Transportation funding needs prompt lawmaker to question priority

" I agree about the challenges in most of outstate MO. The legislator in the article was talking about urban areas. "

" One other thing....drawing tourists to visit cities with mass transit systems so they don't have to rely on cars only works for big towns, where there is a lot to do/see in a small area, like St. L & KC.
Mass transit systems, like those on the E & W coasts and other major town will not work in the vast majority of Missouri.
Are you going to run rail systems to Lake Ozark? To all the state parks and caves? To the float rivers?
Mass transit systems are great, WHERE FEASIBLE, which does not include the vaast majority of MO. "

" I know the name is Dept. of Transportation...but how much does MoDOT have to do with transportation outside of roads? (Serious question)

Amtrak runs the trains. Greyhound (and others) run the buses. Cities and counties generally fund urban transportation (bus & rail systems). So what transportation outside of roads does MoDOT really deal with? I could be wrong, but I'd be willing to bet that 90-95% of MoDOT's responsibilities are related to roads. "

" I agree with stategirl - for one, it's the dept. of TRANSPORTATION, not the dept. of ROADS.

Further, it makes complete sense to attend to alternative transportation in the urban areas. Relieves congestion, reduces pollution, and (attend Boscoe) makes it much easier for people to find and get to/from jobs. Also makes it a lot easier for elderly people to live at home longer (because they can get to/from shopping and medical visits). Tourists (think $$$) like to visit cities that have good mass transit systems so they don't have to rely on cars. "

" Every financial advisor knows it is much cheaper to pay with the cash you have or to save up for the expense then to finance it. Now we have to pay for rebuilding roads plus the cost of rebuilding roads 4 years ago, plus the interest on the borrowed money.

I never thought it was a good idea to borrow money to pay for road repairs. Now we have double the costs to pay for, and our roads are getting worn.

Good luck wiggling out of this one, MoDOT. "

" You're right boscoe...and MoDOT isn't making their situation clear to folks. Instead they are playing the gloom-and-doom card hoping folks will be scared into supporting a funding increase. Had MoDOT waited to spend the money as it came in, rather than taking out bonds and other debt that will have to be paid back with interest, they could have accomplished more with the money they had. Instead it was balls to the wall for them and get it done now at all costs to make themselves look good. "

" MoDOT's funding is going to take a huge dive when they have to start paying back the debt they took out to do Blunt's smooth roads program. Too bad the agency hasn't regained credibilty with the taxpayers- any more tax increase requests for Mo-DOT are going down in flames for a long long time. "

" What about the MoDOT driver's rodeo that the agency continues to hold even though the auditor for years has said it's a waste of money and does nothing to increase road plow drivers' training/safety?? (Oh yeah, and I believe the winner gets a free day off work.) What about the free day off for employees awhile back when they met some kind of goofy road repair goal....that CONTRACTOR'S actually did the work on...yet MoDOT employees got a day off for FINALLY doing something right and within time frames. LOL!! "

" Apparently stategal works for MUDOT why else would she defend such as department? The old airplane might be worn out. Give me a break. They used the old one so much now they need a new one? Typical MUDOT attitude. We understand the funding issue and that MUDOT services numerous transportation issues in this state. What we are speaking to is the self serving attitude and failure of the leadership of this department to address the issues. The awards are meaningless given the reality of situation. As far as AMTRAK goes, MUDOT cant do anything about the single track issue between JC and St Louis so dont throw the "they are working hard" line at us. "

" How does having a plane to fly around in help MoDOT get better roads, railways, busses, or airports?

Seems like a lot of money that could be better spent elsewhere. If they really need to fly out of state, they can just take Southwest Airlines like everyone else. "

" Why does MoDOT need a plane anyway? Are they going to fly down to West Plains to fix a pothole right away?

How are their employees more important that other state employees who are forced to drive beat up old Tauruses, rent from crooked Enterprize Car Rental (Blunt Supporter) or else get paid 20 cents a mile to drive their own cars?

I don't see how MoDOT employees are any better than other state employees that they need a plane. Can someone explain that to me? "

" MoDOT is working hard to get Amtrak back to being a reliable mode of transportation. They are working hard to make sure the bridges in the state are in good condition. They are working to make sure I-70 and I-44 get the make-over they so badly need. Did you know that the funding for MoDOT is going to take a nose dive soon? How can the department do more than just patch the road without funding? Our roads will be in poor condition again if they don't have money enough to keep projects going. "

" MoDOT takes care of more than just roads and bridges. Yes, that is what we see them doing the most, but MoDOT also works with rail, water, and air. If you take the city bus you still are a MoDOT customer because you are ON THE ROAD.
If MoDOT is one of the most mismanaged departments in the state how did they win the Missouri Quality Award? How did they accomplish the Smoother, Safer, Sooner initiative a year ahead of schedule? So Pete and the dept. have a new airplane, did you ever consider the old airplane might need to be replaced? "

" Bray is a typical liberal. You don't have to have a car to be served by Modot. How the heck does she think good and services are delivered to her constiuency? Roads serve everyone. If you DRIVE, you pay gas taxes that support MODOT. If you don't drive, you don't pay very much other than the built in cost of delivery of services. "

" Does Bray want MoDOT to start buying cars for people in St. Louis?

Why don't they get a job and buy a car like everyone else?

Quit relying on the government to solve everyone's problem. "

" Is purchasing a new plane really considered 'correct priorities?' Why isn't the news media run a story on this one? And just who exactly is MoDOT serving transportation to in their new plane? How many other executive Departments have their own personal jet to fly staff around? Maybe if Pete would take the highway like us common taxpaying citizens he would know how bad public transportation really is in the State of Missouri...save the State some money and go back to New Mexico, Rahn, and take your overpaid executive staff with you... "

" Why dont we ask Petie, the New Mexico reject, why his department bought a brand new airplane to fly executive staff around the state in the middle of this contrived budgetary crisis. He and this department, one the most mismanaged in the state, which is saying something when you included Social Services, is one of the reasons that would give any Republican pause to vote for the party of Baby Blunt. No wonder they got nailed in this year's elections. When you have the administration hiring other state's circus clown rejects to run things, this is what you get. Get rid of Petie and his worthless administrators and you have a head start on fixing the transportation problems of this state. " "