DATE: Friday, May 23, 1997                  TAG: 9705230027

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B10  EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Opinion

SOURCE: BY ROBERT E. MARTINEZ 

                                            LENGTH:   61 lines

FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM NEEDS REFORM

Regarding ``The road to efficient transportation'' (Another View, April 9): I write to clarify Virginia's position on the upcoming reauthorization of the federal surface transportation program - known as ISTEA.

ISTEA contains much to applaud. But while the principles guiding it are laudatory, its implementation has been rife with unnecessary red tape and bureaucratic requirements. Changes are essential as a result of unfulfilled funding promises, formulae inequity, excessive regulations and too many set-asides and categorical requirements.

Virginia, in partnership with several other states, has led an effort to establish a fair, streamlined proposal for the reauthorization of ISTEA. Called the ``Streamlined Transportation Efficiency Program for the 21st Century,'' or STEP 21, the program is supported by a coalition of more than 20 states. Sen. John Warner has been a leader in this effort.

The STEP 21 approach is simple: It builds upon ISTEA, yet it streamlines the multitude of current programs into just two - The National Highway System (NHS) and the Streamlined Surface Transportation Program (SSTP). Our program would retain funding for all currently eligible ISTEA activities (including safety, air quality and enhancement projects), preserve the funding earmarked for large metropolitan areas and retain the transferability provisions included in ISTEA.

STEP 21 eliminates none of ISTEA's language regarding planning or public participation. STEP 21 would reinforce the importance of the planning process by linking it directly with programming. It would give metropolitan areas the ability to fund those projects their planning indicates are most important. By recognizing local and state diversity, and providing tremendous flexibility to tailor transportation solutions to particular situations, STEP 21 allows for the establishment of priorities within the context of needs, not federally established program categories. STEP 21 would continue the working partnership between state transportation officials and local leaders and citizens that was established by ISTEA. Under STEP 21, states still would be required to spend specified amounts of money in metropolitan areas and connect transportation expenditures to other local needs such as clean air.

The STEP 21 Coalition does not support a ``highways-only'' transportation system as some cities claim. STEP 21 recognizes the key role that federal mass-transit programs play in helping to achieve national transportation goals; nothing in the proposal would change the transit program. Furthermore, STEP 21 retains ISTEA provisions that allow the transfer of highway funds to transit projects. In Virginia, a much greater amount of funding would be available for transit if a metropolitan area so chose.

If the STEP 21 proposal were to pass Congress, the commonwealth would receive at least $60 million more each year, even if no additional money were spent on transportation nationwide. That's because a new distribution formula more equitably compensates states. If the next federal-aid program is established with the level of funding requested in the bill sponsored by John Warner, Virginia's senior U.S. senator, the commmonwealth would receive more than $250 million added dollars each year. With STEP 21, all Virginia wins. The state would have additional funds to distribute statewide, and the metropolitan areas would be provided even more funds than currently are suballocated to use at their own discretion. Senator Warner's proposal deserves support. MEMO: Robert E. Martinez is Virginia secretary of transportation.

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