Just as the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) expired at the end of September, the House of Representatives approved a five-month extension, temporarily preventing highway and transportation programs from going unfunded. The $17 billion stopgap measure is meant to keep critical infrastructure programs moving along until the next six-year reauthorization bill is introduced. That bill, which carries a $375 billion price tag, could be brought to life before the end of the year—if the parties involved can agree on funding levels. In the meantime, though, many other programs may be adversely impacted by the lack of full funding.

The extension provides more than $14 billion in contract authority to the states to carry on existing projects. It also affects federally managed programs. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), for example, is slated to receive $142 million for programs to enforce commercial safety. That same money must also cover the cost of truck and bus inspections at the U.S.-Mexico border. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), meanwhile, will receive $125 million for highway safety grants and similar programs.

But the results of a survey of state departments of transportation conducted by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) suggest that while the short-term fix will keep some projects afloat, the lack of a full funding plan will cause many others to grind to a halt.

AASHTO projects the temporary fix will cut funding by $2.1 billion and will result in the loss of up to 90,000 jobs. Those cutbacks will affect such positions as consulting engineers and construction personnel, and are likely to cause drop-offs in construction equipment sales and leasing.

That level of reduction translates to stagnant infrastructure-improvement projects across the country. For example, officials in North Dakota noted that a three-year, $50 million bridge-replacement plan will not go forward without "some clear projection of funds."

Vermont's DOT, meanwhile, pointed out that the delay will impact bridge and paving projects for its interstate system and therefore could compromise driver safety within the state, especially during Vermont's long winters. The agency commented that rutted roadways "create hydroplaning problems and pavement surface makes it difficult to remove snow and ice. Failing to address our interstate bridge needs may result in weight restriction on some interstate bridges."

Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), chairman of the House Transportation Committee, has stated that despite the ongoing battles over funding levels that brought on the delay, it is his goal to have the full reauthorization bill turned in by the end of the year—or at least by the time the extension runs out.

"It will easily be done before the end of the extension," reports Steve Hansen, director of communications for the committee. "At a minimum, [Young] wants to have a draft out there for the members to examine before the session's over."

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