Oregon Public Broadcasting

A Republican Congressman from Idaho and a Democratic Congressman from Oregon are working together to develop a national strategy for building new roads and bridges.  Boise State Radio’s Don Wimberly reports.

Idaho Republican Mike Simpson and Oregon Democrat Earl Blumenauer warn the nation’s aging transportation system is rapidly falling apart. Simpson and Blumenauer were in Boise Thursday to talk with state and local officials about transportation issues, especially funding.

Congressman Simpson says time is running out.

Mike Simpson: "I call it one of the three or four major crises that is facing congress that we need to deal with. As you know, it not only faces congress. It also faces state and local communities throughout this country.”

Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer says the current transportation system is extremely inefficient.

Earl Blumenauer: “it’s extraordinarily frustrating that it takes longer for freight to get through Chicago than it takes from the port of  LA., Los Angeles to Chicago.”

Congressman Blumenauer says Idaho, Oregon and the rest of the nation cannot remain competitive in the global market without an efficient transportation system.

Blumenauer and Simpson hope to change that with a bill to create a new infrastructure master plan.