Resolve, Directing the Department of Transportation To Secure Funding To Complete the Aroostook North-South Highway Project

Preamble. Whereas,  the Caribou and Presque Isle segments of the Aroostook North-South Highway have available and ready for use in construction over $40,000,000 in federal funding through the provision of high priority project funding by the United States Congress since 2001; and

Whereas,  the Governor executed an order in March 2009 directing the Department of Transportation to make the completion of these segments a priority, with construction of the Caribou segment to begin in 2010 and the Presque Isle segment to begin as soon as the approval of the Army Corps of Engineers is given; and

Whereas,  the cities of Caribou and Presque Isle have unanimously resolved through their respective city councils to proceed with the construction of these segments; and

Whereas,  through An Act To Secure Maine's Transportation Future, Public Law 2007, chapter 470, which took effect June 30, 2008, the Legislature listed the Aroostook North-South Highway as an extraordinary corridor, which now has a scope, priority and schedule for community consensus within the meaning of that Act; and

Whereas,  the current available funding to complete the construction of both of these segments is insufficient; now, therefore, be it

Sec. 1. Full project funding request. Resolved: That the Department of Transportation shall secure funding to complete the Aroostook North-South Highway project beginning with segments in Caribou and Presque Isle through available funding options, including federal funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or any other similar legislation, the reauthorization of federal surface transportation legislation, bonds, Highway Fund allocations and public-private partnerships; and be it further

Sec. 2. Department to secure funding for listed projects. The Department of Transportation shall secure funding for all projects listed in Public Law 2007, chapter 470, Part B, section 2 as significant new capacity projects of all modes and extraordinary bridge replacement, removal or rehabilitation projects.