SHAHEEN: ACTION ON HIGHWAY TRUST FUND VITAL TO NEW HAMPSHIRE INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMY
At I-93 expansion site, Shaheen highlights importance of infrastructure to New Hampshire’s tourism industry Depletion of Trust Fund would jeopardize New Hampshire projects, jobs
(Windham, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) this afternoon joined New Hampshire officials in Windham where she pressed for continued funding for the National Highway Trust Fund and support for infrastructure projects, such as the I-93 expansion. Shaheen’s visit to the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) I-93 field office and construction site coincided with the upcoming Fourth of July weekend, which is one of the biggest travel weekends of the year. Based on current spending and revenue trends, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that the Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund will encounter a shortfall before the end of fiscal year (FY) 2014. Depletion of the fund could result in the loss of $55 million in federal transportation funds and more than 700 jobs in New Hampshire alone.
“The summer travel and tourism season is officially underway and that provides an important reminder of the critical relationship between our local infrastructure and our economy,” Shaheen said. “The Highway Trust Fund supports important projects, including the I-93 expansion, and hundreds of Granite State jobs. A funding shortfall would result in project delays and job loss that we simply cannot afford.”
“Our infrastructure plays an important role in virtually every sector of our state’s economy, particularly during the summer travel and tourism season, and I will keep working so we can see action on the Highway Trust Fund that is vital to addressing our infrastructure needs.”
Shaheen has consistently fought to improve New Hampshire’s transportation infrastructure for both public safety and economic competitiveness. She worked with the New Hampshire and Maine congressional delegations to obtain funding for the replacement of the Memorial Bridge in Portsmouth and has repeatedly called for the replacement of the Sewalls Falls Bridge in Concord. She has also fought against cuts to the Transportation Investments Generating Economic Return (TIGER) program that encourages economic activity and jobs in New Hampshire through important infrastructure investments. Earlier this year, she introduced the Strengthen and Fortify Existing Bridges Act of 2014 (SAFE Bridges Act) which would establish a program to provide funding specifically dedicated to repair and replace aging and deteriorating bridges.
