A two month extension on transportation funding was passed by Congress last month, but Senator Roy Blunt (R) wants a multi-year bill to pass this year. Blunt wants more than a short term fix to fund roads and bridges and says a long term plan is a better way to get the best buy on building roads and bridges.
“It’s also a lot better way to send a message to Jefferson City and state capitols. This is what the highway program is going to look like for this many years, this is how much money is going to be available, here are the matching requirements.”
Blunt says it’s up to Missouri to decide the best and most advantageous way to benefit from the federal transportation funding Congress approves.
The House and Senate voted last month to extend federal transportation funding for two months, in an attempt to prevent interruption during the summer road construction months. It’s the 34th time in six years that Congress has passed a temporary fix to the nation’s infrastructure needs.
The traditional source of transportation funding has been revenue from the 18.4-cent-per-gallon federal gas tax, which has not been increased since 1993. The federal government spends approximately $50 billion per year on infrastructure projects, but the gas tax only generates about $34 billion at its current rate.