Transportation panel shifting its efforts

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- After coming up empty this year, the Missouri Department of Transportation plans a "mellow" approach in asking lawmakers for more money and authority in 2002.

That means no mention of controversial proposals like toll roads, and several, less expensive options for generating new highway funds.

The state Highways and Transportation Commission approved a 10-year plan Friday that includes examples of what could be done with an additional $200 million, $400 million or $600 million annually.

Last session, the agency initially said it needed $1 billion more annually, then welcomed a $700 million plan passed in the House and eventually lowered its sights to a $500 million bill that ran into trouble in the Senate.

Ultimately, nothing passed.

The new 10-year plan is intended, in part, as a lobbying tool.

"It's something we plan to have our supporters use with the Legislature as we develop our strategies for increased funding," said Kathy White, a spokesman for MoDOT's planning division.

The department's own lobbyists also will be toning down their pitch.

"What we're looking at this year is to not take such an aggressive approach on legislative issues that draw us into proponent and opponent issues," Jay Wunderlich, the department's governmental affairs director, told commissioners. "We're trying to take more of a mellow approach to emphasize the needs of the highway system."

Matter of money

The top need, as the department sees it, is more money. But rather than asking for a windfall, the agency is willing to take anything it can get.

The 10-year plan, for example, notes that an additional $200 million annually could result in improvements to 1,200 more miles of highways and repairs to 250 more bridges. At the same time, it could help fund 500 new vehicles and replace 250 existing ones in rural transit systems.

An extra $400 million annually could result in 1,500 more miles of highway repairs and 300 more bridge repairs, compared to the current funding level.

Another $600 million annually could allow the state to widen more two-lane roads to four lanes. And it could further expand rural and urban public transit systems.