[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 31, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      BESTEA WILL BENEFIT ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST DANGEROUS HIGHWAYS

  (Mr. METCALF asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to 
support BESTEA when it comes to the House floor this week. BESTEA 
focuses on safety and keeping our nation's highways safe like never 
before.
  An example of this commitment is the High Risk Roads Interstate 
Program. This program, Mr. Speaker, allocates $5.75 billion to fund 
safety improvements to high risk roads with high accident rates. 
Funding of this program requires that safety must be the primary 
purpose of any project.
  Mr. Speaker, this program will directly benefit my home State of 
Washington, which has the dubious distinction of having one of 
America's most dangerous highways. Highway 522 is a 10.5 mile road 
where 42 people have lost their lives in the past 20 years. Without 
this new program, the estimated $180 million price tag would remain out 
of reach, leading to more and more senseless deaths.
  I urge my colleagues to support BESTEA.

                          ____________________