The meeting is part of a statewide information gathering effort to
generate public input for future roads funding. The background;
The Idaho Transportation Department has done two studies over the last
five years showing that the various governmanets are falling further and
further behind in keeping up with the maintenance of roads and highways.
Roads that were built to last for twenty years are now going on forty,
etc. The latest study says that by 2000 there will be a $5.9 billion
backlog in roadways needs on state highways, county roads and city
streets, (thats $5000 for every person in Idaho).
They want to raise fees to improve the roads. There is a vocal faction
that wants to raise revenues from non-users to build more roads. The
problem is that automobile use is already heavily subsidized, and more
subsidies will only aggrevate the auto-mania. The legislature needs to
hear about whats wrong with simply building more roads to make driving
even easier.
The enormity of the funding "shortfall" proves that the current trans
paradigm is obsolete, the legislature needs to hear from you
articulate visionaries and a new paradym. I should add that the US House
recently approved massive cuts to transit and increases in funding for
highways. The trends in gov't arent' pretty.
Please attend this meeting if you can. There will be a presentation at
4, with comment opening at 4:30. I have one spare copy of the study for
anyone who'd like. Call me at 882-9698 if you want the study.
Dave Peckham