US Transport Secretary choice hailed by tolling industry

WASHINGTON — Tolls on U.S. highways may go up in the future if the support around President George W. Bush’s nomination for transportation secretary is any indication.

The nomination of Mary Peters, a former head of the Arizona Transportation Department and former administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, is getting the nod from the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA), which hailed Peters for her “thorough understanding of the nation’s transportation funding crisis and for her willingness to seek innovative financing methods.”

“Mary Peters is a seasoned policymaker who knows the magnitude of our nation’s transportation challenges. She is a superlative choice to lead the federal Department of Transportation,” said Patrick Jones, executive director of IBTTA. “We’re looking forward to working with her to advance workable, market-based solutions that will strengthen the U.S. transportation network.”

Peters’ nomination was announced this week by President George W. Bush. Her name will soon be considered by the U.S. Senate for confirmation.

At the Federal Highway Administration, Peters compiled a strong record of supporting tolling and public-private partnerships to help fund the construction and operations of highways, said Jones.

“Bringing private-sector expertise to her federal duties, Secretary-designate Peters recognizes the need for additional resources to build and maintain the U.S. highway network,” added Jones. “Fifty years after the start of the Interstate Highway System, America is running critically short on funds for highway construction and maintenance. Harnessing the power of market-based mechanisms that work in concert with government will be the key to solving the transportation funding crisis.”

“Tolling-based solutions” recently won a strong recommendation by a national panel of the Transportation Research Board, an arm of the National Research Council that advises Congress. After a two-year study, the panel reported in January 2006 that the federal Highway Trust Fund was, by itself, no longer a reliable long-term source of funding. The expansion of tolling and other funding mechanisms will be needed to ensure the strength and safety of the U.S. highway network, says Jones.