‘A fiasco from the beginning’ — Caltrans’ costs soar on $1.1 billion San Francisco tunnels The Sacramento Bee » Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger celebrated when the California Transportation Commission voted, despite a host of warnings, to pay a contractor more than $1 billion to build two tunnels and a stretch of road outside San Francisco nine years ago. Now the project, known as the Presidio Parkway, is more than two years late and $208 million over budget. When the commission approved another $34 million in delay-related spending last month, two commissioners who originally opposed the project lamented their predictions had come true. “This has been a fiasco from the beginning,” Commissioner Bob Alvarado said at the March 14 meeting. Michelle2019-04-17T13:43:26-08:00April 10th, 2019|California, Highways, Presidio Parkway, Public-Private Partnerships|
Getting There: Congestion pricing isn’t coming to Spokane, but these roads aren’t free and never were The Spokesman-Review » Roads have been free so long, people have forgotten how expensive they really are. Michelle2019-04-18T10:20:51-08:00April 8th, 2019|Fuel Tax, Highways, New York, Road Usage Charge, Washington|
Multi-billion, decade-long toll road plan gets green light, but bottlenecks loom Florida Watchdog » A decade-long, multi-billion dollar plan to build a toll turnpike and extend two others got a subcommittee’s unanimous approval during the first week of the legislative session, but faces scrutiny from two other Senate panels before it reaches chamber floors. SB 7068 calls for $45 million in fiscal year 2020 and $90 million in fiscal year 2021 and then $135 million annually through 2030 from the STTF, totaling more than $1.3 billion, to finance a state turnpike bond to pay for the bulk of the project. Michelle2019-04-18T11:24:28-08:00March 12th, 2019|Florida, Georgia, Highways, Tolling, Vehicle Usage Fees|
Northam announces selection of firms to build $3.3 billion tunnel project The Washington Post » Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday that Virginia has selected a contractor to build two new tunnels and widen a major highway in Hampton Roads. The $3.3 billion price tag — funded by regional gas and sales taxes, tolls and other sources — makes it one of the two biggest transportation projects in commonwealth history. Michelle2019-04-18T13:51:16-08:00February 16th, 2019|Fuel Tax, Highways, Public-Private Partnerships, Sales Tax, Tolling, Virginia|
Iowa drivers, rejoice: 60 years later, northern Iowa’s Highway 20 expansion is finally done Des Moines Register » Iowa community leaders have dreamed about it for decades and now it is finally complete: a high-speed, four-lane expressway project across northern Iowa. melodypecg2018-10-29T15:11:21-08:00October 16th, 2018|Highways, Iowa, Roads|
What’s Colorado Proposition 110: Sales tax increase for transportation Denver Post » Proposition 110 would increase the state sales tax from 2.9 percent to 3.52 percent for the next 20 years to fund state and local transportation projects, including new roads, maintenance of existing roads and debt repayment. Revenue would go to the state (45 percent), local governments (40 percent) and multimodal transportation projects (15 percent). melodypecg2018-10-23T11:09:49-08:00October 12th, 2018|Bridges, Colorado, Highways, Roads, Uncategorized|
