OUR BRIDGE PROGRAM: HOW ARE WE DOING? SURVEY RESPONDENTS SAY U.S. IS LAGGING BEHIND

A Survey conducted Roads & Bridges magazine showed that despite the infusion of $10 billion from new federal and state gas taxes over the past two years, most government officials, engineers and contractors think the U.S. is continuing to fall behind in its bridge construction and renewal program. A Leavy mile-in role said the fault was inadequate funding, without specifying a level of government. It was proposed that new money should come primarily from higher fuel boxes and trucks. The next category deemed most appropriate as a source of new money is tolls. Engineers and contractors favored raising money from gas taxes on car owners. The funding source (other than trucks) that received a majority vote for an increase among any category of respondents was traffic fines. Most respondents who favored an increase in gas tax said the increase should be 2 cents a gallon. The survey indicated that the greatest need was for rehabilitation of existing bridges. Unwillingness to innovate and the rigidity in the procurement process were the cause of the poor bridge design technology in the U.S. Inadequate funding was the third most common cause of technological inferiority. The survey also showed that 91% of all respondents favored setting certification standards for all bridge inspectors. The current 10% set-aside for minority contracts was strongly criticized. 63% of government officials, engineers and contractors believe that contract over the bridge program -- including inspection, maintenance and funding -- should be increased at state and local levels. All respondents agreed that the review of environmental impact statements should be delegated to the states.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/11660022
• Corporate Authors:

  Scranton Gillette Communications

  380 E Northwest Highway, Suite 200
  Des Planes, IL  United States  60016-2282
• Publication Date: 1985-11

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: p. 22-25
• Serial:
  • Roads & Bridges
  • Volume: 23
  • Issue Number: 11
  • Publisher: Scranton Gillette Communications
  • ISSN: 8750-9229
  • Serial URL: http://www.roadsbridges.com/rb/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Bridge design; Bridges; Certification; Driver rehabilitation; Environmental impact statements; Finance; Financing; Fines (Penalties); Fuels; Inspectors; Local government; Maintenance; State government; Structural design; Taxation; Tolls; Trucks
• Uncontrolled Terms: Bridge maintenance; Rehabilitation
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Bridges and other structures; Education and Training; Energy; Finance; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Motor Carriers; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00454369
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 1986 12:00AM