Friday, October 27, 2006
See! The Feds Can Move Committed Money
Let’s not downplay the “helpless” attitude that local and regional officials took when it came to the Federal government’s involvement in funding the North Shore Connector. Everyone from our U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives, to state and county officials said that the money was committed, planning in place, and that the Connector was a go. If nothing else, their argument was that inertia would get the tunnels built.
But there are examples of powerful elected officials getting money moved. Remember the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere” in Alaska? When the heat was applied, the specific allocations to the bridge were dropped. It might still get built, but there is no mandate to do so.
We even have a small example occurring here in Allegheny County. Instead of using money to build an interchange from I-79 in Collier Township, a project deemed “not feasible” by PENNDOT, the money will go for streetscape improvements in several South Hills communities. At $2 million dollars, the funds represent about 1 percent of the Connector’s present price tag, but came about because of local efforts to move the money. As noted by newspaper accounts, “the money would be attached to a House transportation bill in November or December, and must be used within 18 months after the bill's passage”.
A small project, yes, but it represents a microcosm of what could have happened if those pushing the Connector would have done a little more than accept the cards as dealt. The money could have been moved for more beneficial transportation improvements, still buying elected officials good will and giving unions the work they crave. Instead, we have an extremely narrow and unpopular project whose benefits fall on a select few.
But there are examples of powerful elected officials getting money moved. Remember the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere” in Alaska? When the heat was applied, the specific allocations to the bridge were dropped. It might still get built, but there is no mandate to do so.
We even have a small example occurring here in Allegheny County. Instead of using money to build an interchange from I-79 in Collier Township, a project deemed “not feasible” by PENNDOT, the money will go for streetscape improvements in several South Hills communities. At $2 million dollars, the funds represent about 1 percent of the Connector’s present price tag, but came about because of local efforts to move the money. As noted by newspaper accounts, “the money would be attached to a House transportation bill in November or December, and must be used within 18 months after the bill's passage”.
A small project, yes, but it represents a microcosm of what could have happened if those pushing the Connector would have done a little more than accept the cards as dealt. The money could have been moved for more beneficial transportation improvements, still buying elected officials good will and giving unions the work they crave. Instead, we have an extremely narrow and unpopular project whose benefits fall on a select few.
