ARTBA Chair Tells Lawmakers Infrastructure Law is Working

What happened: ARTBA Chair Paula Hammond (WSP USA), pictured above, March 28 told a congressional panel that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) helped states move forward on more than 29,000 transportation improvement projects in 2022.

Hammond testified before the House Highways & Transit Subcommittee, along with Marc D. Williams, executive director, Texas Department of Transportation; Dwayne Boyd, CRH regional president; and Aric Dreher, Cianbro assistant general manager.

In the first four months of FY 2023, states initiated an additional 7,400 projects using IIJA highway formula funds.

Why it matters: Hammond’s testimony is part of ARTBA’s ongoing efforts related to IIJA’s implementation. She noted:

• Increased material costs and supply chain challenges undoubtedly have had a dilutive impact on the law’s investments. But she said, the situation ‘would have been dramatically worse had Congress opted for another flat-funded extension of surface transportation programs.’
• Well-meaning new requirements—such as the expansion of Buy America—if not pursued with stakeholder input and articulated clearly, could have the opposite outcome and result in unnecessary project delays.
• In the law’s first 16 months, the highway, bridge, and public transportation investments are working as intended with many more benefits for the American people still to come.

What’s next: Hammond urged lawmakers to continue their oversight of IIJA implementation to make sure delays are kept to a minimum. ‘Let’s get these projects built,’ she said.

Watch this 2 1/2 minute video of Hammond’s testimony.