Issue Position: Infrastructure

Issue Position

We must quit talking about improving the transportation system in Jefferson County and Birmingham and start doing something about it. My transportation plan includes close examination of the steps our sister southeastern states have already taken to resolve their infrastructure issues and mimicking their successes while avoiding their pitfalls. Reducing regulations, implementing cost-cutting measures, and reexamining overly-cautions environmental mandates could dramatically reduce construction costs and help us put our money into asphalt instead of bureaucracy. Public/private partnerships, which allow the private sector to carry the majority of construction and maintenance costs, are another area worthy of exploring. Utilizing groundbreaking technologies in the road-building industry can also cut costs in the long-term and save millions of taxpayer dollars that can be reinvested in roadways. New high-density mineral bonds in asphalt, for example, can be used to repel the moisture and ultraviolet light rays that are major contributing factors in the cracking, raveling, and deterioration of our streets, highways, and interstates. By implementing our sister states' models, innovative approaches, conservative policies, and new technologies, I remain confident we can provide Alabama's citizens and businesses with the quality transportation system that they deserve.

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