House Transportation Chair John Mica, says not to expect a bill that calls for more spending than the Highway Trust Fund can sustain.

Congressional Quarterly reports:
"This may well mean a Mica-drafted surface transportation bill with around $250 billion in new budgetary authority over the next six years — less than the last law, despite growing infrastructure needs, and about half of the $500 billion bill that Mica’s Democratic predecessor sought to pass in the last Congress.

According to the American Society for Civil Engineers, deteriorating infrastructure contributes to the traffic congestion that costs motorists almost a full week of work and 40 gallons of gasoline a year, at an average per-motorist cost of $808.

. . . .Mica said instead of looking for ways to get more cash into the trust fund, he would rather find ways to better leverage the money that’s already coming in.

“I could take up to a $250 billion bill and leverage it by five, four times. . . .and will rely on other forms of “innovative” financing — tolling, public-private partnerships and tinkering with existing successful bond and loan programs."

"Surface Transportation Spending Targets Likely to Shrink, Chairman Says," Congressional Quarterly (sub required)