With the Highway Trust Fund expected to dip into the red as early as August, President Obama has urged Congress to approve new funding to avoid a halt in new highway projects. He also has added more projects to a priority list for expedited reviews by federal agencies.
Speaking in Tarrytown, N.Y., where initial work has begun on a $5-billion replacement for the 59-year-old Tappan Zee Bridge across the Hudson River, Obama said if Congress does not approve new transportation funding by the end of the summer, the impact on new projects would be severe. “There will be no money,” he declared. “The cupboard will be bare.” (The White House’s transcription of the speech is here.)