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 Fix the Roads or Continue the Insanity
by Tom Campbell
August 30, 2007
Benjamin Franklin said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” That truth leads to this corollary: Insanity is continuing to allow politicians and the Department of Transportation to manage our transportation crisis. They allowed it to occur and so far they haven’t seemed to be doing much to fix it. Forming yet another study commission is little more than insanity.
Here are some real, practical solutions that could have an immediate and positive impact toward resolving congestion, potholes, and construction of new roads. Warning, these solutions step on toes and the bureaucrats and politicians will immediately dismiss them, a sure sign we are probably on the right track.
We must begin by abolishing the “Equity Distribution Formula” that essentially spreads construction dollars across the state equally. Having served on the DOT Board representing a rural section, I know all the words to the “if you build it they will come” song. But there is no equity when urban areas face traffic snarls and constant congestion, yet we build roads where there is no traffic.
Just as our state should allocate funding based on vehicle miles traveled, we should charge taxes based on how many miles a car travels. A primary principle should be that those who use the roads should pay for their construction and maintenance.
No solution would be meaningful unless we drastically reduce or eliminate the 0 million transfers from the Highway Trust Fund. Yes, this was part of the 1989 agreement to hold the state budget harmless. But that was 1989 and we were still “The Good Roads State.” Now we’re not. So as not to create too large a hole in the General Fund budget this reduction could be spread over the next five years, but must be eliminated.
DMV and Highway Patrol inspections of overweight trucks must be further increased. We need a zero tolerance policy for overweight vehicles. This means doubling the fines as a deterrent for overweight trucks. Further large fines should be imposed for those attempting to evade our state weight scales. Overweight trucks cause more damage to our roads than large numbers of passenger cars and if doubling the fines doesn’t stop the practice then we should triple them.
Other ideas include privatizing road construction projects. Experience has demonstrated we can get roads built quicker, cheaper, and better by doing so, but our DOT hasn’t embraced this approach. We must relax environmental permitting to expedite how long it takes to get projects completed. We must protect our environment but construction costs are increasing so rapidly that we must move faster. We should charge tolls on HOT lanes to allow those willing to pay to expedite travel. Toll roads are undesirable but will be necessary to get us moving. We should begin charging fees to use our expensive and extensive state ferry system. We could make wholesale employee reductions at DOT. Are they getting the job done now? At least we could save some money and put it into maintenance or construction. And we’ve got to take the politics out of road decisions, at both the legislative and DOT Board levels. Controlling road projects should no longer be a perk of office or appointment.
In short, we must jump start our road construction and maintenance program. Business as usual isn’t working. It’s time for change or else we continue the insanity. |
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