JOBS: ROAD BILL CONSIDERED A REAL BOOST

About this time last year, Congress was completing a lengthy process to pass a new federal highway bill. U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson and Sen. Christopher Bond were working hard to see that it included provisions that would benefit rural states like Missouri.

In the end, Missouri political leaders and highway officials praised the bill as a measure that would bring increased highway funds to Missouri, and with it thousands of new jobs.

But has the measure lived up to its celebrated billing? At least one area highway official thinks it has.

"The first year's impact of this highway bill was fantastic," said John L. Oliver, Jr. of Cape Girardeau, a member of the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission.

"Over $100 million of additional projects were let in Missouri during the last fiscal year."

The six-year bill that was approved gave Missouri a return of 96 cents for every federal fuel tax dollar it pays in, compared with 77 cents under the old bill; increased annual funding each year for Missouri from $250 million to $433 million; and was projected to provide 30,000 new jobs over the six year period.

In response to the new federal act, known as the Intermodal Surface Transportation Infrastructure Act of 1991, members of the Missouri General Assembly passed a 6-cent state fuel tax increase. Scheduled to be phased in over five years, it will enable the state to match all federal money that becomes available.

The state gas tax hike was projected to generate 7,800 jobs, due to new highway projects.

Oliver said he isn't sure how many jobs were created by the tax hike, but said that kind of increased spending in construction is certain to have a big impact on employment.

Oliver said that during the past summer the state highway department did twice as much work improving road surfaces than in 1991.

Oliver explained that the amount of money Missouri will have an opportunity to match from the federal government depends on how Congress and the president decide to utilize the appropriations authority available to them.

He said President-elect Bill Clinton has suggested he would like to invest an additional $20 billion in infrastructure next year. If he follows through, Oliver said he believes Missouri will be in position to match whatever is available.

"We are poised to take more than our share," declared Oliver. "Because of the forward look of Missouri legislators that took it by the horns and voted the gas tax last year, if they turn loose of $20 billion, Missouri is one of the first states ready to take advantage of it."

He added, "We have plans on the shelf, money ready to match with, and contractors ready to put people back to work. This state can take advantage of it if Clinton keeps that campaign promise."

On Friday, the highway commission will hold its monthly meeting in Jefferson City, where commissioners will outline most of the priorities to be funded by the 6-cent fuel tax increase approved this year.

Oliver explained that priorities for 1993, 1994, and 1995 are project-specific and that more specific timetables for other projects will be developed later.

Except for the Mississippi River bridge project at Cape Girardeau, which is funded through Proposition A money passed in 1987, most of the highway work in Southeast Missouri the next few years will be focused on emergency bridge replacements and safety features along highways.

Eliminating one-lane bridges is a top priority for District 10, Oliver said, as well as other safety measures in the area.

Other projects will include widening of Highway 60 to Poplar Bluff.

Oliver said that during 1995 and 1996, a lot of preliminary engineering work will be done on projects that are included in the state's 15-year needs list, which will be funded with the new gas tax money.

A project that has had a lot of interest in this area is the extension of Nash Road into the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority. Highway officials have been working with port officials for several years on getting Nash Road extended.

Oliver said he anticipates there will be good news about the port road coming out of this week's highway commission meeting.

"Everybody is going to be real happy about the port road," he said.