New Haven, CT – Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3) met with state, local and regional officials, as well as transportation officials and labor for a roundtable discussion on the upcoming transportation reauthorization to gain their input as the process moves forward. Participants in the roundtable discussion include Charles Barone from the Connecticut Department of Transportation; New Haven Mayor John DeStefano; David Kooris from the Regional Planning Agency; Judy Gott, Executive Director, Southern CT Regional Council of Governments (COG); Rick Dunne, Executive Director, Valley COG; Peter Dorpalen, Executive Director, Central Naugatuck Valley COG; Donna Carter, Executive Director, Greater NH Transit District; Tom Cheeseman, Executive Director, Middletown Area Transit; Dave Moakley – Political Director, Operating Engineers; Don Schubert, Keep CT Moving; Dick Miller; City of New Haven Engineer.

“Congress has already begun work on the surface transportation law aimed at transforming the nation’s surface transportation programs,” said DeLauro. “This law is critical to our fight to improve Connecticut’s transportation infrastructure. And Connecticut’s transportation infrastructure is a source of jobs and to spurring long-term economic growth.”

Every six years, Congress crafts a transportation measure, which allocates resources to state departments of transportation and national transportation priorities, such as highway and transit investment. With the current surface transportation authorization measure, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA–LU, PL 10959), set to expire on September 20, 2009, Congress is in the process of crafting a new law to replace it.

DeLauro continued, “The draft in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee achieves several key national objectives: making out transportation system safer, reducing the congestion in cities; modernizing freight transportation, making our communities more connected, reducing the transit’s footprint on our environment, promoting mass transit, and improving the livability of our communities.”

A Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee approved a draft bill on June 24, which provides funding of $500 billion over the next six years. It provides $337.4 billion for highway construction investment, including at least $100 billion for Capital Asset Investment to keep our National Highway System in good repair. And it provides $87.6 billion from the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund and $12.2 billion from the General Fund for public transit investment and improvement.

On the outlook for the legislation, DeLauro added, “Chairman Oberstar’s reauthorization bill is a good start, and it would be nice to see the House move forward on this issue before SAFETEA-LU’s expiration. While preventing the situation with the last surface transportation law – twelve extensions in two years – an 18 month extension, as supported by the Senate and the Administration, mitigates many of the usual stop-and-start headaches and should allow for more continuity and predictability in long-term project planning. “