Senate committee to mark up transportation bill this week

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is slated to release the text of its MAP-21 reauthorization bill today and hold a session to mark up the measure on Thursday, according to a report in the AASHTO Journal.

Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Ranking Member David Vitter (R-La.), Subcommittee Chair Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Subcommittee Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) announced last month that they had reached an agreement in principle for a bill, including the passage of a long-term measure as opposed to a short-term fix.

The measure also would maintain formulas for current core programs; maintain current funding levels plus inflation; focus on policies that would expand transportation in rural areas; leverage local resources to speed up transportation construction; and require better information sharing for federal grants, according to the Journal, a publication of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.