[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 169 (Saturday, December 18, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2191-E2192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF THE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ON 
                       FEDERAL LANDS ACT OF 2010

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                          HON. MAZIE K. HIRONO

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 17, 2010

  Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce a bill that will 
significantly improve traffic safety and mobility in our national parks 
and other public recreational lands through increased funding and 
expanded authorities. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, the 
Transportation Infrastructure Improvements on Federal Lands Act of 
2010.
  Our national parks contain some of the most important and valuable 
historic, cultural, and natural treasures in our country. Millions of 
visitors flock to these parks every year. Yet safe access to and 
movement around these sites are compromised by severe and chronic 
underfunding and irrational provisions in current law.
  The state of park transportation systems is deplorable. A recent 
assessment by the National Park Service, NPS, found that 90 percent of 
the park roads are in poor or fair condition. This compares with 14 
percent for major rural roads in the overall federal-aid highways 
system. One person is killed or injured on a park road every 4.5 hours. 
If the National Park System were a State, it would rank 13th highest 
for road fatalities and injuries among all the States.
  The NPS received $240 million in FY2010 through the Park Roads and 
Parkways program to build, repair, and rehabilitate roads and bridges, 
less than a third of what the NPS

[[Page E2192]]

estimates it needs to provide safe and efficient access for visitors. 
My legislation would double the annual funding to accelerate the 
retirement of the growing road repair backlog now estimated at $4.9 
billion.
  The poor state of park roads is not caused by insufficient funding 
alone. Under current law, Federal highway funds can be used for 
reconstruction and rehabilitation, but not for regular maintenance that 
would help extend the life of the roadway and preserve taxpayers' 
investment. Consequently, maintenance of roads and bridges is deferred 
until they have deteriorated to the point where they qualify for major 
rehabilitation or reconstruction, at far greater expense. Visitors are 
put at risk when they try to drive around potholes that pock our park 
roads. My legislation would make regular maintenance of park roads 
eligible for federal highway funding.
  As our national parks become increasingly crowded, alternative 
transportation systems are being relied upon to a much greater extent 
to help move visitors around. Unfortunately, that program is also 
severely underfunded. A third major focus of my bill would raise the 
annual funding level for the Federal public lands transit program from 
the current $24 million to $100 million, with 60 percent of it being 
targeted for qualified projects in national parks.
  Visitors from throughout our country and around the world are 
discovering the natural, cultural, and historic wonders that are 
embodied in our national parks. Their experience should not be 
diminished, and their safety certainly should not be placed at risk, 
while they visit our national parks. I urge you to join me in 
sponsoring this legislation to improve visitor safety and enjoyment of 
our parks through improved maintenance and management of its 
transportation systems.

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