Briefs

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has told key legislators he's prepared to kill plans to toll southern I-95 in return for support for his plan to increase the state sales tax 16% and to increase motor registration fees to fund handouts to free or lossmaking transportation projects.

McDonnell also wants to abolish the state gasoline tax.

Listening to Mike Proudfoot CEO of TI Corp expound on the value of the toll-financed $3 billion Port Mann Bridge H1 highway upgrade in Vancouver BC made us think someone should compile a list of Champion Toll Promoters.

Your editor is traveling to Vancouver BC to see the Port Mann Bridge toll system, courtesy the system integrator Sanef ITS.

No more postings this week - editor

TOLLROADSnews 2013-01-30

Thomas 'Mike' Miller president of the Maryland senate is throwing around a bunch of proposals for raising money for roads and transit:

- devolving to counties authority to levy up to 5c/gallon in fuel taxes

- a 3% statewide increase in the gasoline/diesel tax

- a longterm lease on the ICC to garner upfront funds for rail transit projects

US Secretary of transportation Ray LaHood is leaving. Ken Orski a well connected reporter in USDOT politics says has heard LaHood was told he wasn't wanted any longer. It is not clear he did anything to incur the displeasure of the White House, but perhaps they simply have someone else they now prefer in the slot.

A couple of those speculated about as successors come from state and local politics:

- LA mayor Antonio Villarigosa who is at the end of his term, who has been successful in getting things done, in tolling the I-110 and I-10 toll lanes

Two of the greats of American tolling, Jack Finn of HNTB and Ken Philmus of Xerox have been recognized by IBTTA as Honorary Members (HM.) An announcement by the toll industry association says this is the highest honor that IBTTA can bestow for “outstanding contribution(s) in the furtherance of the purpose and objectives of the association.”

The selection was made by the board of directors at their recent Miami meeting.

Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission has selected Joseph J Resta as their new executive director. Resta, 52, comes from five years (2007 to 2012) managing a convention center expansion in Philadelphia, and was a deputy secretary in the state's Department of Government Services before that (2005 to 2007.) Earlier jobs were with Alta Management LLC in Philadelphia, a deputy director n the capital program office of the City of Philadelphia (1996 to 2000.)

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Even if we grant… the dubious proposition that Keynesian economics is correct in showing that deficit financing can be an effective and appropriate policy for saving economies from recessions, a more complete science of economics suggests strongly that it is nevertheless highly unwise to permit government to run deficits to save economies from recessions.  

A collapse in an approach span of the investor built Jordan toll bridge in the city of Chesapeake Virginia has generated another set of state penalties, this time against Figg Bridge's partner in the project Lane Construction. The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry's Occupational Safety and Health Compliance office (known as VOSH) alleges five violations of safe practice and levies $21,000 in fines.

The charges say Lane Construction failed to follow the manufacturer of the segment launching girder's requirements for inspections and maintenance.

Neither the Declaration of Independence nor the US Constitution grant recognition to 'commonwealths' only to states. Virginia was described by the signers on 4 July 1776 as a state. There were initially thirteen "States of America," one of which was Virginia.  The US Constitution of 17 September 1787 also only recognizes states which it also writes as States with a germanic capitalization of the noun. It contains no reference to any 'commonwealth.'

The founding fathers all signed as representatives of their 'states.'