TCC REPORT SAYS STATE HIGHWAY PLAN FLAWED; MORE HIGHWAY MONEY NEEDED, GROUP SAYS

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission did a poor job of putting together its 15-year highway plan in 1992, says a report by Missouri's Total Transportation Commission.

First off, the project started $1.4 billion in the hole. That deficit could grow to 10 times that amount -- $14 billion -- by the time the project is completed in the new century without new funding, says the report.

When the General Assembly approved the plan, projected costs of completion were $14.018 billion. Projected income for the plan was only $12.486 billion.

In addition, the plan didn't allow for construction cost increases from inflation, said the report. At the time, construction inflation indexes were flat.

Because of unexpected inflation and project growth, the plan has run into considerable difficulties. What started out as a $14 billion project five years ago could end up costing double that amount, according to the report of the Total Transportation Commission, known as the TTC.

The report has been distributed by the Missouri Office of Administration's Division of Budget and Planning to legislators and newspapers. The Division of Budget and Planning worked with the TTC and the Missouri Highway Department staff to review of the status of the plan, which was the basis for the report.

The only cure for the deficit is more funding, said Bret S. Fischer, section manager for the Division of Budget and Planning.

The main suggested source of additional revenue is a 1 percent increase in the state sales tax, which would produce $575 million in the initial years of the levy, and the revocation of the scheduled 2007 sunset clause on 6 cents of the fuel tax.

The TTC has considered other fund-raising options -- a 1-cent-a-gallon fuel tax increase, and, or doubling the vehicle license registration fees -- but both alternatives were rejected because they wouldn't generate sufficient revenues.

More than $343 million in adjustments have been added to the 15-year plan since 1992, due to changes in standards, federal requirements and changes in Missouri Highway Commission plans, shoving the 1992 plan to $14.361 billion.

The 1992 plan also did not include $600 million for 22 major bridges and $4.7 billion for reconstruction and upgrading of portions of the interstate highway system.

Fischer and Scott Meyer, Department of Transportation district engineer at Sikeston, agreed that the extra 1-cent sales tax and doing away with the sunset clause on the fuel tax would, however, allow ample funds to complete the 15-year plan.

A 1-cent sales tax proposal would have to go before voters.

Without the additional funding, the highway commission will have to make some tough decisions, said Fischer.

The 1-cent sales tax would also cover a lot of other transportation needs -- ports, rural urban areas, light rail and airports, said Scott.

Scott said the Department of Transportation is working to reduce maintenance and administrative spending. "We've reduced these costs over the past three years for savings of more than $20 million," he said.

"We're building important projects," said Meyer. "If the funding is stopped or slowed, we'll have to build them slower as we get the money."

Scott cited some of the improvements in Southeast Missouri over the past five years.

"There are a lot of things going on," he said. "Route 60 to Poplar Bluff is being completed, we're working on the new Mississippi River bridge at Cape Girardeau, the regional port authority road, the rerouting of Route J. We have some very good construction going on."

Meyer said the region is benefiting from "Project Growth."

"The Route J project certainly wasn't in the original planning," said Meyer. "But it's good for Missouri, and we have to be ready to respond."

Meyer said: "We can't look at everything strictly as transportation. Route J relocation was needed when Procter & Gamble announced plans for expansion. This will effect the quality of life and economics for Missouri."

Another example of Project Growth is the lighting for the new Emerson Memorial Bridge at Cape Girardeau, he said. Lighting was not originally scheduled for the new bridge across the Mississippi River, he said.

In explaining the possible $14 billion deficit in the original 15-year plan, Fischer said the amount could be deceiving.

"If the 15-year plan was completed as planned, with no infusion of new funds and the continued inflation and Project Growth, it could mean a $14 billion deficit," he said.

The $14 billion deficit can actually be filled with a smaller amount if additional revenues are added now to avoid construction inflation-project growth costs, said Fischer

"The amount it would take to reduce the deficit depends on the amount and timing of any new revenue infusion," said Fischer. "The longer you wait the more it will cost."

The TTC says even one year's difference in enacting the sales tax can result in $409 million additional costs. In other words, if the 1-cent tax started in fiscal year 2000 instead of fiscal year 1999, additional costs would be $409 million.

COMPLETION RATES

Projects under contract or completed during the first five years of the 15-year highway plan, and percentages of completion:

-- Added lanes, 119 of 806 miles, 15 percent.

-- Four-lanes, 358 of 1,940 miles, 18 percent.

-- New two-lane, 108 of 668 miles, 16 percent.

-- Major bridges, seven of 22, 32 percent.

-- Minor bridges, 272 of 1,112, 24 percent.

-- Major resurfacing, 2,012 of 6,010 miles, 33 percent.

-- Minor resurfacing, 7,373 of 12,806 miles, 58 percent.