These other  military initiatives will also be implemented over a longer time frame than  BRAC decisions, which are scheduled to be completed in 2011. For example, at Fort Meade, Maryland, DOD has  estimated that an additional 10,000 contractor personnel may relocate near  to or on the base. Military Growth Will Have a Significant Impact on Transportation in Affected Communities, but the Full Extent and Cost of That Impact Are Uncertain

Affected communities expect BRAC and other military growth initiatives  to have a significant impact on local transportation. Of 18 current BRAC-growth communities, 17  identified transportation as one of their top three priorities. These 17  communities ranged in size from very large metropolitan areas to  relatively small communities, and the extent of the impact depended in  part on the size of the affected community. According to  Maryland transportation planners, the additional traffic resulting from the  BRAC action will lead to further deterioration of traffic conditions in the  area. Near-Term Projects to Address Growth Are Estimated to Cost $2.0 Billion; Longer-Term Project Costs and Impacts Are Uncertain

Using community estimates, OEA projected that the cost of addressing the  most immediate effects of military growth on transportation in the  affected communities would be about $2.0 billion. First, some  potential projects are not included in the $2.0 billion estimate, and, if built,  will result in additional costs beyond the $2.0 billion estimate. DOD Funding for Transportation Projects Is Limited, and Projects Must Compete for DOT Funds, but State and Local Governments Have Adopted Strategies to Expedite Projects

The federal response to the expected impact of military growth on  transportation includes helping with planning, estimating project costs,  and providing some funding for projects. State and local officials are prioritizing highway projects that can  be completed with existing funding and identifying alternative  transportation approaches, such as transit and biking, to help address the  growth expected in their communities. For example, OEA has provided transportation planning grants to  Maryland and Virginia. The DAR program  has not funded large numbers of defense access road projects. As shown  in table 3, Federal Highway Administration data suggest similar time  frames for completing major highway construction projects. Some state and local governments have encountered difficulties in  responding to transportation needs before the BRAC moves take place. State and Local Governments Are Employing Several Strategies to Complete Some Critical Projects before BRAC Growth Occurs

Given the estimated shortfall in affected communities’ funding for critical  near-term projects and the difficulties posed by the Recovery Act’s short  obligation time frames, local officials are adopting various strategies to  complete some projects before the BRAC 2005 implementation deadline. Fort Belvoir, Virginia

As discussed, Fort Belvoir will gain about 24,100 military and civilian  personnel. State and local officials used a combination of state and local funds to  complete needed improvements to Interstate and state highways and to a  major roadway near the base. Officials in Texas used an innovative financing approach to generate  funding sufficient to complete a critical BRAC growth-related project  within a short time frame. Agency Comments

We provided copies of this report to the Departments of Defense and  Transportation for their review and comment. Both provided technical  comments, which we incorporated into the report, as appropriate. Appendix I: Scope and Methodology

To determine the expected impact of military growth on transportation in  communities affected by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC)  decisions, we reviewed the 18 military bases identified by the Office of  Economic Adjustment (OEA) that will be substantially and seriously  affected by growth resulting from the BRAC 2005 realignments. To determine the federal, state, and local response to the expected impact  of BRAC growth on transportation, we reviewed DOD’s Defense Access  Roads (DAR) program guidance and interviewed base and DOD Military  Surface Deployment and Distribution Command officials to determine  which BRAC growth-related projects base commanders had submitted for  program funding and the amount of program funding committed. We reviewed local and state short- and long-term  transportation improvement plans for the selected communities to identify  transportation projects planned to address BRAC growth, communities’  prioritization of these projects, and communities’ strategies for funding  and completing the projects. Defense Infrastructure: High-Level Leadership Needed to Help  Communities Address Challenges Caused by DOD-Related Growth. Washington, D.C.: July 1, 2005.
Why GAO Did This Study

As part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round, the Department of Defense (DOD) plans to relocate over 123,000 military and DOD civilian personnel, thereby increasing the staffing at 18 bases nationwide. In addition, DOD and local officials expect thousands of dependents and DOD contractor employees to relocate to communities near the BRAC 2005 growth bases. These actions will greatly increase traffic in the surrounding communities. BRAC recommendations must be implemented by September 2011. The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations directed GAO to assess and report on the impact of BRAC-related growth on transportation systems and on the responses of federal, state, and local governments. Accordingly, GAO determined the (1) expected impact on transportation in communities affected by BRAC decisions, and (2) federal, state, and local response to the expected impacts. To perform its work, GAO obtained information from the 18 communities with expected substantial BRAC growth; visited 8 of these communities; interviewed federal civilian and military officials and state and local officials; and reviewed DOD data, transportation plans, and environmental studies. GAO provided copies of this report to the Departments of Defense and Transportation for their review. The Departments provided technical comments, which GAO incorporated as appropriate.

What GAO Found

Growth resulting from BRAC decisions will have a significant impact on transportation systems in some communities, but estimates of the total cost to address those impacts are uncertain. In addition to BRAC, other defense initiatives will result in growth in communities and also add to transportation needs. BRAC growth will result in increased traffic in communities ranging from very large metropolitan areas to small communities, creating or worsening congested roads at specific locations. Traffic impacts can also affect larger relocation decisions, and were important in DOD's decision to acquire an additional site for Fort Belvoir, Virginia, an acquisition that DOD estimates will cost $1.2 billion. According to a DOD Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) survey, 17 of 18 BRAC growth communities identified transportation as one of their top challenges. Near-term transportation projects to address these challenges could cost about $2.0 billion, of which about $1.1 billion is related to projects in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area. BRAC-related transportation infrastructure costs are subject to a number of uncertainties. For example, not all potential projects are included in the estimate, military staffing levels at some growth installations are in flux and the location decisions of military and civilian personnel have not yet been made, and pre-existing, non-military community growth makes a direct link between transportation projects to military growth difficult. The federal government has provided limited direct assistance to help communities address BRAC transportation impacts, and state and local governments have adopted strategies to expedite projects within the time frame allowed by BRAC. For example, DOD's Defense Access Roads Program has certified transportation projects for funding at three affected communities. Also, OEA has provided planning grants and funded traffic studies and local planning positions. While federal highway and transit programs can be used for many BRAC-related transportation needs, dedicated funds are not available. Instead, BRAC-related transportation projects must compete with other proposed transportation projects. Communities had identified funding for about $500 million of the estimated $2.0 billion needed to address their near term project needs. Some state and local governments have adopted strategies to expedite highway projects, such as prioritizing short-term high-impact projects, because the time frames for completing BRAC personnel moves are much shorter than the time frames for such projects. While legislation mandates that BRAC growth be completed by 2011, major highway and transit projects usually take 9 to 19 years. To complete some critical projects before BRAC growth occurs, state and local officials are reprioritizing planned projects and implementing those that can be completed quickly. For example, Maryland prioritized certain lower-cost intersection projects that will improve traffic flow. In Texas, officials used an innovative financing approach to generate funding quickly for a major highway project at Fort Bliss.