HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004 Resolution No. 049•
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RESOLUTION NO . t}__
SERIES OF 2004
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE REAUTHORIZATION OF FEDERAL
TRANSPORTATION PROGRA IS AND POLICIES NECESSARY TO IMPR OVE OUR
NAT ION 'S MOBILITY AND URGING CONGRESS TO PASS A SIX-YEAR SURFA CE
TRANSPORTATION REAUTHORIZATION BILL IN THE AMOUNT OF NO LESS THAN
$318 BILLION DOLLARS .
WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress has nol completed its work lo reau thorize Federal
Transportation Program s and policies necessary to improve our natio n's mobility; an d
WHEREAS, reauthorizing Federal Transportation Programs is esse ntial in order to improve
our nation 's economic health because transportation infrastructure constitutes the circu latory
system through which consumers and commerce flow in and through our nation's ci ti es and
regions; and
WHEREAS, re authorizing Federal Transponation Programs are a jobs-saving as well as a
jobs -c reating bill ; and
WHEREAS, the City of Englewood cannot affo rd lo lose another construction seaso n while
Congres s debates reauthorization; and
WHEREAS, the longer Congress delay s th e greater the risk that lransponation projects and
programs currently underway will either slow down or sto p, jeopardizing existing jobs and the
creation of new ones; and
WHEREAS, the reauthorization of Federal Transpon al ion Program s pays for itself becau se
federal gas lax revenu es collected al the pump help pay the bill; and
WHEREAS, reauthorizing Federa l Transportation programs wi ll help reduce the stranglehold
of roadway C'o nge stion that pollutes our shared environment and steals peoples' tim e from more
productive activities at home, work and play ; an d
WHEREAS, reauthorizing Federa l Transportation Programs in an investmen t in home land
security because our nation's transportation sys tems help move people out ofhann 's way and
transport emergency personnel where ne eded; and
WHEREAS, th e City ofEnglewood , Co lorado and cities and lov ·ns across our nation desire a
six-y ear rather than a two-year bill because transportation projects require long-t cnn planning and
funding stability that , in tum , help s ensure cost effective projects ; and
WHEREAS , Congress mu st build on the legacy of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21 "
Cen tu ry ("TEA-21 "), and improve the long term funding and program flexibility of federal
transportation programs and policie s at 1h e Slate and loca l le ve ls.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNC IL OF THE CIT'r OF
ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO, THAT :
Sec tion 1. Th e City Co un ci l of th e City of Englewood, Co lorad o s upport s th e rea uth oriza ti on
of Fe dera l Transportati on Programs and poli cies and urges co ngress to pass and the Pres id ent to
sign a s ix-year sur fac e tra nsportat ion rea uthoriza ti on bill in an amount of no less th at S3 18 billi on
doll ars .
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COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
Date:
April 5, 1004
Initiated By :
Public Works
Subject j Reso lu tion in Support fo r Six Yea r
1 I c II Reauthorization of th e T ransportat,011
Eou,tv Act for the 21 " Centu rv ITEA-11)
Age nda Item :
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Staff Source :
Ken Ross, Director of P .. b:,c Works
COUNCIL GOAL AND PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION
Th ere has bee n no prev ious Co un ci l ac ti on on th is reques t.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Staff re co mmends th at Ci ty Coun cil approve th e atlac hed Reso luti on
BACKGROUND, ANALYSIS , AND ALTERNATIVES IDENTIFIED
For more than a yea r, members of Congress have b ee n disc ussing, debatin g, and n ego ti atin g abc ut
what •r, in ves t in our nation 's transportation sys te m. Th eir decis ion wi!l have a direc t impact on t 1e
economy, j obs, tr affic conges ti on, and transportation safe ty .
Th e Se nate pass ed S. l 072 whir!, w ill authorize $3 18 billi on ove r a six ye ar period for federa l aid for
hi ghways, h ighway safe ty prc-grz n,s, and transit programs. Thi s funding will p rovide $6 billion fo ·
sa fety programs, $S6.5 billi on for transi t, and $255 billion for hig hways. This bill also ensures ti-.; t
eac h state rece ives a minimum of a 95% return on th eir High way Trust Ft.ind co ntri buti ons by th ~
yea r 2009. Th e Se nate bill does not rais e federa l gas ta xes Gr user fe es, nor does it in crea se th e
f~de ral deficit. It co nt :n ues th e important principl e of pay ing for transpor tati on im provements
th rough th e Highway Trust Fund . Bo th Colorado Se na!ors Campbe ll and All ard vo ted for this bil.
Th e H ous e Transportati on and Infrastru ctu re Committee is workin g on H.R. 3550, The
Transpo rtati on Equity Act: A Legacy for Users. M ter it moves out of thi s commitlee it w ill be
debated and voted o n by tae full hous e. Once th e H ouse passes a b ill, th e H o use and Senate 11111st
th en mee t for a co nferen ce th is sp ring to nego tia te a co mpromi se bi ll.
1-1 .R. 3550 as c urrentl y wri tl en w ill au th ori ze $292.7 bi lli on in tr anspo rt ati on inves tm ent over the
nex t six years aivj \•v iii th erefore strip TEA-21 of so me esse nti al and pos iti ve elements th at ca me ou t
of a di ve rs e group of int eres ts ran gin g from local pla nn ers and cycling enthusia sts to muni cipa l
offi cials, transit supp or ters, en·,ironmen talists, and hi stor ic preserva ti oni sts.
Th e Ameri can Pub lic Works Asso ciation , th e Am erica n Socie ty f Eng in ee rs, th e Na ti onal Leag ue cf
Cities, th e Na ti on,11 Association of Cou nt ies, th e Uni ted States Co nfere nce of Mayo rs, and th e
Int ern ati on al City/County Management Association ha·,e all gotten behi nd this effort to try to
enco ura ge Co ngres s ro co ntinu e a bal anced approa ..:11 to an overa ll U nit ed States transpo rtati on
po licy where loca l govern miJnts an d reg ional metropo litan plan nin g orga ni zati ons ha ve th e
fl ex ibility to dec ide on th e transpor tati on projec ts th at mee t loca l needs and redu ce co nges ti on anc
,1 re all owe d to fa ctor in environm enta l as we ll as co mmun it y type iss ues .
FINA NCIAL IMPACT
Englewood was very success ful in th e last Transportati on Impr oveme nt Pr ogram. We rece ive d, or
are abou t to receive, $1,937,000 in federal funding toward three sid ewa lk projects, one bike trail
projec t, a bus shuttle proj ec t, and a So uth Broa dway str eetscape projec t. These bik e and
pedes tri an, tr ansit, and enh anceme nt projects are th e type of proj ects th at will be elirnin at d if th e
House vers ion of th e Transportati on Equity Act Reauthoriz ati on bill ge ts passed.
LIST OF ATTAC HM ENTS
Proposed Reso lution
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