Municipalities are pushing lawmakers to leave space in the surface transportation reauthorization for local input into grant opportunities and the formula funding needed to address infrastructure projects.
"Local governments are not nominal partners in the transportation system—we are the first and last mile of nearly every trip made in America, and we are the majority owners of the nation's transportation systems."
The statement comes from a
The National League of Cities and the National Association of Counties are joined by 75 city and county organizations that have also signed onto the letter.
Cities and counties frequently issue bonds to pay for infrastructure improvements and compete for federal grants that often require local matching funds.
The House T&I committee, which is chaired by Rep. Sam Graves R- Mo., has already
The HTF relies heavily on federal fuel tax revenue, which has been falling as hybrid and electric vehicles cut into the flow. T&I is looking to remedy that by tacking fees onto hybrids and EVs at a national level.
The letter lays out the challenges facing the localities.
"We own and maintain the majority share of the nation's transportation assets, including 75% of all public road miles, 43% of federal-aid highway miles and almost 50% of bridges on the national bridge inventory."
"The next surface transportation reauthorization must deliver federal formula funding fairly based on the ownership and the national goals of the system including condition, performance and safety."
The letter signers believe the bipartisan Bridges And Safety Infrastructure for Community Success Act introduced into the House and referred to T&I earlier this month would go a long way toward keeping the funding flows fair.
There is no Senate version of the bill so far.
The BASICS Act expands urban and rural areas' access to Surface Transportation Block Grants that are fed through Federal-aid Highway Program formula funding.
It would also preserve discretionary funding programs including the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets program, Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development grants, and the Railroad Crossing Elimination grant program.
The letter calls out bridge repairs as a blind spot that's not covered by funds unleashed by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which expires at the end of the fiscal year.
"Because the Bridge Formula Program lacked a suballocation requirement, its $27.5 billion in funding has remained largely inaccessible to local governments."
The Federal Highway Administration's data shows that 8.8% percent of locally owned bridges are classified as being in "poor condition," which is twice the 4.3% of state-owned bridges that meet that criteria.
Several factions are now jockeying for influence in how federal dollars are allocated for transportation infrastructure.
Transit advocates are angling to ensure that the Highway Trust Fund renews its
The private sector would like to see more
