The State Transportation Board today approved the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Fiscal Year 2016 amended and Fiscal Year 2017 budget requests which now advance to the Governor and Legislature for final approval. The budgets include increases in motor fuel funds - a direct result of the passage of the Transportation Funding Act of 2015 which infuses an additional $757 million in the FY 16 amended budget and $820 million in the FY 17 budget requests.

The FY 16 amended budget includes an additional $200 million for routine maintenance such as patching potholes, bridge joint repairs, pipe repairs, pavement preservation, litter pick-up and mowing. It also includes an additional $519 million for capital projects which include capital construction and capital maintenance projects like congestion reduction, mobility and major resurfacing projects. Local governments will also benefit with a $36 million increase for Local Maintenance and Improvement Grants.

“The State Transportation Board is excited to approve the amended FY 16 and FY 17 budget to be sent to the Governor and Legislature for consideration,” said STB Chairman Emily Dunn. “We are truly thankful for the leadership and hard work of the House and Senate earlier this year. HB 170 ensured additional transportation funding which gives us the ability to approve a significant increase in Georgia’s infrastructure investment.”

The recommended FY 17 budget includes an additional $200 million in routine maintenance; $543 million to capital projects and $41 million to LMIG.

“Georgia DOT is thrilled to see the positive impact resulting from the Transportation Funding Act of 2015 as it will allow us to make a substantially higher investment in taking care of our aged infrastructure,” said Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry. “HB 170 provides significantly more funding to make capital investments in safety, operations, and mobility.”

The TFA provides a sustainable funding mechanism and affirms the Legislature’s Joint Study Committee for Critical Transportation Infrastructure Funding’s recommendation that $1 - $1.5 B in new annual transportation infrastructure funding is needed to address the State’s transportation challenges. The Department’s recommendation on how to use these additional funds comes from the legislature’s charge to invest in the maintenance and improvement of our transportation system.

McMurry went on to caution that “while we are excited about the increases in the state budget, we must not lose sight of the current lack of federal transportation funding. Federal funds have been extended through November 20, 2015. This continues to have significant impact on advancing transportation projects.”