Skip to main content

US transportation bill moves forward

The US Government is making progress with its new surface transportation bill, in a move that will be of good news to all contractors and construction firms in the country. This bill has been delayed now for two years, with a knock-on effect for the construction industry in that there have been few new works commencing. American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) president Pete Ruane has commented on the US Senate EPW Committee Mark-Up of MAP-21, the Surface Transportation Bill. Ruane said,
April 26, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The US Government is making progress with its new surface transportation bill, in a move that will be of good news to all contractors and construction firms in the country. This bill has been delayed now for two years, with a knock-on effect for the construction industry in that there have been few new works commencing.

American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) president Pete Ruane has commented on the US Senate EPW Committee Mark-Up of MAP-21, the Surface Transportation Bill. Ruane said, “Today’s unanimous vote in the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee in support of a two-year surface transportation bill that would maintain current authorisation levels and institute a host of important policy reforms is a critical step toward beginning to address the nation’s enormous infrastructure challenges.” He continued, “It also demonstrates that bipartisanship is still a viable option in the pursuit of public policy solutions. We commend Chairman Boxer and Senators Inhofe, Baucus and Vitter for their leadership in producing the MAP-21 proposal. “As positive as today’s action is—particularly after more than two years of temporary extensions—the fundamental obstacle to a multi-year surface transportation bill remains. We urge the Senate Finance Committee to act quickly in securing the additional revenue necessary to support the bill’s transportation investments. Hundreds of thousands of American jobs are at risk until both the Senate and House complete action on a long-term highway and transit reauthorisation bill.”

Related Content

  • ARTBA's concern
    February 6, 2012
    The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is voicing opposition to a proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to tighten ozone standards.
  • ARTBA to hold first ever ‘virtual’ conference
    June 11, 2012
    A major US road and transport builders association is to stage what it claims is the first ever virtual conference and innovation showcase for the industry. The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and its Transportation Officials Division (TOD) said the event would utilise digital technologies to bring a “first-class, virtual education and exhibition experience to the desktops of tens of thousands city and county government officials” who annually manage US$50billion in transport inf
  • 3M is helping finance ARTBA programme
    February 28, 2013
    The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) Foundation’s Lanford Family Highway Worker Memorial Scholarship Programme is to receive a major financial contribution from the 3M Traffic Safety and Security Division. This programme provides post-high school financial assistance to the children of highway workers who have been killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. The scholarship programme was originally launched in October 1999 through a gift from the families of past ARTBA cha
  • Alliance for safe US roadway builds
    April 23, 2012
    A leading US highway construction association has renewed its pledge to work with the federal government to reduce deaths and injuries in roadway construction zones. The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) said the ‘Work Zone Safety Alliance’ will develop and distribute education material over the next two years aimed at preventing worker injuries and deaths from construction vehicle runovers and backovers. The education drive will also focus on increased outreach to non-English-spe