According to the California Transportation Commission, the state needs to spend $100 billion on highway and other transit projects over the next 10 years to keep pace with economic and population growth. That figure is so large that it manages to make the $6.8 billion transportation spending plan approved this year by the Legislature and Gov. Gray Davis look paltry, even though that is still a huge amount of money.

California will have enough trouble confronting this challenge financially. It will be hampered even more, however, by the artificial barrier erected by its own Department of Transportation and the unions representing its employees. Thanks to their lobbying and lawsuits, it is nearly impossible (except under emergency conditions) for state agencies to hire private engineering and design firms for transportation projects. That work instead must be performed by public employees.

Proposition 35 seeks to eliminate that barrier, by allowing state agencies to contract with the private sector for certain construction projects. It's a sensible, cost-cutting move, and the Star recommends a Yes vote.

Caltrans can't even hire enough employees to fill all the vacancies in its own ranks, because demand for skilled construction engineers and architects is so high -- a reflection of the robust economy, which is driving huge private and public investment in capital projects. Clearly, there is enough work to go around; granting state agencies the power to solicit bids from private firms will speed construction of needed improvements to highways, bridges and overpasses.

In 49 states where such contracting is allowed, competitive bidding frequently reduces the cost of projects and gets them built faster than if they are handed over exclusively to an excessively bureaucratic public agency.


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