'We All Rely On Safe Roads': Angela Alsobrooks Urges Flexible And Sustainable Highway Funding

Forbes Breaking News

During a Senate Environment Committee hearing in July, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) spoke about the ability of states to transfer and use highway funding.

Transcript

00:00Now with that, I turn the microphone over to my friend, my colleague, the

00:08ranking member, Senator Ulsterbrooks, for her maiden leadership speech. Too much?

00:14No, perfect. Thank you so much. Thank you. No pressure, but you know. So good

00:20afternoon everyone, and welcome to today's hearing on the Senate Environment

00:25and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Chair

00:29Kramer, I want to start by thanking you so much for your partnership in leading

00:34this subcommittee and in holding this hearing. North Dakota and Maryland are

00:39very different states, both with unique needs, and yet we have been able to work

00:44together to identify shared priorities, and I am most grateful for that. I also

00:50want to thank Chair Capito and Ranking Member Whitehouse for their continued

00:54leadership as we both look to build out the next surface transportation

00:59reauthorization bill. I'd like to also acknowledge today the presence of the

01:04family of Sarah DeBink Langenkamp. Her widow is here, Dan Langenkamp, and her

01:10father, Dirk DeBink, had an opportunity to speak to both of them and to talk, but

01:15they're here with us today. Sarah was tragically killed in August of 2022 while

01:22riding her bike along River Road in Bethesda. Her family has worked diligently to

01:27turn this tragedy into action and has been advocating to make roads safer for

01:33cyclists since her death, so I want to thank you both for the work that you're

01:37doing and thank you as well so much for joining us today. Regular reauthorization

01:42is crucial to supporting our highways, bridges, public transit, and rail. However,

01:49transportation policy is as much about fixing our roads as it is about safety,

01:54equity, sustainability, and economic opportunities. Lastly, I'd like to thank our

01:59witnesses. Thank you so much for joining us today, and I especially want to thank

02:04Samantha Biddle from the Maryland Department of Transportation for being

02:08here today. Maryland is at the forefront of transportation innovation, actively

02:13leveraging federal investments to upgrade critical infrastructure like the

02:17Chesapeake Bay Bridge, and expand commuter rail services. The state's commitment to

02:23safer roads and cleaner transit shows how targeted policies can drive real

02:29progress in modernizing transportation systems. The condition of our

02:34infrastructure directly affects the safety, mobility, and quality of life of all

02:38Marylanders. During this discussion, we hope to shed some light on how we can

02:43empower states to deliver safer, more efficient, and effective in modern

02:48transportation infrastructure. As we get ready for the next surface

02:53transportation reauthorization, it is also important to reflect on the progress

02:58underway thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law. In Maryland, as is the

03:04case across the country, BIL investments have been transformative. The state has

03:10received approximately $4.6 billion in highway and bridge funding and is set to

03:16receive nearly $30 million for highway safety initiatives. Additionally, Maryland

03:22secured $63 million to expand EV charging networks, laying the groundwork for a

03:27cleaner, more modern transportation system. Despite this progress, there is so

03:32much work left to be done. Structurally, deficient bridges are a real

03:37concern and nearly half of our major local and state maintained roads are

03:42considered to be in either poor or mediocre condition. These poor road

03:47conditions cost Maryland $12 billion annually and lead to traffic congestion

03:52which increases commuter time and delays the movement of goods hurting the supply

03:57chain. Transit systems face funding gaps even as demand grows. This is why the bills

04:03being discussed today are so important. Enhancing the Safe Routes Program will

04:08protect pedestrians and cyclists and foster more walkable communities. Expanding the

04:14flexibility to transfer federal highway funds between programs will allow Maryland

04:20and other states to better align resources with their most urgent

04:24transportation needs, whether it's building resilient infrastructure, modernizing

04:29transit facilities, or addressing safety. This is why I was proud to join Senator

04:35Kramer in introducing the Highway Funding Transferability Improvement Act. This bill

04:41increases the allowable transfer of federal highway funds between eligible

04:46programs from 50 percent to 75 percent. By increasing flexibility, this bill

04:52provides state DOTs with greater flexibility to make investment decisions that

04:57reflect their unique needs and evolving priorities. Enhanced flexibility also

05:03enables states to repurpose dollars that might otherwise go unspent, reducing the

05:08volume of unobligated funds and empowering states to tailor transportation

05:13investments at the local level. How we invest in and manage our

05:17infrastructure directly impacts economic growth and safety. We all rely on safe roads,

05:23efficient transit, and resilient bridges to get to work, access health care, and

05:28support local businesses. If we fail to modernize our systems or respond to

05:34state-specific needs, that's a lost opportunity in so many ways. So I look

05:38forward to discussing these bills and more with our three witnesses today. So thank you.

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