Funding for Transportation Research Considered -- California Capitol Hill Bulletin -- Volume 10, Bulletin 5 -- March 6, 2003

On March 4, 2003, the Highways, Transit, and Pipelines Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held an oversight hearing on reauthorization of the transportation research, development and education programs. Rep. Thomas Petri (WI), chairman of the subcommittee, which includes such California congressional members as Juanita Millender-McDonald (Carson), Ellen O. Tauscher (Alamo), Mike Honda (San Jose), and Mike Thompson (St.Helena), stated during his opening remarks that transportation research saves lives and that every member of the committee is committed to reducing the number of human fatalities on the road, currently estimated at 42,000 per year.

The subcommittee heard testimony from three panels of witnesses, including Mr. Wesley Lum, Chief of the Office of National Liaison, of the California Department of Transportation - Division of Research and Innovation. All panelists emphasized the importance of TEA-21 funding to the states, especially in the area of research and education. The 26 University Transportation Centers (UTCs) received $33 million under the recent TEA-21 appropriation. Ms. Ellen Engleman, Administrator with the Department of Transportation's Research and Special Programs Administration informed the subcommittee members that UTCs serve as a great source for training future transportation professionals, and 1,000 graduates annually are selected via a competitive selection process, and operate under a varying funding structure.

California has three such centers: University of California Transportation Center (UCTC), headquartered at the University of California, Berkeley, the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) at the California State University, San Jose, and the National Center for Metropolitan Transportation Research (METRANS) at the University of Southern California and California State University, Long Beach. According to Mr. Lum, TEA-21 expanded the UTC Program, thus greatly enhancing the state's ability and progress in addressing transportation issues in a state which is home to three of the ten most congested urban areas in the nation -- Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Jose. In addition, the research that comes out of California's UTCs has enabled California officials to address numerous policy, multimodal systems and freight issues.

All panelists, including Mr. Lum, stressed the urgent need for an expanded commitment to transportation research, which currently receives 1 ½ % of the total transportation dollars, for solutions for our nation's safety, mobility, quality of life, and economic prosperity. Also, witnesses called on Congress to increase funding for all transportation modes and maintain the core programs of TEA-21 and ISTEA.

Further testimony can be obtained from the Committee's website at: http://www.house.gov/transportation .

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