State Must Have to Take Actions on Transportation Bills

The Legislature is planning to pass a transportation funding package in 2017 as soon as possible to address all the backlogged maintenance transit projects across the state and region. The longer we wait to fix small problems, the larger and costlier they become. In actuality, it is eight times costlier to fix a road than maintenance.

The California Department of Transportation stated that we need $59 billion in the up gradation of state highways backlogs. And the report presented by the local government represents that the local roads and street needed more improvements approx $73 billion. According to a study of the NTRG (National Transportation research Group) done in 2015, “Motorists are paying the price. The poor condition of California streets and roads costs the average driver $762 annually in maintenance costs. In the San Francisco-Oakland area that number is $978 per year”.

Finally, Gov. Jerry Brown and Legislative leaders have announced to pass a dedicated transportation funding package in this year soon. Passage of two bills by Bay Area legislators, AB1 (Rep. Jim Frazier, D-Oakley) and SB1 (Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose), will build new revenue that can improve funding for Bay Area transportation fixes. These bills also have strong accountability needs to decrease streamline project delivery and bureaucracy.

Both SB1 and AB1 can generate new revenue for road improvements. They can build approx $6 billion when fully applied.

Both bills contain provision to ensure that collected transportation funds are spent effectively and efficiently. They can provide independence to the California Transportation Commission and establish the independent office of Transportation Inspector General to improve efficiency, perform audits, and enhance transparency.

We are hoping that Legislators will take an action on this immediately. Because the more they delay, the more we have to pay.

2016 S-Class Mercedes: