Hon. Michael G. Oxley: “I stand in support of H.R. 3, the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU). In my congressional district…”

“I stand in support of H.R. 3, the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU). In my congressional district, the rural highways that have served my constituents for years can no longer sustain the increased traffic levels they see every day. Many of these roads cannot meet the growing needs of the communities and economies that they serve. U.S. Route 30, the prime east-west truck route in my district, exemplifies this problem. As the main alternative to the Ohio Turnpike and Interstate 70, Route 30 has seen huge increases in truck traffic over the years--roughly 65 percent in the last decade. 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. Seven 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. Since that time, I have been honored to join my constituents at groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting ceremonies to mark continuing progress on this lifesaving project, for which they have been waiting for more than four decades.”