Traffic congestion across most of the country is likely to get worse before it gets better, thanks to the obstructionist tactics of an old guard Democrat in the House of Representatives. Here’s why: Earlier this year, Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., bluntly told state officials to forget about using public-private partnerships (PPP) to finance building new roads.

Oberstar is chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Cash-strapped state and local governments are increasingly turning to PPPs to finance congestion-busting roads that should have been built years ago. Tolls usually are part of the agreements, used both to help manage congestion and as an incentive for the private partners.

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