Norman offers ATSSA’s help as Congress tackles next highway funding bill

Norman offers ATSSA’s help as Congress tackles next highway funding bill

ATSSA chair-elect offers insights for saving lives on the nation’s roads

WASHINGTON—ATSSA Chair-Elect Haley Norman cited daunting statistics in roadway fatalities and ongoing challenges in protecting roadway workers as she addressed the House Transportation & Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Highways & Transit today.

“As much I wish we could make drivers slow down, put away their phones, not drive impaired and focus on the roadway, we need to recognize that humans make mistakes,” Norman said in a statement provided to the subcommittee. “Too often these mistakes are the cause of fatal or serious crashes. That is just a fact. But these mistakes should not result in death. Improving roadway safety infrastructure can make a difference.”

Norman, who is co-owner of Direct Traffic Control Inc. in Muskogee, Oklahoma, testified on behalf of ATSSA. She was one of four people who appeared at today’s hearing entitled, “America Builds: A Review of Programs to Address Roadway Safety.” The hearing started at 10 a.m. and lasted nearly three hours.

Joining her on the panel were: Converse County (Wyoming) Commissioner James H. Willox, who testified on behalf of the National Association of Counties; Office of Traffic Safety Director Michael Hanson with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, who testified on behalf of the Governors Highway Safety Association; and President of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety Cathy Chase.

Norman provided a written statement as well as an opening statement and answers to questions from members of the subcommittee. She said in her submitted testimony that now is the time to bring together stakeholders and policymakers to “chart a new path forward” as Congress begins drafting the next surface transportation authorization bill.

Subcommittee members peppered the panel with questions, including 10 directed to Norman. Topics she addressed covered a broad swath of roadway safety topics ranging from work zone safety to tribal road safety to autonomous vehicles.

She fielded multiple questions related to teen driver programs that incorporate training on navigating work zones, which members liked.  Norman was pleased to share that her home state of Oklahoma now legally requires teen drivers to complete the course.

Rep. Robert P. Bresnahan Jr. of Pennsylvania said he was a heavy highway electrical contractor and a certified flagger for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation before he recently became a member of Congress. He asked about the effectiveness of truck-mounted attenuators (TMAs) for work zones.

She said she has had countless experiences with TMAs and always saw positive results.

“Every single time the attenuator truck has done what it was supposed to do,” Norman said. “Both the driver that impacted the vehicle and our driver who was driving that impact attenuator walked away from the accident with no injuries.”

Rep. David J. Taylor of Ohio asked Norman about the impact of the Biden administration ruling on the Buy America, Build America Act on her industry.

She said ATSSA supports utilizing American-made products but the inability to obtain needed materials “halts projects” for roadway safety. In her statement to the subcommittee, she said ATSSA was “very disappointed” by the Jan. 14 ruling that “ended a longstanding waiver of BABA requirements for manufactured products on federal-aid highway projects.”

In response to another question, Norman said uncertain funding has a major effect on her ability to run a small business, which requires “million-dollar investments” to complete projects.

Norman also addressed the issue of tribal road safety in response to a question from Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona.

He noted that she testified that American Indian and Alaska Native children (ages 0-19) have a traffic crash death rate eight times higher than other racial and ethnic groups and that American Indian and Alaska Native adults have a seven times higher fatality rate, and asked what can be done to address that.

She noted that the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA) increased funding for the Tribal Transportation Program and said that funding needs to continue.

She said she drives through tribal roads with her two daughters daily and her business is TERO certified, meaning it is owned by a Tribal member, so it is personal for her.

She said her company has installed many lifesaving devices such as rumble strips, signage, pavement markings and guardrail in those communities and “that investment in safety works.”

Throughout the hearing, panelists and members of Congress cited the estimated 40,900 roadway deaths on U.S. roadways in 2023, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, which is an average of 112 deaths every day.

Norman noted that roadway workers are among the most vulnerable road users (VRUs) and that an average of 115 of them were killed in work zones each of the last five years.

“Given the continued loss of life in work zones, I urge this Subcommittee, and Congress as a whole, to make work zone safety a priority in the next surface transportation reauthorization bill. Enhancing work zone training grants, encouraging innovation and the exchange of best practices can help states do more to address work zone safety challenges,” she said.

Norman highlighted five programs she said should see greater investment in the next bill including the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), Work Zone Safety, Rural Road Safety, Tribal Road Safety and the Safe Streets and Roads for All Program.

She also addressed the need for a long-term funding solution for the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which has been unable to generate sufficient revenues for its expenses.

“ATSSA members understand that General Fund transfers are not the ideal way to pay for surface transportation programs and ATSSA stands ready to work with Congress to identify future funding solutions,” she said.

She expressed frustration that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) had not undertaken the nationwide pilot program on a vehicle miles traveled user fee funding solution that was directed under the IIJA and said ATSSA looks forward to working with the incoming USDOT team to get it started.

She added that Congress “should ensure that all highway users pay their fair share into the system,” including owners of electric vehicles.

“Without dedicated funding from the HTF, it will be impossible to make strategic investments in roadway safety infrastructure projects, which will lead to roads that are less safe and constituents that are in more danger,” she said.

A final concern was the pace for getting new products approved for use on the nation’s roadways. She said 14 member companies currently have 20 outstanding eligibility letters for innovative safety products that could help save lives but that they average a wait of 10 months for a response.

Norman said her company has seen the risks to worker safety, the challenges of skyrocketing costs for small businesses and the ongoing toll of traffic fatalities.

She said ATSSA was pleased to hear new USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy plans to prioritize road safety.

“As a safety professional, business owner and mother, we must all work to together to make our roads and communities safe,” Norman said in concluding her opening statement to the subcommittee. “ATSSA members are ready to do what we do best – roll up our sleeves and get to work.”