Under financial strain, the Wyoming Department of Transportation has said it will stop approving highway expansion projects. Instead, the Department’s resources will be directed toward maintaining a state of good repair for the current road system. In this 2 minute video WYDOT told AASHTO that “we’re beginning to look at our transportation system from a maintenance perspective rather than as a highway improvement program.” Even with the new policy, though, WYDOT Director John Cox acknowledges that tougher times lay ahead unless additional funds can be found. The policy simply “staves off the inevitable.”
The two year delay by Congress in passing a transportation reauthorization, decreasing state revenues due to the recession, and decreasing fuel tax revenues have all contributed to state DOT funding problems. Unless additional funding sources are found, more states may follow suit and focus on maintenance instead of expansion. Read more at Streetsblog.