EMERSON: HIGHWAY BILL A `JOBS BILL'

U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson called the final version of a new federal highway bill "a jobs bill" and said it would provide funding for many key projects in southern Missouri.

"It will put two million Americans to work immediately repairing and expanding our highway infrastructure," Emerson said Tuesday. "The 1991 highway bill outlines an effective national transportation strategy, and, as far as southern Missouri is concerned, it provides funding for many vital projects to ease the movement of goods, services and commerce."

Emerson said the bill would mean 30,000 additional jobs in Missouri.

Emerson played a key role in drafting the House version as a member of the Public Works and Transportation Committee and its subcommittee on surface transportation. He said the final bill agreed upon by a House-Senate conference committee is not as good as the original House version but is better than the present law for Missouri.

Wayne Muri, Missouri's chief highway engineer, was in Washington Tuesday to monitor the progress. He said Tuesday night that he was pleased that Missouri's share of federal highway money would increase significantly.

Although Congress by midnight Tuesday had not given the bill final approval, Emerson predicted the measure would be on its way to President Bush before Congress adjourned for Thanksgiving.

"I don't think its very controversial any more," said Emerson.

The new bill would cover six years and total $153 billion - $121 billion for roads, highways and bridges, and $32 billion for mass transit. Missouri would receive an average of about $433 million a year during the life of the bill, compared to an average of about $250 million a year the last five years.

Instead of a return of 77 cents in federal gas tax money for each dollar paid in, the state would receive 96 cents under the new bill.

"While we would like a dollar-for-dollar return, the pool from where the highway funds is coming is much larger than the old pool," said Emerson.

A demonstration project included in the bill is $25.6 million for widening Highway 60 between Sikeston and Poplar Bluff to four lanes.

Emerson defended the demonstration projects in the bill with earmarked funding, which are often criticized as "pork barrel" projects. "Other districts have their Highway 60s which are legitimate needs," said Emerson. "It's not pork; it's a capital investment. There is a big difference between pork and a capital investment."

Emerson and Muri said the original House bill was better for Missouri because it changed the formula for allocating funds to take into account road usage.

"The House-passed bill was the best possible scenario for Missouri," said Emerson. "It fit Missouri to a tee. The final bill is not as good as what the House passed, but it is better than the expired law. The critical thing to remember is there is a much bigger pool of money from which we will be getting a higher return."

Muri said: "We had worked very hard for several years and had high hopes for a change in the formula, and are a little disappointed the outcome of the conference shifted more to the Senate side than the House side. There is a formula change, but not like we had hoped.

"But certainly there are additional dollars there and we will have a highway program. Without a federal program there is no state program; at least we're back in business."

Muri said the new program would also provide states greater flexibility in how they spend money and provides increased funding for mass transit.

He said that while most mass transit funds would go to metropolitan areas like St. Louis, there would be more money for other programs like the Older-Adult Transportation Service operating in outstate Missouri.

Muri said he and his staff will have to study the new bill in detail before they have a clear understanding of how the new program would work.

"We have a really drastically different highway program. It will not be business as usual by a long shot. We need to evaluate the program and then begin quite a process of implementing it; that's a brand-new ball game," said Muri. "There are a lot of questions that have to be hammered out."

The old highway bill expired Oct. 1. Since then the state has halted all bid lettings on highway projects. With a new law in effect, Muri said the department could begin letting contracts in January.