Federal Funds Fuel Booming Market But Materials Costs Squeeze Budgets

This article describes the growing disparity in the latter half of 2006 between the rapidly growing demand for infrastructure and roadway construction and the federally-induced funding for it as against the rather elevated basic materials costs around the country. One such example of the types of projects that can now be funded is the World Trade Center transportation hub, which is to cost $1.1 billion. The article also describes a number of projects that may have been impossible to plan before the advent of SAFETEA-LU. However, in addition to the difficulties posed by higher materials costs, as fuel tax revenues have been maintained at their current levels for quite some time, the number of jobs awarded by state DOTs has been less than in times past. However, the lack of fuel-tax increases is not categorical, as states like Washington, Colorado, Florida, and Georgia all have strong funding programs. The article includes lists of: 1) Top 50 in Transportation; 2) Top 25 in Bridges; 3) Top 25 in Mass Transit and Rail; 4) Top 25 in Highways; 5) Top 15 in Marine and Port Facilities; and, 6) Top 25 in Airports. Briefly discussed in closing are mass transit and freight rail projects, Amtrak, the ports sector, and airports.