HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 4

(By Delegates Staggers and L. Phillips)

Designating January 12, 2012, as “Transportation Day at the Capitol”.

    Whereas, West Virginia’s extensive system of roads, highways and bridges provide the state’s residents, visitors and businesses with a high level of mobility; and

    Whereas, As West Virginia looks to enhance and build a thriving, growing and dynamic state, it will be critical that it is able to provide a 21^st Century network of roads, highways and bridges that can accommodate the mobility demands of a modern society; and

    Whereas, The United States and West Virginia look to rebound from the current economic downturn, improving the state’s transportation system could play an important role in enhancing West Virginia’s economic well being by providing critically needed jobs in the short term by improving the productivity and competitiveness of the state’s businesses in the long term; and

    Whereas, West Virginia is only one in four states that takes care of both state and county roads; and

    Whereas, West Virginia’s Department of Transportation has the responsibility for roughly 39,000 miles of public highway, which makes it the sixth largest state maintained highway network in the nation; and

    Whereas, West Virginia leads the nation in percentage of miles that are state maintained at 94 percent; and

    Whereas, Vehicle travel in West Virginia increased by 33 percent from 1990 to 2007, jumping from 15.4 billion vehicle miles traveled in 1990 to 20.6 billion in 2007; and

    Whereas, By 2025 it is estimated that vehicle travel in West Virginia will increase by another 25 percent; and

    Whereas, $38 billion in goods are shipped from sites in West Virginia with another $37 billion in goods being shipped annually to sites in West Virginia, mainly by truck; and

    Whereas, Commercial trucking in West Virginia is projected to increase 36 percent by 2020; and

    Whereas, Since fiscal year 1994, the state’s road fund has experienced a decline of nearly one-third in the real value of total dedicated tax revenues; and

    Whereas, The West Virginia Department of Transportation projects transportation funding shortfalls of approximately $5 billion from 2009 to 2018; and

    Whereas, Transportation funding challenges and possible shortfalls could result in job losses for many West Virginians whose employment is connected directly to the state’s construction or engineering industries or whose business or jobs are dependent on a safe, modern and reliable transportation infrastructure; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Delegates:

    That the House of Delegates hereby designates January 12, 2012, as “Transportation Day at the Capitol”; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the House of Delegates understands the importance of developing a long-term plan for the state’s transportation needs and priorities; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Governor of West Virginia, the Cabinet Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Transportation and the Contractors Association of West Virginia.