen a significant decrease in transportation dollars, resulting in:

- A decrease from $11 billion to $7.4 billion across all transportation programs.

- Highway construction: a decrease of $3.3 billion.

- Rail and public transportation: a decrease of $100 million.

To close these funding gaps, the Virginia Department of Transportation has made the following reductions:

- Closing approximately 50 percent of the interstate rest areas and welcome centers.

- Reducing by $28 million mowing and maintenance costs.

- Eliminating approximately 1,500 VDOT jobs.

- Closing 15 residency offices throughout the state, leaving 29 offices open.

- Decreasing from 73 to 37 the number of equipment shops.

In the 17th District, the Louisa and Culpeper residency offices as well as the equipment shops in Orange and Spotsylvania are scheduled to be shut down.

I have actively advocated for the retention of these facilities by writing letters of support, speaking at two public hearings and having individual communications with the VDOT commissioner and members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

Maintenance of Virginia’s existing transportation infrastructure is the state’s highest priority. There are approximately $1 billion in identified pavement repairs needed on our interstate and primary highways. Additionally, to repair or replace all of Virginia’s deficient bridges, it would cost an estimated $3.7 billion.

In the wake of national incidents such as the Minnesota bridge collapse or the recent decision by Michigan to let pavements on its secondary road systems turn to gravel, it is important these projects receive the necessary funding.

Despite these needs, VDOT is being forced to reduce the annual growth in maintenance expenditures from 4 percent to 3 percent, lower than the projected rate of inflation. Sadly, if VDOT grew maintenance at the rate of inflation, Virginia would be unable to fully match currently available federal transportation funds, sending our tax dollars back to Washington. In fact, current funding for the state maintenance program includes more than $700 million annually from our state and federal construction dollars — money that could be used for highway construction.

Virginia is not alone in dealing with a significant decline in transportation revenues. Just last week, the federal government announced that its transportation funds, generated by federal gas tax revenues, are an estimated $9 billion less than current commitments. If Congress does not act to address this funding shortfall, Virginia would be forced to further reduce budgeted federal dollars.

This will likely not be the last reduction to Virginia’s highway construction and maintenance program this year.

I remain totally committed to finding long-term, broad based sustained transportation funding for Virginia. Our economic growth as well as our quality of life depends on a modern, multi-modal transportation system.