Questionable Highway Demonstration Projects

The following list of highway demonstration projects was taken from the committee report on the Building Efficient Surface Transportation and Equity Act of 1998 (Rpt. 105-467).

1. Item 9.  District of Columbia.  Implement Geographical Information System, Washington D.C. – $10 million.  Located in the district of Transportation Committee member Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.).

2. Item 15.  New York.  Construct interchange and connector road using ITS testbed capabilities at I-90 Exit 8 – $13 million.  Located in the district of Rep. Michael R. McNulty (D-N.Y.).

3. Item 27.  Illinois.  Reconstruct Greenbriar Road with construction of new turn lanes in vicinity of John A. Logan College in Carterville – $1.4 million.  Located in the district of Transportation Committee member Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.).

4. Item 43.  Missouri.  Construct extension of bike path between Soulard market area and Riverfront bike trail in St. Louis – $1.2 million.  Located in the district of Rep. William Clay (D-Mo.).

5. Item 71.  Virginia.  Construct transportation demonstration project utilizing magnetic levitation technology along route of “Smart Road” between Blacksburg and Roanoke – $2 million.  Located in the districts of Reps. Robert W. Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Rick Boucher (D-Va.).

6. Item 121.  Massachusetts.  Undertake vehicular and pedestrian movement improvements within Central Business District of Foxborough – $2.08 million.  Located in the district of Reps. James P. McGovern (D-Mass.) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.).  McGovern is a member of the Transportation Committee.

7. Item 134.  Massachusetts.  Undertake improvements to South Station Intermodal Station – $3 million.

8. Item 154.  Pennsylvania.  Construct Independence Gateway Transportation Center project, Philadelphia – $6 million.
9. Item 177.  Maine.  Studies and planning for reconstruction of East-West Highway – $4 million.  Located in district Rep. John E. Baldacci (D-Me.).
10. Item 197.  New Jersey.  Eliminate Berlin Circle and signalize intersection in Camden – $8 million.  Located in the district of Rep. Robert E. Andrews (D-N.J.).

11. Item 208.  Missouri.  Construct an intermodal center at Missouri Botanical Garden – $1.6 million.  Located in the district of Rep. William L. Clay (D-Mo.).

12. Item 214.  Michigan.  Improve drainage on 6th Street in Menominee – $150,000.  Located in the district of Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.).

13. Item 263.  Michigan.  Apply ITS technologies relating to traffic control, Lansing – $3.7 million.  Located in the district of Rep. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).

14. Item 307  Indiana.  Construct Gary Marina access road (Buffington Harbor) – $10 million.  Located in the district of Rep. Peter J. Visclosky (D-Ind.).

15. Item 345.  California.  Construct Los Angeles County Gateway Cities National Historic Site Access – $8.75 million.

16. Item 394.  Illinois.  Planning, engineering and first phase construction of beltway connector, Decatur – $10.31 million.  Located in district of Transportation Committee member Rep. Glenn Poshard (D-Ill.).

17. Item 401.  Pennsylvania.  Facilitate coordination of transportation systems at intersection of 46th and Market, and enhance access and related measures to area facilities including purchase of vans for reverse commutes, Philadelphia – $4 million.  Located in the district of Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.).

18. Item 404.  Pennsylvania.  Construct Mon-Fayette Expressway between Union Town and Brownsville – $20 million.  Located in the district of Transportation Committee member Rep. Frank Mascara (D-Pa.).

19. Item 406.  District of Columbia.  Construct bicycle and pedestrian walkway (Metropolitan Branch Trail), Union Station to Silver Spring – $10 million.
20. Item 491.  Pennsylvania.  Construct enhancements and related measures, including purchase of vans for reverse commutes, to intermodal facility located at intersection of 52nd and Lancaster Ave., Philadelphia – $4 million.  Located in the district of Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.).
21. Item 493.  Illinois.  Resurface S. Chicago Ave. from 71st to 95th Streets, Chicago – $1.06 million.

22. Item 547.  Maryland.  Implement city-wide signal control system replacements and improvements, Baltimore – $17.7 million.

23. Item 548.  Michigan.  Construct road drainage improvements, Suttons Bay Village – $240,000.

24. Item 598.  Michigan.  Construct Jackson Road project (demonstrating performance of paper and plastic reinforced concrete), Scio Township – $4.6 million.  Located in the district of Rep. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).

25. Item 670.  California.  Upgrade call boxes throughout Santa Barbara County – $1.5 million.  Located in district of Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.).

26. Item 775.  Washington.  Construct Washington Pass visitor facilities on North Cascades Highway – $1.2 million.  Located in the district of Transportation Committee member Rep. Jack Metcalf (R-Wash.).

27. Item 782.  Ohio.  Upgrade 11 warning devices on the rail north/south line from Toledo to Deshler – $1.1 million.  Located in the districts of Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) and Paul Gillmor (R-Ohio).

28. Item 808.  Illinois.  Construct Peoria City River Center parking facility, Peoria – $4 million.  Located in the district of Transportation Committee member Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.).

29. Item 821.  New Jersey.  Improve grade separations on the Garden State Parkway in Cape May County, New  Jersey – $14 million.  Located in the district of Transportation Committee member Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo (D-N.J.).

30. Item 838.  California.  Construct parking lot, pedestrian bridge and related improvements to intermodal transportation, Yorba Linda – $3.8 million.  Located in the district of Transportation Committee member Rep. Jay Kim (R-Calif.).
31. Item 1016.  Florida.  Route A1A Beautification project, Daytona – $4.4 million.  Located in the districts of Reps. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.), Tillie Fowler (R-Fla.), and John L. Mica (R-Fla.).  Brown and Mica are members of the Transportation Committee.
32. Item 1088.  Virginia.  Enhance Maple Avenue streetscape, Vienna, Virginia – $2.7 million.  Located in the district of Transportation Committee member Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.).

33. Item 1193.  Louisiana.  Install computer signal synchronization system, Baton Rouge – $6.5 million.  Located in the district of Transportation Committee member Rep. Richard Baker (R-La.).

34. Item 1264.  California.  Rehabilitate historic train depot, San Bernadino – $3.5 million.  Located in the district of Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.).

35. Item 1272.  Pennsylvania.  Renovate Harrisburg Transportation Center, Dauphin County – $2.5 million.  Located in the district of Rep. George Gekas (R-Pa.).

36. Item 1342.  Kansas.  Construct road and rail grade separations, Wichita – $35 million.  Located in the district of Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kans.).

37. Item 1372.  Pennsylvania.  Allegheny Trail from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Cumberland, Maryland – $12 million.

38. Item 1393.  New York.  Construct Hudson River scenic overlook from Route 9 to Waterfront in Poughkeepsie – $455,000.  Located in the district of Transportation Committee member Rep. Sue Kelly (R-N.Y.).

39. Items 1049 and 1412.  Connecticut.  Reconstruct Post Office Town Farm Road, Enfield – $1.5 million.  Located in the district of Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.).

40. Item 1466.  New York.  Reconstruct Washington County covered bridge project – $1.7 million.  Located in the district of Rep. Gerald Solomon (R-N.Y.).