[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 141 (Monday, October 3, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            FISCAL YEAR 1995 TRANSPOR-TATION APPROPRIATIONS

 Mr. DURENBERGER. Mr. President, I rise to compliment my 
colleagues on the Transportation Appropriations Committee on the 
splendid work that has been done over the last 16 years, and 
particularly the last 4 years as we work to implement and fund the 
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 [ISTEA].
  In particular, I would like to thank Senator Lautenberg and Senator 
D'Amato, as chairman and ranking member of this esteemed subcommittee, 
for the courtesy they have shown me over the years. It has been a 
pleasure to work with both of them. I'd also like to extend my 
appreciation to my friend and colleague from Minnesota, Congressman 
Martin Sabo, who, as a member of the House Transportation 
Appropriations Subcommittee has worked closely with me to secure 
funding for the State of Minnesota.
  Reflecting on the many requests I have made of my colleagues on the 
Transportation Subcommittee, it is hard not to be impressed with the 
subcommittee's willingness to come to the aid of Minnesota. Equally 
impressive is the fact that this assistance was not weighted to any one 
mode of transportation.
  For example, one of the first matters I was confronted with in 1979 
was the bankruptcy filings of two of Minnesota's principal rail 
carriers--the Milwaukee Railroad and the Rock Island Railroad. Thanks 
in large part to the subcommittee, sufficient funding was made 
available to salvage a core system of the Milwaukee Railroad and to 
rehabilitate the Rock Island trackage most needed by Minnesota 
shippers. Without that assistance, many of the small towns and 
communities located along those rail lines would have lost their grain 
elevators, coops, and other industry essential to rural America.
  In 1982, during the midst of a severe recession which decimated the 
Rust Belt communities dotting the Great Lakes, the subcommittee once 
again came to the rescue by eliminating the original construction debt 
for the St. Lawrence Seaway. This debt was fast becoming a millstone 
which undermined the competitiveness of Great Lake ports. Combined with 
my efforts in 1986 to institute rebates on seaway tolls, we have been 
able to stave off the demise of the Great Lakes shipping community. The 
elimination of the collection of those tolls, contained in the bill 
pending before us today, is yet another step forward in the effort to 
restore the Great Lake port system to the position it held in the mid-
1970's.
  The Transportation appropriations bill has always been an important 
one for highways in the State of Minnesota. Under ISTEA, approximately 
23 percent of the total road mileage in the State is eligible for 
Federal aid, allowing construction and restoration of much needed 
arterials as well as secondary and urban roadways. As a mostly rural 
State with only a few major urban areas, the safe construction and 
upkeep of our highways is extremely important for movement about the 
State.
  ISTEA was especially important for the State of Minnesota as it 
authorized funding for 17 special highway projects. I am proud that, as 
a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, I worked to 
secure this authorization, and since then, have worked to ensure that 
these projects have received funding through the Transportation 
appropriations process each year.
  One such project was the design and construction of Trunk Highway 
610--or the Crosstown--connecting I-94 with Trunk Highway 10. Not only 
does this highway provide a necessary east-west route, it also has 
three unique features distinguishing it from the many other highway 
projects authorized in ISTEA. First, it is intermodal, integrating the 
Crosstown with the proposed Twin Cities Light Rail Transit line. The 
construction project also made use of new research on pavement design 
to reduce deterioration caused by cold weather--perfect for helping the 
road survive those infamous Minnesota winters. Finally, the Crosstown 
Highway project is also a coordinated water resource project, utilizing 
storm water runoff to recharge the nearby aquifer. Thanks to the 
support of this esteemed subcommittee, Trunk Highway 610 is now in the 
final stages of its construction.
  The Bloomington Ferry Bridge is one of the most comprehensive 
projects I have worked on during my time as Senator. This project 
involved building a replacement for the existing temporary bridge, 
which will expand the bridge's capacity from two to six lanes to 
accommodate the increased traffic associated with the growing 
population of the area. A metropolitan task force considered this the 
highest priority river crossing in the Twin Cities area. My colleagues 
have ensured that this project has continued to receive the necessary 
funding over the years and I'm pleased to state that this project is 
now in its final stages of construction.
  ISTEA also authorized funding for the Avenue of the Saints, a four-
lane highway connecting St. Louis, MO, and St. Paul, MN, running 
through Iowa. Prior to ISTEA, this corridor of 18.4 million people had 
extremely poor north-south arteries but our three States did not have 
sufficient funds to resolve the corridor's transportation deficiencies. 
This corridor has brought new economic advantages to the predominantly 
agricultural area set between the major metropolitian areas at each end 
of the highway. Once again, my colleagues have recognized the 
importance of this project and the Minnesota segment of the corridor--
interstate 35W--is completed.

  During consideration of ISTEA, I offered an amendment on the Senate 
floor to ensure the necessary foundation to maintain the existing 
interstate system that we have been building since 1806 when Thomas 
Jefferson signed the first Federal highway program into law. With a 
little urging, my Senate colleagues approved my amendment directing the 
administration to work with the States to design a National Highway 
System.
  This year, the Senate approved a map, compiled by Secretary Pena, of 
the new and greatly expanded National Highway System. It builds on the 
existing Interstate System, covering almost 4,000 miles in my State--
159,000 nationwide. This will serve to increase the number of highway 
miles eligible for investing funds, thus retaining greater flexibility 
in the program. I'm pleased to say that the appropriations bill before 
us today includes funding for several projects to become part of this 
new National Highway System.
  ISTEA also included provisions to set a standard to define where 
pavement markings are necessary and to establish a minimum maintenance 
level of retroreflectivity--level of brightness reflected back to the 
driver when a light hits it--for pavement markings and signs. This 
provides a safer driving environment and be especially beneficial to 
older drivers. Over the years, the subcommittee has often recognized 
the importance of such safety features by granting States the necessary 
funding to facilitate improvements.
  But highway improvements aren't the only focus of Minnesotans. My 
State recognizes the importance of looking to the future and increasing 
emphasis on other modes of transportation. I am pleased that the 
Intelligent Vehicle-Highway Systems Act development by myself and Frank 
Lautenberg was incorporated into ISTEA in 1991. IVHS has four important 
benefits. It optimizes our transportation resources by moving more 
people per road and tax dollar. Our roads will be safer because 
congestion and accidents can and will be prevented. We will be more 
productive because workers will spend less of their workday on the 
freeway. And finally, a more efficient highway system means fewer 
gallons of gasoline burned and fewer tons of air pollutants to deal 
with. This puts technology to work for the people.
  Minnesota is already a national leader in highway technology through 
its GuideStar Program, which includes advanced traveler management, 
traveler information systems, and other congestion management 
strategies. This system, which is now ready for real life 
demonstration, has received appropriated funds every year since the 
year we authorized it.
  Under criteria which we established in ISTEA, Minnesota has since 
been chosen as one of only five high-speed rail corridors. The proposed 
Minnesota high-speed rail line would run through Minneapolis, St. Paul 
and Rochester, in Minnesota, to Lacrosse, Madison, and Milwaukee, in 
Wisconsin, to Chicago, IL. Funding for feasibility studies has been 
appropriated in the past and the project is moving forward. In my 
retirement, I am certainly looking forward to being able to travel more 
easily between these three States.
  Throughout my term in Congress, I have been a strong supporter of 
extending Essential Air Service [EAS] to smaller rural communities. In 
1987, I sponsored legislation which extended this program which is so 
vital to the economy of rural communities. This year, there was again a 
battle to eliminate this program, but my colleagues and I held firm. 
And in the end, this subcommittee recognized the value of ensuring air 
transit to communities distant from the larger metropolitan hubs. I am 
proud to state once again, that four Minnesota rural airports will 
receive EAS funding during the next fiscal year.
  Some people may believe these types of funding projects are political 
pork projects, but ask my Minnesotan and they will tell you how much 
their lives have improved by not having to sit in traffic waiting to 
cross the Bloomington Ferry Bridge, or how much more efficiently people 
will be able to travel to nearby States--either via the Avenue of the 
Saints, or the future high-speed rail link. They will tell you that 
these projects are necessary to the economic viability of our State, as 
well as the quality of life of each Minnesotan. I am proud to have been 
able to facilitate these improvement projects for the State of 
Minnesota, and I once again give my thanks to my colleagues on the 
Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee for all the assistance they 
have given, both me and my State, during my 16 years in office.

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