Senate committee approves section of highway bill

The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), which has jurisdiction over Interstate tolling, has approved a section of the highway bill by a vote of 17 to 1. The committee gave the green light on language that would grant states more flexibility in tolling existing Interstate lanes.

EPW is one of the four Senate committees that has to pass its own section of the highway bill before it can be brought to vote before the full Senate, explained a spokesperson for the American Trucking Assns.

The Senate is expected to put its version of the highway bill for vote by mid-April. Congress is looking to pass final legislation before the currently effective highway bill expires on May 31.

“The committee took a crucial step forward to improve our nation’s transportation infrastructure while creating millions of new job opportunities to help our economy grow,” said EPW chairman Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK).