There is support for outcome-oriented performance measures as an opportunity for “intergovernmental partnership, not top-down mandates.” But, they say, “states, not the federal government, should establish specific performance targets that track national goals, and that performance metrics must be clear, measurable, customer-focused, and attainable.”

More Pressure

At the same time another letter reached the committee, this one from a broad umbrella group of transportation organizations, lobby groups, think tanks and advocates. This epistle pushed the committee to “expand the flexibility and capacity of states and localities to address their transportation infrastructure investment challenges.” The group also asks the conferees to do all they could to allow state and local bodies “to introduce tolling and user-charge systems.”

The group is adamant that state and local bodies should be able to raise transportation infrastructure funding pretty much any way they can. Their letter requests, “the elimination of federal barriers to state and metropolitan flexibility and innovation, in raising investment capital and in generating revenues.”

The group is worried that provisions in the Senate version of the bill might dissuade agencies from trying to raise private funds for fear of losing some of their federal money. And those same provisions, they say, “would also eliminate the option to use private activity bonds (PABs) to finance leased highway projects and would substantially lengthen depreciation timetables for long-term highway leases, making them less attractive to investors.” The letter argues that while a bill must protect the public interest, these provisions, “do not respect the ability of states and localities to make such determinations of the public interest on behalf of their citizens.”

The private group wants states to handle their own transportation infrastructure investment problems. “Old obstacles should be dismantled, and no new barriers should be erected. If states and metropolitan regions are going to be asked to do more in transportation, and if more of the funding and investment responsibilities are to devolve to them, it is essential that this legislation remove the restrictions to their capacity to innovate.”

To see the wish list sent to the conference committee by the National Association of City Transportation Officials go to our digital edition, page 7a

SAY WHAT?

“This is America. We’ve always had the best infrastructure.”

– President Barack Obama