Mainebiz

V O L . X X V I N O. X X V I N OV E M B E R 2 , 2 0 2 0 18 L O G I S T I C S / T R A N S P O R TAT I O N A s Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner Bruce Van Note works on the state's next three-year rolling plan for January, he spoke with Mainebiz via Zoom about challenges during COVID and what tops his to-do list. e Houlton native and long-time Green Bay Packers fan, who grew up in Bath and has lived in several other localities in the state, says his job is a "blessing" that has allowed him to know almost every corner of Maine. Mainebiz: What's been the biggest challenge for the DOT during COVID? Bruce Van Note: I just think of the loss of revenue. Traffic dropped in March by about 50%, though it has rebounded to be down by only about 10% right now. at translated into a loss of about $40 million for the bien- nium that we are in [two-year budget period that ends June 30, 2021], and another $30 million for the next bien- nium. Adjusting to that has been the biggest challenge, but we've been able to do it by using bonding and other mechanisms to keep production up. MB: How will you make up for that shortfall? BVN: A multitude of things, but the primary thing is that by chance, actu- ally, the legislature decided that our bond issue should be moved up from November, so the vote was in July [in which voters approved $105 million in general obligation bonds for infrastruc- ture projects]. at vote allows us to essentially use some of that bond money for capital projects rather than wait to use it next year. So not only did we produce all the capital work we expected to, we actually added about 10 projects worth $33 million this year, accelerated from next year. COVID is a very big, dark cloud, but one of the few silver lin- ings to lower traffic is that it's more cost- effective and safe to go out on roads and do projects — and so we did a lot. MB: Any changes in work practices because of COVID? BVN: Obviously, the contractors come up with best practices for COVID — when you're supposed to wear masks and not, and distance and those kinds of things. is office that I sit in gener- ally has a capacity of 500 people, but I'd be surprised if there were more than 50 as I sit here today. One thing about DOT is that we love a good challenge. MB: So things have gone pretty smoothly? BVN: Very! Last I looked, we had an all-time capital project delivery rate of 96%, which will be a new high for us. People have stepped up and done what we needed. Long-term, there's going to have to be some broad bipartisan conversations about how we fund transportation, and we do need more revenue, but now is not the best time for that conversation, Given rock- bottom interest rates, we're probably going to have to rely on bonding to get us through this pandemic. at would mean probably a bond larger than $100 million next year, and it might need to be in June instead of November to get us through. MB: What are your hopes for a federal infrastructure bill or stimulus moving ahead? BVN: I continue to have hope, but hope is not a plan. e good news is that it's almost universally accepted P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Maine DOT's 'MacGyver' moment During COVID and beyond, Commissioner Van Note keen to 'stretch the dollar' B y r e n e e c o r d e S Bruce Van Note commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation, at the Brandy Brook stream relocation project site on Route 25. F O C U S

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