ARTBA: $20 Billion Needed Annually to Maintain Highway Status Quo

Maintaining existing physical conditions and levels of safety and traffic flow on the nation's highway network will require $20 billion annually in new revenue flowing into the Highway Trust Fund over the life of the next federal surface transportation investment bill, an analysis of U.S. Department of Transportation data shows.

The current highway and transit law-the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users-expires Sept. 30, 2009.

The finding comes from an analysis of the U.S. DOT's 2006 biennial report to Congress on U.S. highway conditions, performance and congestion levels on the nation's highways that was conducted by ARTBA Vice President of Economics & Research Bill Buechner.

Beginning in fiscal year 2010, Buechner says the federal government would have to invest $54.5 billion and grow to $61.5 billion by 2015 just to maintain highway conditions and ensure traffic congestion does not get any worse. By comparison, current Highway Account revenues are projected to range from $34.7 billion to $40.5 billion between 2010 and 2015-a shortfall of approximately $20 billion annually.

An increase in the federal motor fuels excise is the most effective way to fill this void in the short-term, Buechner says.

A fuels tax increase of 10 cents per gallon in 2010 is necessary to meet the federal government's share of the documented highway investment needs in the U.S. DOT report. The federal motor fuels excise has not been increased since 1993, and inflation has eroded 30% of its purchasing power during this time.

The challenges of meeting the nation's highway needs looms even larger, Buechner says, with continued projected growth in the U.S. economy and population, and future increases in truck and passenger vehicle traffic.

To maintain current conditions and system performance on the nation's public transit system, in the next surface transportation bill, the federal government would need to invest $9.3 billion in 2010, rising to $10.5 billion in 2015.

The U.S. DOT report did not consider the costs of constructing new transit systems, which would substantially boost transit investment needs.

Fred Weber Installing Combustion Catalyst Systems

St. Louis-based Fred Weber Inc., a highway contractor and aggregate producer, has begun to install combustion catalyst systems on its fleet of diesel equipment.

The system is designed to reduce pollutants emitted by diesel engines.

"At first we were a little skeptical," says Ed Moss, maintenance manager for the construction firm.

The device was tested on an engine loading limestone at a mine, and it showed a reduction in particulates of 50 percent, said Ed Moss, maintenance manager.

In addition, an average fleet wide fuel savings of 15 percent was realized.

When mechanics dismantled the engine, which had run for 7,000 hours, the internal parts looked "brand new," Moss said.

He believes that the usable life for the engine can be extended by about 5,000 hours-or two years.

The catalyst system was designed by Phoenix-based technology company Emissions Technology. It is the size of a large cereal box and is installed under the hood, near the diesel engine's turbocharger.

The technology makes the engine combustion cleaner and more efficient by injecting a platinum-based catalyst into the combustion chamber. The concept is the same as taking a catalytic converter, and installing it on the front end of the combustion cycle, rather than on the exhaust.

Indiana DOT Smoothes Over Everything

If you're looking for a smooth drive, look no further-the Indiana Department of Transportation is awarding the three smoothest new roads in the state.

Each spring INDOT recognizes contractors who have built the smoothest road during the previous construction season in each of three categories: