Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 17, 1995 TAG: 9502170046
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Sen. John Warner, R-Va., joined by 14 other lawmakers, introduced a bill that designates 159,000 miles of existing U.S. highways, including the 44,000-mile interstate highway system, as a national system of top priority roads.
The 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act requires that Congress designate a National Highway System by Oct. 1 of this year. Roads in the system would be eligible for a total of $6 billion in federal funds on the basis of $8 in federal money for every $2 from a state.
``I call this a $6 billion lottery,'' said Warner, chairman of the environment and public works subcommittee. ``It's important for my state and all 50 states to make sure they win.''
The legislation does not include funds for proposed Interstates 73 and 83, both of which could pass through the Roanoke Valley, nor any other new road projects. In that respect, it is similar to a bill passed by the Senate last year.
Both the House and Senate passed National Highway System legislation last year but were unable to resolve the differences in the two bills. Last year's House bill included $5 million for planning I-83, which would run from Roanoke to Greensboro, N.C., but did not include funding for the Virginia portion of I-73, which would run from Detroit to Charleston, S.C.
I-73 was left out of the legislation because North Carolina could not agree with either Virginia or South Carolina about where the highway should cross state borders. Virginia picked an I-73 route from Bluefield to Roanoke to Martinsville, but North Carolina wanted the road routed along existing I-77, entering that state near Hillsville.
Jim Zoia, a staffer for Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., one of the ranking minority members on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said Thursday that the disputes between the states are still complicating the future of I-73. As late as last week, Zoia said, the states still had not settled on border crossings for I-73.
``It's hard for Congress to consider proposals among the states that are in conflict,'' Zoia said.
A National Highway System bill has not been introduced in the House. Zoia said the House committee is to take a bill under consideration the first week in April.
Traditionally, funding for specific new projects is included in House highway legislation but not in the Senate, leaving final selection to the work of a conference committee. Zoia, however, said it was not clear whether any new projects would be included in the House bill.
A National Highway System map introduced with Warner's bill did not include a route for I-73 or I-83. The map is based on maps submitted by the states to the Federal Highway Administration.
Warner, however, alluded to the possibility that more roads will be included on the map. ``Pragmatically, we all know that this legislation will be the 18-wheeler that will carry other issues,'' he said.
Ann Loomis, an aide to Warner, said, ``The senator remains very supportive of the I-73 project.'' Warner, a strong believer in linking various forms of transportation, wants to see the project tied in with better access to Roanoke Regional Airport, Loomis said.
The National Highway System routes will be the first to benefit from new technologies to improve safety and lessen congestion, Warner said.
by CNB