Bill Could Increase County’s Highway Funds
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A bill unveiled Thursday by the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee would mean more federal dollars for California freeways over the next three years.
Should the measure pass, Orange County would reap a share of the $6.6 billion earmarked for the state in increased highway and air-quality funds, as well as money for mass transit.
Under the bill introduced by Rep. Bud Shuster (R-Pa.), the state would get nearly $2 billion in 1998--an 18% increase over last year.
Funding would increase to $2.2 billion in 1999 and $2.5 billion in 2000.
The bill also would create a Border Infrastructure program, which would use federal funds to improve the border highways built as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement, alleviating the burden on Orange County and other counties in Southern California.
A Caltrans spokeswoman said it is too soon to estimate how much of the money would go to Orange County, nor could she estimate how much of county highway funds currently go to the border highways.
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