As I understand it some 30% is skimmed right off the top before they even get around to wasting money on things that are only marginally related to transportation.
A few years back Carl Levin was seeking some $2 million in highway funds to save what was left of the partially demolished Tiger Stadium in Detroit. His justification for seeking transportation funding was that a bus stop would be included.
Where i live in central Florida there is a massive effort to “beautify” the roadways. Lavish landscaping in the middle of nowhere, light poles on both sides of the four lanes going one way AND the other way...every 75 feet, 12 foot high sound barriers for subdivisions that were built AFTER the toll roads and million dollar signage so drivers can be aware that its going to be a 12 minute drive to the next exit.
In one spot in the orlando area I pulled onto the 408 toll road on ramp and in the middle of nowhere I counted 32 road signs that were in my view. Even the smallest of government entities are wasting tax dollars by the truckload