Monday, July 6, 2015

Build Fewer Roads … But Keep Prevailing Wage



Kudos to Gov. Rauner for cancelling the much-maligned Illiana expressway. But why focus on eliminating prevailing wage, a state law that effectively provides for union labor on road construction? The better structural solution might be to build fewer new highways, like Iowa. http://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2015/7/6/iowa-dot-chief-the-system-is-going-to-shrink. (Thanks to Ben LeRoy for the heads-up.) Illinois is planning to spend $11.5 billion on roads through 2017—some for repair, and some for new highways. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-04-07/news/ct-met-illinois-highway-program-0408-20110407_1_road-work-bessie-coleman-drive-idot. Why keep union labor on road projects? Good question … but see this federal report on deaths in highway zones. No Illinois fatalities are listed.http://wwwn.cdc.gov/NIOSH-FACE/Default.cshtml?Category=0008&Category2=ALL&Submit=Submit




 

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