Highlights Economic Effect Lack of Funding has on the Region
CHICAGO – July 20, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD), hosted a roundtable discussion with minority and women-owned businesses and transportation agencies about the need for a long-term, fully funded transportation bill and the effect it would have on Chicago’s economy.
“This week, the House voted on the 34th short-term funding bill in the last six years to extend transportation funding, failing to provide the long-term investments in transportation that our country and Chicago so desperately needs,” said Rep. Quigley. “The local business leaders and transportation agencies that participated in today’s roundtable echoed what we already know to be true; the lack of long-term funding and planning is forcing state and local governments to cut back on their construction projects, and private sector companies have had to stop hiring workers and investing in capital. It is time to provide American businesses and American workers with transportation funding certainty. It is time to pass a long-term transportation bill that will grow our economy and create jobs.”
“Congressman Quigley understands the need for a long-term transportation bill, and how funding uncertainty significantly impacts the small to medium sized engineering and construction businesses in creating new jobs and sustaining long-term viability in the industry,” said Federico d’Escoto, President of d’Escoto, Inc., one of the largest Hispanic-owned program management, construction management, and engineering services firms in the Midwest. “Congressman Quigley’s track record in securing much needed funding for both transportation and public transit projects demonstrate that he is results driven when it comes to this very important issue.”
“Congressman Quigley understands the importance of a sustainable transportation funding program,” said Dave Bender, Executive Director of American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC), a statewide business association of over two hundred consulting engineering firms that together employ over ten-thousand engineers, architects, land surveyors, scientists and support personnel. “His leadership is essential to the vitality of Chicago’s future for its transportation system, which will serve the changing demographic of citizens needs for the next 50 years.”
Other participants in the roundtable included Tom Kotarac, CMAP Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Programming; Dave Seglin, CDOT Policy Analyst; Mike McLaughlin, CTA Vice President for Planning and Federal Affairs; Sam Smith, Metra Director of Government and Community Relations; Marisol Simon, Regional FTA Administrator; Miguel d’Escoto, Portage Park Consultants; Rashod Johnson, The Roderick Group; Luis Montgomery, 2IM; Dan Divane, AAAE (Triple A Engineering); Eileen Chin, RM Chin; and Jorge Perez, Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA) Executive Director.
A recent report found that annual investment in the nation’s roads, highways and bridges needs to increase from $88 billion to $120 billion and from $17 billion to $43 billion in the nation’s public transit systems, to improve conditions and meet the nation’s mobility needs. In Illinois, nearly three quarters of all roads are in mediocre or poor condition, forcing drivers to spend approximately $2.4 billion dollars annually on otherwise unnecessary automotive repairs, creating costs for commuters and businesses moving their goods to market. With nearly 16 percent of our state’s bridges also being structurally deficient, it is clear that it is well past time for Congress to invest in America’s infrastructure.
Rep. Quigley is the only Illinois member currently serving on the House Appropriations Committee, which approves the federal government’s annual spending levels for nearly all federal programs. He has prioritized Chicago-area infrastructure investments as a member of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD). He has helped secure funding for Core Capacity grants that would benefit CTA, TIGER grants to benefit both highways and pedestrian projects, and completion of the McCook and Thornton reservoirs to reduce long-term flooding in Cook County.
