"Investing in a comprehensive, modern transportation system is vital to Kentucky's future prosperity. Doing so will create jobs, expand economic opportunities and attract new industries and businesses, while improving the environment, reducing traffic congestion and enhancing our quality of life. This has to be one of our top priorities during the next decade."

Historically, federal fuel taxes paid by motorists were split 80-20, with 80% deposited into the federal Highway Trust Fund's highway account and 20% deposited into the transit account. Public transportation projects (projects paid for from the transit account) are supposed to be based on an 80-20 federal/state match. However the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT) officials have been trying to force communities and states to come up with more than the law's required 20% match amount in order to get their projects rated higher on the funding priority list.

This policy benefits large urban cities with established multi-modal transit systems over urban cities without established multi-modal transit systems. This policy makes it even more difficult for Kentucky's cities and communities to compete for public transit funding from the federal highway transit account. In 2007, Kentucky motorists paid $87 million into the Federal Highway Transit Account and got back only $20 million - a paltry 23% return.

I will be a fierce advocate for returning the highway - transit accounts to their original 80-20 split immediately and I will work tirelessly to return to Kentucky a significantly higher percentage of our transit tax dollars so that we may develop a 21st century public transit system.

On December 3, 2009, I presented a fairly detailed vision for a multi-modal public transportation system for Kentucky in a speech titled, A 21st Century Public Transportation and Jobs Plan for Kentucky.

It is a comprehensive multi-modal public transportation plan that fully integrates high speed rail, hybrid-light rail, busses, bike paths and walk ways, along with park and ride stations and other inter-modal facilities. It also specifically promotes smart, integrated land use. I have attached my remarks from the presentation and I encourage you to review it.

It is also vitally important that we all recognize that every region of our Commonwealth desperately needs investments in new highways and bridges. We cannot escape the fact that in those communities in Kentucky with easy access to an interstate highway, per capita incomes are THREE TIMES higher than for people living in communities without easy access to an interstate highway. Highways and bridges are essential and I will work just as tirelessly to bring back as much of Kentucky's highway tax dollars as possible.

Click here to read my speech.

Below is the Power Point presentation.

Related links:

• Herald-Leader: R.J. Corman receives federal grant to rehabilitate short line railroads and create jobs
• Mongiardo Unveils Comprehensive 21st Century Public Transit Plan in Louisville : Plan Will Help Create Jobs and Bolster 
• Dr. Dan Addresses Kentuckians for Better Transportaiton 
• Mongiardo Renews Call for Kentucky To Be Included in Nation’s High Speed Rail Plan