By Ashley Speagle
Correspondent
ATLANTA -- The Georgia Senate on Wednesday passed a bill by Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, that he said may help the state qualify for more federal transportation funds.
Senate Bill 305 would double the share of transportation projects, from 15 percent to 30 percent, that could be contracted using the design-build concept.
The concept allows one contractor to design and build a project rather than splitting the work into portions and parceling them out to two or more contractors.
"It comes in cheaper and earlier, which is a money-saving technique and opportunity for transportation," Sen. Mullis said Wednesday during debate on the bill.
That would help the state qualify for more federal money because projects would have shorter timeframes, he said.
President Barack Obama's bill for small businesses, which he referred to as a second stimulus bill, could include additional funds for transportation projects, he said.
"In 'Stimulus 2,' we'll have 90 days to get projects out," Sen. Mullis said. "This will help us get projects out quicker and create jobs."
Sen. Doug Stoner, D-Smyrna, said the public bidding process encourages competition but requires more time to select contractors.
"It's an issue we need to deal with in particular if we're going to get federal stimulus dollars," Sen. Stoner said.
Sen. Mullis said the Joint Study Committee on Transportation Funding in 2007 originally recommended the design-build method now used by 28 other states.
"Several years ago, you (created) a study committee that allowed several of us to travel the state and talk to Georgians about improving transportation," Sen. Mullis told legislators. "We learned that several states were doing design-build projects."
BY THE NUMBERS
* $20.6 billion: Total transportation funds invested from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act
* $632 million: Total federal funds invested in Georgia
* 3 percent: Georgia's share of total stimulus funds available
* 243: Georgia transportation projects funded by stimulus
* 9,200: Stimulus-funded transportation projects nationwide
Source: Georgia Department of Transportation
Sen. Steve Thompson, D-Marietta, said the design-build method also allows the state to use experts who can streamline the process.
"There are certain companies that have expertise in both areas, and it allows us to utilize these companies," Sen. Thompson said.
However, Sen. Mullis said larger contractors often subcontract with local companies, helping ensure that smaller companies have better access to state contracts.
The bill now moves to the House, where it will be introduced and assigned to committee. House Transportation Committee Chairman Jay Roberts, R-Ocilla, will sponsor the bill in the House.
Text Size:
Thanks Jeff. We need to be spending more of our great-grand children's money on projects that we can't afford. Sheesh!
When will these spend, spend, spend politicians get a clue and quit spending money we don't have? We need to vote these people who can't operate within the confines of what we can afford out of office.
It's all about the campaign donation. DOT is rifled in problems. And who sponsored Senate Res. 821 to give DOT more power so it can enter into multi-year contracts when it doesn't have the money?. Mullis did. Even today The speaker of the house Ralston said at the Atlanta Press club today "You’ve got a board over there that’s defying the law, and continuing to resist change," said Ralston. " And so I think the only way that we can bring that accountability is through these kind of changes."
And Mullis wants to give them more money.
Here is why:
from an older article at the ajc
"C.W. Matthews made about $138,000 in contributions from 2006 through mid-2008. The biggest single donation was $50,000 to the state GOP in 2006. The party used a large chunk of its assets that year to help Perdue win re-election.
“We strongly support candidates that believe in the need for transportation in this state and in transportation funding,” Hammack said.
"
The last two comments couldn't be more off the mark. While I agree that we should't load our kids and grandkids with debt, not all government spending is equal. The money we spend on infrastructure, roads, bridges, water treatment plants create more jobs and stimulate economic growth then any other spending. For every dollar we spend on these projects, sevan dollars is created, suppliers, economic investment etc. Don't take my word for it look it up yourself, throughout America's history everytime we have made major investments in infrastructure the result is economic growth. Atlanta is a perfect example, prior to the railroads Atlanta was little more then village, because of its location it became a railroad hub and it grew dramatically. The construction of the interstate highway system transformed Atlanta into a major city.
The areas in America that are investing in there infrastructure are growing and those that do not decline.
Neither of you look at the benefits of the infrastructure that we pass on to our kids.....if we don't maintain and improve what we have look at all the economic opportunities they miss and the taxes they will have to raise because we didn't take care of things.
If some manufacturer wants to build a plant somewhere and provide jobs where do you think they will locate it somewhere where there are good roads where they can transport there products and get their people to work or some place they can't? Georgia's gas tax which pays for the roads is the lowest in the country so I'm not sure what the all the whining is all about. If there is not enough money for transportation it is because not investing as nearly as much as other states are. Even if you don't think roads and bridges are worth investing in, design-build construction generally saves 6-10% on each project and get them done 33% faster, why would we not want get projects done cheaper and faster? The proposed law makes sense.