Transportation for America recently issued four recommendations to Congress for improving the nation’s crumbling infrastructure under any infrastructure package they consider, including the 2020 federal transportation bill.
Transportation for America said that the bill should set clear, quantifiable outcomes. Ideally, these would be reached by the next six-year authorization bill. If not, then Congress needs to establish feasible goals. States should also use highway funding for new road construction. Congress should require states to use these funds to repair existing infrastructure first.
According to the organization, Congress should establish a competitive program to fund highway capacity expansion projects. Projects should demonstrate that they can operate and maintain infrastructure throughout its useful life and that they will produce substantial benefit for the cost.
Additionally, the bill should establish stronger reporting requirements so that states and metro areas meet performance targets for the interstate and noninterstate highways they maintain. Performance targets are required under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act of 2012, but the requirement has not been strongly enforced.
On average, states spent $21.4 billion on road repairs annually between 2009-2014, and $21.3 billion annually on new construction.
It would take $231.4 billion annually to keep roads in good condition and address the backlog of poor roads, Transportation for America estimated.