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S. Hrg. 102-142 PENDING HIGHWAY LEGISLATION HEARINGS ^-^p^W ^^ COMMITTEE ON oieos ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED SECOND CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON S. 823 and Si 965 Ob^f 9l- PENDING HIGHWAY LEGISLATION MAY AND 13 14, 1991 Printed for the use of the Committee on Environment and Public Works S. Hrg. 102-142 PENDING HIGHWAY LEGISUTION HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED SECOND CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON S. 823 and S. 965 PENDING HIGHWAY LEGISLATION MAY AND 13 14, 1991 Printed for the use of the Committee on Environment and Public Works U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 43-084ti WASHINGTON : 1991 ForsalebytheU.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice SuperintendentofDocuments,CongressionalSalesOffice,Washington,DC 20402 ISBN 0-16-035410-2 COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS QUENTIN N. BURDICK, North Dakota, Chairman DANIEL PATRICK MOYNIHAN, New York JOHN H. CHAFEE, Rhode Island GEORGE J. MITCHELL, Maine ALAN K. SIMPSON, Wyoming MAX BAUCUS, Montana STEVE SYMMS, Idaho FRANK R. LAUTENBERG, New Jersey DAVE DURENBERGER, Minnesota HARRY REID, Nevada JOHN W. WARNER, Virginia BOB GRAHAM, Florida JAMES M. JEFFORDS, Vermont JHOOSWEAPRHDI.ML.IMEBEETRZMEANNB,AUCoMn,necOthiicout ROBERT SMITH, New Hampshire HARRIS WOFFORD, Pennsylvania David M. Strauss, StaffDirector Steven J. Shimberg, Minority StaffDirector and ChiefCounsel (II) CONTENTS Monday, May 13, 1991 OPENING STATEMENTS Page Burdick, Hon. Quentin N., U.S. Senator from the State ofNorth Dakota 1 Chafee, Hon. John H., U.S. Senator from the State ofRhode Island 1 Lautenberg, Hon. Frank R., U.S. Senator from the State ofNewJersey 3 Moynihan, Hon. Daniel Patrick, U.S. Senator from the StateofNew York 7 Simpson, Hon. Alan K., U.S. Senator from the State ofWyoming 15 Symms, Hon. Steve, U.S. Senator from the StateofIdaho 4 WITNESSES Bensberg, Jim, Washington Representative, American Motorcyclist Associa- tion 38 Prepared statement 104 Berentsen, Duane, Secretary, Washington DepartmentofTransportation 54 Prepared statement 125 Bryan, Hon. Richard H., U.S. Senator from the State ofNevada 44 Prepared statement 113 Burns, Hon. Conrad, U.S. Senator from the State ofMontana 48 Claybrook, Joan, Cochair, Citizens for Responsible and Safe Highways 18 Letter to SenatorChafee 25 Prepared statement 87 Cooper, Hon. Jim, a Representative in Congress from the StateofTennessee... 5 DDiolnloerh,ueD,onT,hSoemcarestaJr.,y,PrWeysiodmeintn,gADmeeprairctamnenTtruocfkiHnigghAwsasoycsiations '. 5116 Prepared statement : 84 Durham, R.V., Director, Freight Division, International Brotherhood ofTeam- sters 20 Prepared statement 92 Dull, Garth, Director, Nevada DepartmentofTransportation 52 Prepared statement 123 Findlay, Eugene, Secretary, Utah Department ofTransportation 55 Gambaccini, Louis, President, Southeast Pennsylvania Transit Authority 36 Prepared statement 96 Howard, Hon. Richard, Secretary, South Dakota Department of Transporta- tion 47 Preparedstatement 115 Hoyt, Tim, Director ofSafety, Natiortwide Insurance 40 Prepared statement 105 Morgan, Richard D., vice president. National Asphalt Pavement Association... 41 Prepared statement 110 Naylor, Mike, Director, Air Pollution Control Division 69 Parker, George L., Associate Administrator for Research and Development, National HighwayTraffic Safety Administration 7 Peterson, Eugene, Director, Washington Traffic Safety Commission, National Association ofGovernors' Highway Safety Representatives 37 Prepared statement 98 Pressler, Hon. Larry, U.S. Senator from the StateofSouth Dakota 15 Rentschler, Hon. Jack, State Representative, South Dakota 68 Prepared statement 126 Rothwell, John Jr., Director, Montana Department ofHighways 49 (III) IV — Page Rothwell, John Jr., Director, Montana Department of Highways Continued Prepared statement 122 WiUiams, Allan S., Vice president for Research, Insurance Institute for High- way Safety 21 Prepared statement 94 ADDITIONAL MATERIAL Bills: S. 823 130 S. 965 163 Statements: Daschle, Hon. Tom, U.S. Senator from the State ofSouth Dakota 81 Dixon, Hon. Alan J., U.S. Senator from the State ofIllinois 82 Simon, Hon. Paul, U.S. Senator from the State ofIllinois 82 Tuesday, May 14, 1991 OPENING STATEMENTS Burdick, Hon. Quentin N., U.S. Senator from the State ofNorth Dakota 267 Chafee, Hon. John H., U.S. Senator from the StateofRhode Island 267 Moynihan, Hon. Daniel Patrick, U.S. Senator from the State ofNew York 277 Warner, Hon. John, U.S. Senator from the Commonwealth ofVirginia 268 WITNESSES Anderson, James A., President, Anderson Brothers Construction Company 320 Prepared statement 422 Archer, John, Managing Director, American Automobile Association 323 Prepared statement 428 Bond, Hon. Christopher Bond, U.S. Senator from the StateofMissouri 269 Boyd, Hon. Allan S., Secretary forTransportation, 1966-1968 309 Prepared statement 373 Cole, Thomas, President, Rubber Manufacturers Association 332 Cranston, Hon. Allan, U..S. Senator from the State ofCalifornia 270 Desjardins, Robert, Senior Vice President, Cianbro Company 322 Prepared statement 423 Downs, Hon. Thomas, Commissioner, New Jersey Department ofTransporta- tion 297 Prepared statement 364 Garahan, Hon. Patrick, Secretary, Vermont AgencyforTransportation 294 Prepared statement 353 Gilstrap, Jack R., Executive Vice President, American Public Transit Associa- tion 315 Prepared statement 387 Hassell, Hon. John, Federal Highway Administrator, 1979-1981 329 Hobeika, Tony, Director, Center for Transportation Research, Virginia Poly- technic Institute 333 Prepared statement 451 Kiebert, Hon. Kermit, Commissioner, Idaho DepartmentofTransportation 299 Prepared statement 367 Krupp, Fred, Executive Director, Environmental Defense Fund 316 Prepared statement 400 Lamm, Lester P., President, Highway Users Federation 325 Prepared statement 436 Lanford, J.C., Chairman, American Road and Transportation Builders Asso- ciation 319 Prepared statement 405 Larson, Hon. Thomas D., Administrator, Federal Highway Administration 281 Prepared statement 338 Mack, Hon. Connie, U.S. Senator from the State ofFlorida 274 Prepared statement 276 Mead, Kenneth, Director, Transportation Issues, Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division, U.S. General AccountingOffice 331 Prepared statement 445 Myrick, Hon. Sue, Mayor, Charlotte, NC 310 Prepared statement 375 V Page Pound, William T., Executive Director, National Conference ofState Legisla- tors 314 Prepared statement 379 Rives, Hal, President, American Association ofState Highway and Transpor- tation Officials 293 Prepared statement 341 Stockwell, Hon. Harriet, Deputy Mayor, El Cajon, CA 312 Prepared statement 377 Watts, Hon. Ben, Secretary, Florida DepartmentofTransportation 296 Prepared statement 359 Williams, Carl, Assistant Director, California Department ofTransportation ... 300 Prepared statement 370 ADDITIONAL MATERIAL Letters: METRO to Hon. Daniel Patrick Moynihan 467 The National Industrial Transportation League to Hon. Quentin N. Bur- dick 492 Travel and Tourism Government Affairs Council to Hon. Quentin N. Burdick 515 Statements: American Traffic Safety Services Association 473 Brown, Peter N., President, FourSeasons Group, Inc 490 Dempsey, William H., President, Association ofAmerican Railroads 479 Eisenhart, Earl B., Vice President for Government Affairs, National Pri- vate Truck Council 493 FriNedO,WBruce M., Executive Director, America's Coalition for Transit 510 Grasso, Thomas V., National Wildlife Federation 505 International Snowmobile Industry Association 491 Kirk,Joseph P., Mon Valley Progress Council 497 Levin, Hon. Carl, U.S. Senator from the State ofMichigan 281 Mulzer, Kenneth D., National Stone Association 498 National Resources Defense Council 505 Nielsen, Mary, Transportation Chairman for W.I.F.E 516 Riehle, MayorJames F., City ofLafayette, Indiana 469 Stromberg, Erick, President, American Association ofPort Authorities 471 Voinovich, Hon. George, Governor, State ofOhio 453 Wilkinson, Governor Wallace G., Chairman, Committee on Transporta- tion, Commerce, and Communications, National Governors' Association 454 Zah, Peterson, Presidentofthe Navajo Nation 508 PENDING HIGHWAY LEGISLATION MONDAY, MAY 13, 1991 U.S. Senate, Committee on Environment and Public Works, Washington, DC. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:00 a.m. in room 406, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Quentin N. Burdick [chairman ofthe committee] presiding. Present: Senators Burdick, Chafee, Symms, Simpson, Pressler, Lautenberg, Baucus, Moynihan, and Reid. OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. QUENTIN N. BURDICK, U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA Senator Burdick. This morning the Committee on Environment and PubKc Works begins two days of hearings on pending highway legislation, S. 965, the Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, which was introduced in April. This bill was developed after extensive field hearings held across the country. Introduced by Sen- ator Moynihan, it is cosponsored by myself and Senators Symms, Chafee, and Lautenberg. The committee will also hear testimony on S. 823, sponsored by Senators Reid and Baucus and nine other members representing western States. This bill addresses specific needs of rural areas in the west. Passage of a highway bill is one of the major priorities of this Congress. The President urged the Congress to complete action on legislation by September 30th. We hope to report a bill by the end ofthis month. The goal ofthis committee is to have comprehensive, multi-year legislation passed by the Senate well before the Septem- A ber 30th deadline. sound, integrated transportation system is es- sential to this Nation. Our witness list this morning is extensive. At this point I ask my colleagues if they would like to present statements, and we will then proceed. Senator Chafee. OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN H. CHAFEE, U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND Senator Chafee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First, I want to say I am glad we are holding these hearings. I must say, it isn't very often that you see a hearing begin at 9:00 o'clock in the morning on a Monday. But if you look at the list, I note that we have 19 witnesses today, and Representative Cooper is (1) here today instead of tomorrow, so that will make 20. So, we've got a big program this morning. I will ask that my statement be in the record. There is one thing I would like to say. The name of the legislation is the Surface Transportation Act. It's not the "Highway Bill." We're going to have a lot of testimony from truckers and others, who are going to say, "This is our money; we deserve it; it should go to us," but we're looking at this as a program to provide surface transportation for American citizens, and that could mean automo- biles; it could mean subways; it could mean commuter trains; it could mean buses; it could even mean bicycles. And indeed there is some money that could be set aside here for bicycle trails under this. So I hope we will keep that before us as we go through this legislation, Mr. Chairman, and I thank you very much for holding this hearing. Thank you. [Senator Chafee's statement follows:] Opening Statement of Hon. John H. Chafee, U.S. Senator From the Stateof Rhode Island Mr. Chairman, I am pleased tojoin with you in holding hearings on proposed legislation dealingwith surface transportation. On April 25, Senator Moynihan introduced S. 965, the "Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991". I am very happy to be a cosponsor ofthat bill because it is landmark legislation which recognizes the importance of a coordinated surface transportation program in this country. Highways are important for the economy and mobility ofthis country, but they cannot solve all our transportation problems. Cities and States need flexibility to decide what the best solution is for their transportation problems. S. 965gives the States that flexibility. While the construction ofthe Interstate System is virtually complete, the need to maintain it in good condition is an ongoing and important need. S. 965 recognizes this and provides a significant amount of money to assure that the Interstate System is maintained. In addition to the Interstate System, there are other highways that are also of national significance, particularly on the Primary System. These roads are not only important nationally, but are also critical for a strong economy within the States. S. 965 provides States with the resources to maintain and improve these roads as well. I am confident that the States will give high priority to these important roads. Transportation facilities are not built in a vacuum. They affect our air, water, neighborhoods, and way of life. Because of the major impact they have, good planning is very important. S. 965 strengthens the planning process. It ensures that those who are affected by transportation problems will have a significant role in the decisionmaking process. This is particularly important for those cities which are in nonattainment under the Clean Air Act. Good planning takes a lot of work and sometimes a lot oftime. But, in the end, the efforts ofgood planningwill be reward- ed with abetter project. There are many good things in S. 965 which I will not take the time to list, but I do want to highlight the safety belt and motorcycle helmet provision that is particularly important to me. This will have a positive, and in some cases life-saving, effect on the safety of people using the highway system. Last week the California State legislature passed a motorcycle helmet bill which is on the way to Governor Wilson for his signature. He was an original cosponsor ofthe safety belt/motorcycle helmet bill when it was introduced in the last session ofCongress. I commend him and the State ofCalifornia for this law. We will also have several witnesses testifying on the subject ofthe use ofrecycled tires in asphalt. Used tires have become a major problem and the highway program provides a promising way to dispose of some of these old tires. On May 9, I introduced S. 1038 which addresses this issue and I look forward to the comments ofour witnesses.