FHWA Chief Talks Priorities With ARTBA Leaders

What happened: In his second week as administrator of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Shailen Bhatt spoke at ARTBA’s Executive Committee meeting held Jan. 12 at the association’s Washington, D.C., headquarters.

Why it matters: Bhatt emphasized the need to demonstrate outcomes from Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding, noting the positive reaction to the recent grant announcement for the Brent Spence Bridge between Ohio and Kentucky.

Bhatt also pegged safety as a priority issue, with roadway and work zone fatalities at unacceptable levels. He recalled that during his tenure running departments of transportation in Delaware and Colorado, various forms of technology emerged to assist in work zone safety efforts. Bhatt said he hoped to explore additional technologies with ARTBA and other groups for that purpose.

The administrator also acknowledged the ongoing challenge of utilizing IIJA investment while complying with the law’s Buy America provisions. Bhatt said the U.S. Department of Transportation and White House remain in consultation to provide clarity on these issues so that both policy objectives can be achieved.

What’s next: Bhatt said he looked forward to an ongoing dialogue with ARTBA to achieve the objective of ‘building good things well.’

Pictured above: FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt and 2023 ARTBA Chair Paula Hammond (WSP USA).