Federal Funding Uncertainty in State, Local, and Regional Departments of Transportation: Impacts, Responses, and Adaptation

Historically, federal legislation authorization of the federal aid highway program covered a 6-year period, and transportation funding was more certain. When funding levels are predictable, state DOTs and other transportation agencies can devise optimal long-term capital investment plans, more accurately forecast future asset conditions, set realistic performance targets, and better meet stated commitments to communities and stakeholders. Uncertain federal funding adversely impacts the transportation system and decision-making in many ways, resulting in wide-ranging impacts on the U.S. economy and quality of life. It can slow transportation program and project delivery, lead to degraded pavement and bridge conditions, reduce system performance, and worsen transportation service. Further, while recent federal regulations and acts have increased emphasis on performance-based outcomes, the timeframe needed to achieve these outcomes exceeds the current timeframe of funding certainty. An additional potential consequence of funding uncertainty is erosion of public trust, given that commitments to maintain or improve the transportation system may not be kept. The objectives of this research are to (1) identify and document the consequences and significant impacts of federal funding uncertainty on state DOTs, other transportation agencies, and stakeholders and (2) present how these agencies have responded and adapted to these uncertainties.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=4578
• Supplemental Notes:
  • The research is complete. The final deliverables have been published.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $400000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 19-16

• Sponsor Organizations:

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Schwager, Dianne

• Performing Organizations:

  WSP USA

  One Penn Plaza
  250 W 34th Street
  New York, New York  United States  10119
• Principal Investigators:

  Mosbah, Simon

• Start Date: 20190522
• Expected Completion Date: 20220331
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Economic impacts; Government funding; History; Impacts; Stakeholders; State departments of transportation; Transportation departments; Uncertainty
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Finance; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01672555
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 19-16
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Jun 19 2018 11:37AM