Governor Rendell Urges Federal Infrastructure Investment to Keep America Competitive

Promotes Coalition to Make Infrastructure Funding a National Priority

WASHINGTON, May 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- America needs greater federal investment in infrastructure to keep citizens safe and businesses competitive in the global market, Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell today told business, policy and legislative leaders from across the nation.

"In the past 20 years, state and local governments across the country have been picking up more of the tab to build, maintain and expand the facilities on which our society relies," Governor Rendell said at the Rebuilding and Renewing America: Toward a 21st Century Infrastructure Investment Plan conference.

"If we want to remain economically competitive and environmentally sustainable, we need effective national leadership to address unresolved infrastructure needs," he said.

"Without adequate federal infrastructure investment to quickly and safely move goods and people, our economy and traffic will stop dead in its tracks. And, we will have a much tougher job competing in the world markets against the likes of China, India, and the European Union."

To address the infrastructure needs in Pennsylvania, Governor Rendell is calling on state legislators to invest $700 million over the next three years to Rebuild Pennsylvania. The initiative puts residents to work building long-term assets -- bridges, dams, airports, rail freight lines and flood mitigation projects.

"These investments will help keep our state competitive, but it barely scratches the surface of the needs in our state," Governor Rendell said.

Since taking office in 2003, Governor Rendell nearly tripled construction contracts for bridges -- from $259 million in 2002 to more than $700 million in 2007.

"But for every two bridges we fix, three more reach the point where they also need repairs since the average age of our 25,000 state-maintained bridges in Pennsylvania is 50 years.

"The challenge we face came into stark terms earlier this year when within a matter of weeks, we had a bridge that carries nearly 23,000 vehicles a day in Pittsburgh drop 7 to 8 inches, forcing its closure for repairs.

"And, we were forced to close a section of the busiest interstate in Pennsylvania -- Interstate 95 in Philadelphia -- for three days, to complete temporary repairs to shore up a cracked concrete column. That stretch of Interstate 95 carries 180,000 vehicles a day, and the closure played havoc with traffic and commerce in the city."

Repairs to that column are still being completed, but that entire section of the interstate viaduct in Philadelphia needs extensive work -- to the tune of $3 billion.

"These are just two incidents, but they could be harbingers of more to come. In Pennsylvania, we have nearly 6,000 structurally deficient bridges -- more than any other state," Governor Rendell said.

In another step to address the need for infrastructure funding, Governor Rendell helped form the Building America's Future coalition -- a non-partisan coalition he co-chairs with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

The coalition is comprised of state- and locally elected officials from across the nation focused on increasing federal funding to rebuild America's aging infrastructure. Governor Rendell invited conference participants to join the coalition online at: www.InvestInInfrastructure.org.

One of the primary jobs of the coalition is to create an environment where infrastructure funding is treated as the national priority it should be.

Governor Rendell noted that the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates the national infrastructure needs at more than $1 trillion over the next five years.

The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit www.governor.state.pa.us.

CONTACT:

Chuck Ardo

717-783-1116