DOT Says $107 Billion Needed to Improve Highway Conditions
The U.S. Dept. of Transportation estimates it will take $106.9 billion to improve the performance of the nation's roads and bridges, a 65% increase over what was spent on that infrastructure in 2000. In a summary of its 2002 "Conditions and Performance" report, DOT says just maintaining current highway and bridge conditions will require $75.9 billion, up 18% from the 2000 capital spending level of $64.6 billion.
That 2000 total represents capital spending on highways and bridges by all levels of government. The federal share of that amount was $25.8 billion, or about 40% of the total. State and local governments contributed the remaining $38.8 billion. Thanks to funding increases in the 1998 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), federal capital spending on highways probably has risen since 2000.