President
Trump’s campaign promise of a 10 year, $1 trillion infrastructure construction program
could face major hurdles in the halls of Congress, given the U. S. Treasury
Department’s December 30, 2016 report listing the seven most ambitions
infrastructure projects already on federal drawing boards, but delayed due to
lack of funding from our Republican controlled national legislative body.
The
DOT report lists the top 7 projects facing lack of appropriations as:
1.
Technology
to accommodate driverless motor vehicles, at a cost of $1.3 trillion.
2.
Recapitalization
and expansion of the Interstate Highway system, at a cost of $790 billion.
3.
Improvements
in Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, at a cost of $101 billion.
4.
California’s
high speed rail program, at a cost of $59 billion.
5.
Interstate
10 upgrades, at a cost of $29 billion.
6.
Next
Generation Air Traffic Control system at a cost of $25 billion.
7.
Interstate
35 Minnesota to Texas Trade Corridor, at a cost of $16 billion.
Facing a Congress reluctant
to fund these $2.3 trillion in major projects already planned by DOT, FAA and
other federal agencies, it seems most unlikely President Trump can coax
Congress to raise revenue an additional $1 trillion to fund his promised
infrastructure program.
