Hon. Michael G. Oxley: “I stand in support of H.R. 3550, the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU). In my congressional…”

“I stand in support of H.R. 3550, the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU). In my congressional district, the rural highways that served our Nation for decades can no longer sustain the increasing numbers of cars, semis, and other vehicles that use them every day. Many of these roads cannot meet the expanding needs of the communities and growing economies that they serve. U.S. Route 30, the prime east-west truck route in my district, continues to exemplify this problem. As the chief alternative to the Ohio Turnpike and Interstate 70, Route 30 has seen drastic increases in truck traffic over the years-- more than 63 percent in the last decade alone. This has led to a tragic number of fatal accidents on the narrow two-lane segments of this road. Obviously, the need for a four-lane upgrade has never been more crucial. Six years ago, as part of TEA-21, I was able to secure more than $11 million for the purchase of right-of-ways for the Route 30 modernization throughout my congressional district.”