05 LC 34
0420S(SCS)
Senate
Resolution 503
By: Senators Mullis of the 53rd, Williams of the 19th, Whitehead, Sr. of the 24th and Pearson of the 51st
By: Senators Mullis of the 53rd, Williams of the 19th, Whitehead, Sr. of the 24th and Pearson of the 51st
ADOPTED
SENATE
A
RESOLUTION
Urging
the Department of Transportation to proceed with the initiation in 2005 of a
pilot performance based asset management project for highway maintenance or
bundling of certain maintenance functions; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
the State of Georgia, like many states throughout the country today, is facing
tough challenges with transportation infrastructure; and
tough challenges with transportation infrastructure; and
WHEREAS,
the Georgia Department of Transportation currently operates, maintains, and
improves the existing 18,086 miles of roads and highways in Georgia;
and
WHEREAS,
vehicle miles traveled on our roadways in Georgia continue to increase by two
percent annually, while budgetary constraints make it more and more difficult to
keep up with the overwhelming needs of the traveling public; and
WHEREAS,
the Federal Highway Administration has estimated that 12 percent of the bridges
in Georgia are either structurally deficient; and
WHEREAS,
no federal funding can be used for maintenance of bridges or roadways, requiring
the state to use 100 percent state motor fuel tax; and
WHEREAS,
the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Department of Transportation are
attempting to meet these challenges and are deserving of support in fully
exploring all avenues for innovation and improvement; and
WHEREAS,
the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development governing the
Department of Transportation budget held a hearing in 2005 to hear testimony on
"best practices" in other states including piloting programs involving a
"performance based asset management" approach to transportation maintenance;
and
WHEREAS,
particularly the State of Florida´s Department of Transportation has
embarked upon an asset management program for maintenance that has generated
proven cost savings of 17 percent without impacting the level of service;
and
WHEREAS,
other state Departments of Transportation, such as the Texas Department of
Transportation, have found that management tools other than performance based
asset management, like building of certain noncost effective maintenance
functions or blending of public and private resources provides better
utilization of resources; and
WHEREAS,
the Senate is committed to investigating new and innovative means to save tax
dollars while at the same time providing a high level of service to the citizens
of our state; and
WHEREAS,
the commissioner of the Department of Transportation has during the past year
initiated a research study to determine the feasibility of applying asset
management concepts and other management tools, such as bundling of maintenance
functions or blended public_private resources to highway maintenance in
Georgia.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body
recommend the Department of Transportation to consider the feasibility of a pilot performance based asset management project or other management tool such as bundling of maintenance functions or blending of public_private resources for highway maintenance in a location or district it deems most feasible for the benefit of the citizens of the State of Georgia.
recommend the Department of Transportation to consider the feasibility of a pilot performance based asset management project or other management tool such as bundling of maintenance functions or blending of public_private resources for highway maintenance in a location or district it deems most feasible for the benefit of the citizens of the State of Georgia.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the commissioner of the
Department of Transportation.