Significant new investments that accompany a timely reauthorization of the nation’s surface transportation programs could greatly benefit small businesses by helping reduce the labor and delay costs associated with ever-growing traffic congestion, a Maryland specialty infrastructure contractor recently told the U.S. House Small Business Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee.
“Small businesses depend on the nation’s transportation network to move people and products around town and throughout the country. Highway congestion has become a major drain on the energy and vitality of small businesses,” said Michael Filipczak, president of Midasco, LLC, in Elkridge, Md., who testified on behalf of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). “When the day is spent dealing with the fallout of highway congestion--scheduling, routing, late deliveries, missed appointments, unhappy customers--this takes time away from planning and growing the business.”
Filipczak cited a new national report by the Pacific Institute for Research & Evaluation, which found that deficiencies in the U.S. roadway environment contributed to more than 22,000 fatalities and cost the nation $217 billion annually. It also found the cost to American businesses is $22 billion every year.
“My company specializes in safety improvements. Making the roadway environment more protective and forgiving is essential to reducing highway fatalities and costs,” he said.
Filipczak said the number of people on transportation construction payrolls got smaller and smaller throughout 2008 when compared to the same month in 2007, and is now down about 40,000 jobs.
“Delaying action on the surface transportation bill for 18 months as proposed by the Obama administration and some members of the Senate would just compound the transportation problems already facing small businesses,” he warned the subcommittee.
The bipartisan House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee reauthorization proposal, which includes a six-year, $337 billion highway investment, would generate almost 150,000 new jobs in 2010 alone, including many in the small business community, Filipczak said. He urged Congress to take action this year on a robustly funded bill.
