The Senate has finally acted to extend the authorization for federal spending on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other vital transportation programs, including roads, bridges, and mass transit projects all over the United States. The bill extends the FAA’s operating authority through January. Highway and transit programs, and the federal gasoline tax that pays for most of them, were all due to expire on Oct. 1, but now the deadline has been extended through March of 2012.
Expiration of the federal gas tax would deal a crippling blow to what is left of Maryland’s transportation program, but the threat is not removed, only deferred. A long-term solution to transportation funding at the state and federal levels remains one of our top priorities, especially in light of our troubled economy. Continued pressure needs to be directed to our elected officials to support increased investment in transportation capital projects that put people back to work and add lasting economic value to communities. This is key to getting us out of the current recession.
