Committee next meets at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, in 451-M
By Crystal Good
For West Virginia Press
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The purpose of W.Va. Senate Bill 162 “…is to enhance the maintenance and repair of the state’s roads and highways” and to create the “Enhanced Road Repair and Maintenance Program.”
As the State Senate’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee learned last week there is opposition to SB 162, which calls for the State Auditor to develop and maintain a searchable website of funding actions and expenditures relating state and public roads; the Commissioner of Highways to provide information and data to the State Auditor; to create the Special Road Repair Fund as a sub-account of the State Road Fund and authorizes the commissioner to transfer certain funds into the sub-account for certain purposes.
At the committee meeting on Jan. 28, discussion on SB 162 began with committee counsel explaining the purpose of the bill and noting that existing funds would be transferred to the Special Road Repair Fund. Counsel said the State Auditor would make due with existing staff to make information on the website available.
Byrd E. White, III, cabinet secretary and Commissioner of Highways, opposed the legislation. White said the designated Fund was being created to used to pay private contractors.
“Mandating that we use private contractors is less quality and more money,” said. White, adding that private contractors cost the department 10 percent more for patching and five times the cost for ditching projects. He also said private contractor quality was an issue. He complimented the capabilities of WV DOT
Jimmy Wriston, P.E. , deputy secretary and Deputy Commissioner of Highways, spoke to the committee and cautioned: “Any amount of money you take out of the pot and move to a prescribed formula hinders our ability to go where we are needed to do things needed.”
Senator Robert Beech, D-Monongalia, asked about private contractors for snow removal and asked for a report on privatized snow removal.
White said that other states who privatized their snow operations now have started backing out of those plans. White said he would prepare the report.
WVDOT has been successful in making equipment purchases and hires and that performance is ahead of schedule, White said.
White said the bill’s mandate for the State Auditor to develop and maintain a searchable website of WVDOT funding actions and expenditure funding is redundant given that WVDOT can make this information available on its website. White also said he sent an email to each legislator and County Commission with information on the WVDOT 2020 road plans and asked the officials what they wanted or needed for their constituents. He said to date he has received no comments from his email.
Senator Beech did not recall seeing the correspondence.White said he would check the delivery of his email.
Both WV DOT representatives expressed appreciation for the Legislature’s 2019 funding for the department.
WV 162 was laid over.
— The committee voted for SB 495 that seeks to reduce the $100 registration fees for alternative fuel vehicles to $35.
— S. B. 306, concerning the licensing of drivers utilizing bioptic telescopic devices, was debated by the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) and Department of Motor Vehicles. Opponents said the bill was unnecessary and that the departments could work together in the telescopic program to meet the needs of those under age 18 seeking drivers licensing.
