With all the problems in transportation, all the parking problem’s truckers face, all these states closing rest areas claiming there is no funding to keep rest areas open.
Is this because of all the wasteful spending that is going on? Arizona closed 13 rest areas in 2009 for the lack of funding. The good news is Arizona is set to re-open nine of the 13 closed rest areas over the next few months.
But, Arizona had 41 bridge projects in mind – for squirrels. They did, however, cancel these 41 squirrel bridge projects that were going to be funded out of the Arizona Transportation fund.
I understand that these “bridges” were for the endangered red squirrel (wants list), but come on now what about the “endangered truck driver?”.
I wonder how many “other wasteful spending projects” didn’t get canceled out of the transportation fund – which should be used for transportation.
I know transportation funds are set up for different projects such as flowers in the medians and new road signs, and mowing the sides of the roads and keeping the trash picked up, etc. But when do flowers and squirrels and such (wants list) outweigh safe parking and or more parking in general (needs list)? Or road upgrades, and real traffic bridge replacements (needs list)?
The most recent report from the USDOT December 2009 there are still 149,647 deficient transportation bridges in the US. But the USDOT acts as if they are more worried about building and upgrading roads in and out of State parks, and getting high-speed rail (wants list) in the US. The USDOT did, however, get the number 10,000 road project under way – of which most are in State Parks (wants list) and none were for parking (need list). USDOT did allocate $6 million for truck parking (needs list) in five different states as they have every year since 2006, but also allowed $5 million to be spent on a bicycle path in one city (wants list). I’m not sure how many bridge replacements (needs list) were on the agenda, but I’m sure there are a few as this is a problem – on US interstates.
I have said this once before about this administration. They are funding ideas that the US wants without the money to pay for them, and allowing the needs of the US to go unfunded. High-speed rail should be on a list of “wants” as it is something the US wants but can’t afford. Giving money to union operated mass transit (vote buying) is another waste in my opinion. Why is the USDOT giving money to the unions – to buy up votes? So the operators can continue to make over $100,000 per year? These people are way overpaid for what little they do. There are plenty of unemployed people that would gladly do those jobs for a lot less pay.
The US needs to get its priorities back in order – it is time for wasteful spending to stop. The US is on the brink of bankruptcy if not already bankrupt – it may be too late. We need to start looking out for the “needs” here in the US and put the “wants” back on the shelf.
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hello,
thank you for posting and sharing this information to us.
i agreed on what you are trying to speak out about wasteful funds during transportation.
keep posting this kind of information
many thanks
Chase