Highways in limbo

Amid growing concerns about the national debt, conflicting priorities and overall D.C. gridlock, the nation's system of funding its surface transportation networks is in serious limbo. Every five to six years, Congress has provided the states with a roadmap of what it will fund. The last such bill was passed in 2005--remember the "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska?--and "expired" last September. Since then, it's been extended with short-term "fixes" that have become a political football.

Earlier this week, I joined economic development leaders from northwest Kentucky, southwestern Kentucky and southeastern Illinois for the first-ever tri-state D.C. fly-in. One of our priorities was Interstate 69, which will cut through the heart of our region. There's been significant progress in Indiana and Kentucky for I-69, but the next reauthorization bill holds the promise of major funding that the states can't afford on their own.

Problem is, no one we talked with in D.C. knows when a new bill will be passed. Too many other issues such as healthcare reform are dominating the landscape. Another issue is the very real concern that the highway bill has been funded in the past by the federal gas tax. With cars getting better mileage and hybrids and electric cars becoming more mainstream, there's less tax being paid. The federal gas tax has become unreliable to sustain the highway system, much less build badly-needed new bridges and roads.

Very uncharacteristically, the U.S. Chamber board has approved a ten-cent increase in the federal gas tax, which hasn't been increased in 17 years. Anyone who follows the U.S. Chamber knows the very aggressive pro-business group almost never advocates tax increases. That fact alone speaks to the seriousness of adequate funding for highways.

Parkways to Interstate spurs

As the leader of the organization that has led the charge the past four years to see the Audubon and Natcher parkways become Interstate spurs, it's encouraging to see local candidates for political office talk about the issue. Both Bruce Kunze, Daviess County judge executive candidate and Paul Haire, who's running for Daviess County commissioner, west district, told the Messenger-Inquirer they support those upgrades. I suspect (hope?) other candidates do as well, but it's nice to see it highlighted.

For the record, both parkways were officially designated as future Interstate spurs as part of a larger transportation bill passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in June of 2008. That happened in large part because of then Congressman Ron Lewis' work at the urging of the Chamber of Commerce. Signs indicating its Interstate 69 spur status went up on the Audubon Parkway last September. At this time, the Natcher Parkway is officially a future I-66 spur. After the Natcher becomes part of the new 100-mile, four-lane connector from I-64 to I-65, I'd like to see the Natcher become part of an I-64/I-65 spur. Confused yet?

The bottom line is that there's some serious transportation progress coming together in the Owensboro region. Taking advantage of the near-Interstate condition of the parkways to finally bring Interstate spurs to the community's front door just makes sense. This won't happen overnight, but I'm finding that a steady drum beat of support with good facts is getting politicians' attention on these projects.

Good for Kunze and Haire to realize the importance of good surface transportation to the region. Certainly, Interstates carry commerce in the U.S. This is true today and will be true in the future.

I-69: The Future is Now

This Thursday, the Chamber of Commerce of Southwestern Indiana will host its annual dinner with John Calipari, UK basketball coach, serving as keynote speaker. He will obviously be the big story, but Interstate 69 will also take center stage with Hoosier Voices for I-69 and 24 chambers of commerce in Kentucky unveiling a new exhibit to promote the long-awaited highway that includes a new Ohio River bridge between the two states.

The cover story in Sunday's Courier-Press highlights I-69 progress in both Indiana and Kentucky and the ongoing effort north of the river to build the new-terrain route while also saving money to extend it as far north as possible with limited funds. It's a well-written story by C-P Indy bureau writer Eric Bradner.

In Kentucky, highway funds are much more limited and I-69 has fierce competition including new Ohio River bridges in Louisville, a new bridge in northern Kentucky and I-66. The chambers of commerce have picked up the torch for the project to keep its importance in front of state lawmakers, state transportation cabinet staffers and Kentucky's D.C. delegation. Bradner's story did not mention Governor Beshear's recent appointment of former highway engineer Ted Merryman as I-69 project manager.

Despite its long, winding journey, I-69 is moving forward. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels is its biggest fan. Kentucky now has a funding mechanism to help fund and toll a new Ohio River bridge. Governor Beshear grew up in Hopkins County near the corridor and that can't hurt either. Indeed, the future for I-69 is now.

A New Era of Bi-Partisanship?

Last week, Congressman Brett Guthrie spent considerable time in Owensboro. I was at a handful of his events, including a small business roundtable on Monday, the 10th, and at the GRADD board meeting on Wednesday when he spoke in the early afternoon. While he was wrapping up that meeting, I overheard him ask one of Governor Beshear's staffers who usually attends the meeting if it would OK for him to attend the governor's ceremonial signing of HB3 to be held about an hour later at RiverPark Center. Without thinking, I said something to the effect of, "Sure, you're welcome down there." It wasn't my place to give him "permission" but I was happy that Guthrie—a Republican—would want to attend a bill signing by Beshear—a Democrat.

Perhaps Congressman Guthrie has been listening to his constituents. They're the same people I hear all the time say they don't care about parties; they want the country's problems to get solved and most of them don't care if it's a Republican idea or a Democrat idea. Work together, whatever is required to lead progress. In my position, I work with both Democrats and Republicans and know neither party has a trademark on good ideas.

A week earlier, we saw another example of bi-partisanship. Governor Beshear and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels—a Republican—shared the spotlight in Henderson for a ceremonial signing of the infrastructure authority portion of HB3, which should help Kentucky fund its share of the I-69 and Louisville bridges. The governors seemed very much at ease with one another and, for many I-69 advocates like myself, it was a rewarding sight.

Perhaps smart politicians are realizing that extending a hand across the political aisle is a smart move. The public wants to see it.