The drive for a new federal surface-transportation bill has shifted into a higher gear with President Obama's new $302-billion, four-year proposal and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp's proposed tax-code overhaul that includes $126.5 billion over eight years to shore up the faltering Highway Trust Fund.
Construction industry and state transportation officials, deeply worried Congress won't avert a projected summertime trust-fund insolvency, welcomed the Obama and Camp plans, both released on Feb. 26. Obama's proposal, unveiled in a speech at the St. Paul, Minn., Union Depot rail station, includes $199 billion for highway work, $72 billion for transit and $19 billion for passenger rail.