Cautious Optimism on MacArthur Maze

SUNDAYS tanker accident in the MacArthur Maze underlined how critical our transportation infrastructure system is and set forth a challenge that people on all levels of government are working to address quickly and effectively.

Today, I will visit the site of the accident along with Sen. Barbara Boxer, chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works Committee; Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters; Rep. James Oberstar, chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; as well as Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Alamo, a senior member of the same committee; Caltrans Director Will Kempton and Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums.

I can tell you that our partners on every level of government share the sense of urgency about resolving this situation as quickly as possible. We understand what is at stake for businesses. We appreciate the severe disruption posed to tens of thousands of commuters. And we recognize the environmental and air quality issues for residents of West Oakland.

Fortunately, two potential causes for delay have been dispensed with. Initial concerns that the I-80 to I-880 connector would have to be rebuilt, increasing both the delay and cost, were put to rest when inspectors announced that the impacted section was structurally sound and is expected to reopen soon. Similarly, CalTrans announcement that steel is available to repair the I-80 connector to east I-580 removed another potentially lengthy delay.

The federal role in this situation is to ensure that funds are available for speedy repairs, and all signs are positive at this point. On Monday, members of the Bay Area delegation wrote to Secretary Peters, asking her to deem repairs eligible for federal reimbursement under the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Emergency Relief program. On Wednesday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that repairs had been deemed eligible. The state now can proceed with the assurance that all repairs will be 100 percent reimbursable as long as they are completed within the next six months.

Our job on the federal level is making sure that we make good on that commitment in a timely fashion.

The issue is that FHWA Emergency Relief program is out of funds. In fact, the supplemental spending bill vetoed by President Bush on Tuesday included $685 million to top off the fund and reimburse previous projects, $334 million of which are here in California.

I am working with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, my colleagues from the Bay Area delegation and my fellow members of the Appropriations Committee to see to it that the needed funds are passed at the next possible opportunity.

Another item we raised in our letter to Secretary Peters was to ask her to reimburse the state for the more than $2.5 million that went to public transportation and other traffic alleviation efforts in the immediate aftermath of the accident. I will continue to push for reimbursement for those funds, but the state needs to do its part as well. The vital role of public transportation in dealing with this situation should make the governor reconsider his decision to cut more than $79 million in funding for Bay Area public transportation.

Too often, we hear about examples of different levels of government failing to work effectively together. While the work is far from done, I am confident that this is not one of those cases. I will continue to ensure the full participation of the federal government as a critical part of the intergovernmental process to resolve this situation quickly and return peoples lives to normal.

Barbara Lee represents Californias 9th Congressional District in the House of Representatives. The district includes Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Oakland, Piedmont and parts of unincorporated Alameda County.

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