Bush Budget Fully Funds Federal Road Program

President Bush this week submitted a transportation budget proposal that would fully fund the $32.3 billion authorized for highway and related spending in fiscal 2002.

Highway aid is the largest portion of the $57.2 billion the administration requested for transportation projects in the coming fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.

The president proposed an overall federal budget of $1.96 trillion for 2002, up from this year’s $1.86 trillion. Of the new figure, $16.3 billion is earmarked for the Department of Transportation – including administrative expenses – a $2.1 billion cut from 2001.

A DOT official explained that the reduction comes in categories for several projects now underway that will not appear in the department budget.

These include $1.9 billion in designated road projects, $600 million for replacing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge on Interstate 95 between Maryland and Virginia, and emergency relief for damage caused by natural disasters.

For the full story, see the March 5 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.