September 10, 2015
Letter to NJ House Delegation Urging Action on Long Term Transportation Funding
(INSIDE ADDRESS)
Dear Congress(wo)man X:
I write as President of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, on behalf of local elected officials
in your District and throughout our State. And I write to urge you to support timely and favorable
action on a renewal of critical Federal Transportation policy funding.
Nationally, local governments own and operate 78 percent of the nation’s road miles, 43 percent
of the nation’s federal-aid highway miles, and 50 percent of the nation’s bridge inventory. In our
own State, New Jersey's municipalities are responsible for 64 percent (28,539 center line road
miles) of our roads. County governments are responsible for another 22 percent (6,649 center line
road miles). Together, local governments are responsible for 39 percent of our bridges. Local
roadways and bridges carry about 55 percent of all traffic.
Fairness dictates that local elected officials should have the authority to direct available
transportation resources to projects serving their communities and regions.
However, local governments and their metropolitan and regional planning organizations directly
receive less than 15 percent of current federal transportation funding. The last major transportation
bill, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), consolidated programs
important to local governments, reduced funding available for locally owned highways and bridges
by 30 percent, and eliminated almost all discretionary programs for transit.
Congress can fix this imbalance. A new transportation bill should directly allocate greater funding
to local governments and metropolitan planning organizations and provide more flexibility to
choose the best mix of transportation options to fit regional needs.
Municipalities and counties are embracing innovation to create new opportunities for struggling
commercial districts and neighborhoods in distress. Programs like the Transportation Alternatives
Program (TAP) and Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) financing
are tools that enable innovation.
A new transportation bill must be long-term. Crisis-driven legislation and short-term extensions
create insurmountable obstacles for transportation and infrastructure projects. The next bill should
authorize transportation programs and funding for at least six years to restore certainty and stability
to the transportation planning process at the local and regional level.
Finally, the next transportation bill should be built on a stable foundation. The Highway Trust
Fund, which finances the majority of transportation programs, has been unable to maintain
sufficient revenue to support the nation’s transportation needs. It is time for Congress to find a
long-term solution that may, among other means, include an increase in the federal gasoline tax.
In May, I travelled to Washington and testified on the need for Congress to enact a long term
transportation infrastructure policy. With the Federal Highway Trust Fund slated to run out of
money at the end of that month, I appeared before the United States Senate Commerce, Science
and Transportation Committee’s Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine
Infrastructure, Safety and Security. Noting the progress and prosperity that followed the passage
of the Interstate Highway Act, 60 years ago, I told the Committee
If we want the best for our people, our businesses and the future of our children, we need to
imitate the intelligence and the integrity exhibited by President Eisenhower and our leaders in
Congress in 1956. The economic case for investment in our long-term infrastructure is clear-we know it will grow the economy, create good jobs, and position us for long-term growth.
The moral case for action is just as plain. Will we leave the costs of disinvestment to our
children?
The current stop-gap extension will expire at the end of October. The time for action is now. Please
support reliable funding for a long-term transportation policy bill that gives appropriate resources
and discretion to local elected officials.
Thank you for all you do for the people and the local governments of our Garden State. Please
contact Jon Moran at jmoran@njslom.com or 609-695-3481, ext. 121 if you have any questions
or concerns.
Very truly yours,
Brian C. Wahler, President
NJ League of Municipalities and
Mayor, Piscataway Township