The highwaymen of capitol hill - Editor's Focus - Editorial

On page eight of this issue we are publishing testimony that Paul Diederich, president, Industrial Builders, Fargo, N.D., recently gave to a U.S. House subcommittee on transportation. Although he was speaking on behalf of the Associated General Contractors, we think C&D recyclers should support the points he is making.

For too many years Congress has played a little too fast and loose with the revenues in the Highway Trust Fund, money ostensibly for roadbuilding and maintenance, but often used for legislators' accounting tricks to help balance the budget. They also have been known to not spend the funds in the account, for the same reasons.

This is not fair to the American people, let alone to those involved in the roadbuilding industry. Our highways deserve to be in the best condition possible, both for convenience and for safety, and if Congress is collecting money to make that happen, legislators should spend the funds. Yet study after study shows that the U.S. is not keeping up with its transportation infrastructure needs.

For example, both the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials "Bottom Line Report" and the Federal Highway Administration "Conditions and Performance Report" show a need for federal highway spending to increase at least 20 percent just to maintain current lane mileage on the roads. Do you think Congress will be authorizing any extra spending anytime soon?

Some of the funds to meet that requirement are there, but there is a need to raise more revenues, as Diederich outlines. Probably the most controversial method, at least with the current Congress make up, is to raise the gas tax. Yet no other step is going to fairly distribute the needed revenue increase.

Obviously, recyclers will benefit from any such increase in roadbuilding activity. Recycled concrete, asphalt, shingles and wood mulch products can and are involved with roadbuilding. That is why we recommend C&D recyclers contact their federal legislators to support concepts such as the one Diederich has outlined. But we think that the federal government should do the right thing, quit playing politics with the Highway Trust Fund, and do its best to improve and maintain our roads.

COPYRIGHT 2002 G.I.E. Media, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group