December 03, 2012

Manchin, Rockefeller Announce Funding for Highway Safety In WV

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Senator Jay Rockefeller, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, along with Senator Joe Manchin today announced over $859,000 in federal funding for the West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Office to improve highway safety programs in the state. 

“Too often, West Virginia’s families are impacted by motor vehicle accidents that could have been prevented through basic safety precautions like wearing a seatbelt or improving driver education and training,” said Rockefeller. “This award will help state and local officials do all they can to save more lives on West Virginia’s roads through improved driver and passenger responsibility.”   

“I have said many times that it just makes common sense to invest in our nation’s infrastructure,” Manchin said. “West Virginians have to drive to survive, and making sure that our roads and highways are safe not only protects our travelers, but also helps lay the foundation for economic growth now and for the future.”

The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through the State and Community Highway Safety Grant Program. This formula grant program gives states funding to improve driver behavior and performance, and to reduce deaths and injuries from motor vehicle-related crashes. 

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Rockefeller played an integral role in developing the reauthorization legislation for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) contained within the surface transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), which was signed into law this summer. MAP-21 strengthens these important state highway safety programs and provides nearly $500 million annually for West Virginia. Rockefeller has also held numerous Committee hearings regarding highway and vehicle safety, and been a strong supporter of legislation to improve motor vehicle safety and reduce deaths and injuries on the road. 

###