Eliminating Costly Unfunded Mandate on Road Signs

Press Release

Senator Corker joined Senator Lamar Alexander and Tennessee Congressmen Scott DesJarlais and Chuck Fleischmann on Tuesday in welcoming the Department of Transportation's proposal to eliminate numerous compliance deadlines for replacing old road signs that would have imposed an unfunded mandate on states, costing Tennessee an estimated $50 million. Under the new proposal, communities would only be required to comply with new sign visibility standards when replacing old signs, rather than by arbitrary 2015 and 2018 deadlines.

In June, Corker and Alexander introduced legislation to stop this unfunded mandate, giving state and local governments the flexibility to replace signs in accordance with the new standards at the end of their normal life cycle. DesJarlais and Fleischmann introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

"Everyone wants our roads to be as safe as possible, but these arbitrary deadlines assigned by Washington amounted to an unfunded mandate on local governments at a time when they can least afford it. The Department of Transportation's decision to address our concerns and eliminate these costly deadlines is a common sense one that will help local governments in Tennessee and around the country who are making tough decisions to balance their budgets. Rather than force Tennessee communities to shell out $50 million they don't have, it's much more reasonable to let them replace road signs only when they need to be replaced. I thank Senator Alexander, Congressmen Fleischmann and DesJarlais, Governor Haslam, and all the state and local officials who supported this successful effort," Corker said.

Press Release: Corker, Alexander, DesJarlais, Fleischmann Welcome DOT Proposal to Eliminate Costly Road Sign Replacement Deadlines