Congressman Hanna says transportation bill allows over $100 billion to be spent on federal highway projects
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: July 2, 2012
Both Houses of Congress have passed the Surface Transportation Bill.
Congressman Richard Hanna says the passing of this bill will allow more than $100 billion to be spent on different federal highway projects over the next two years.
Along with the funding, Rep. Hanna says it will also be putting men and women back to work.
"This is America's middle class job bill," said Rep. Hanna.
He says that it will allow steady funding over the next two years for highway, mass transit, and other transportation programs.
"When there's 6,000 bridges in the state that are deficient, certainly we know there's work there that needs to be done and should be done for the working people and for business," said Syracuse District Manager, Terry Hogle.
Congressman Hanna says the bill is the culmination of more than a year's work to improve national transportation policies.
He says that roughly 150,000 jobs will be created because of this bill.
And according to the District Manager, this will help employees put their skills to use.
"If they don't go to work here, they will move, and I think everybody in the state understands that we can't have our talented workforce leaving New York State, we need to employ them here," said Hogle.
Along with putting thousands to work, the timing to complete the projects are another factor.
"It appears to streamline some of the environmental reviews and other reviews that have to be approved so they can be done at the same time rather than one after the other. It speeds up the process, it puts people to work quicker," said Oneida County Public Works Commissioner.
With 2005 being the last transportation bill that was passed, some wonder what would have happened if this bill weren't of passed.
"People on existing projects may have run out of money, new projects that are on the drawing table wouldn't have been completed, and the transportation fund would have gone bankrupt. Nobody wants any of that," said Rep. Hanna.
In reference to the passing of the bill, Congressional Candidate. Dan Lamb says that it slashes New York's highway funding by over $300 million and causes the loss of 11,000 New York jobs.
However, Mr. Lamb does say that something passed is better than nothing.
Congressman Richard Hanna says the passing of this bill will allow more than $100 billion to be spent on different federal highway projects over the next two years.
Along with the funding, Rep. Hanna says it will also be putting men and women back to work.
"This is America's middle class job bill," said Rep. Hanna.
He says that it will allow steady funding over the next two years for highway, mass transit, and other transportation programs.
"When there's 6,000 bridges in the state that are deficient, certainly we know there's work there that needs to be done and should be done for the working people and for business," said Syracuse District Manager, Terry Hogle.
Congressman Hanna says the bill is the culmination of more than a year's work to improve national transportation policies.
He says that roughly 150,000 jobs will be created because of this bill.
And according to the District Manager, this will help employees put their skills to use.
"If they don't go to work here, they will move, and I think everybody in the state understands that we can't have our talented workforce leaving New York State, we need to employ them here," said Hogle.
Along with putting thousands to work, the timing to complete the projects are another factor.
"It appears to streamline some of the environmental reviews and other reviews that have to be approved so they can be done at the same time rather than one after the other. It speeds up the process, it puts people to work quicker," said Oneida County Public Works Commissioner.
With 2005 being the last transportation bill that was passed, some wonder what would have happened if this bill weren't of passed.
"People on existing projects may have run out of money, new projects that are on the drawing table wouldn't have been completed, and the transportation fund would have gone bankrupt. Nobody wants any of that," said Rep. Hanna.
In reference to the passing of the bill, Congressional Candidate. Dan Lamb says that it slashes New York's highway funding by over $300 million and causes the loss of 11,000 New York jobs.
However, Mr. Lamb does say that something passed is better than nothing.
