President Signs Historic Transportation Spending

What happened: The first installment of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) will not only meet the landmark federal infrastructure law’s transportation investments, but the measure, which is on track for enactment by March 15, will add $4.3 billion to its record levels. [The bill was passed by Congress and signed by President Biden.] Congressional appropriators March 9 released the details of the bipartisan agreement. Here is the breakdown:

Highways

The FY 2022 package meets the IIJA slated highway investment increase from $48.4 billion in FY 2021 to $66.9 billion AND provides an additional $2.5 billion. Of that $2.5 billion, $847 million would be reserved for congressionally-designated earmarks. Congress halted the practice of earmarks in spending bills 12 years ago. The cumulative one-year highway investment increase is $21 billion, or 43 percent.

Public Transportation

Public transportation programs will also see a major boost from the final FY 2022 funding package that includes an additional $504 million above what was called for in the IIJA. The Capital Investment Grant Program which supports transit construction activities will grow from $2.1 billion in FY 2021 to $3.9 billion, or 86 percent.

Other Programs

The federal airport construction program is a frequently overlooked major winner under the IIJA. The FY 2022 funding provides $554 million in supplemental Airport Improvement Program, noise abatement and earmark funds. As a result, the measure will provide $8.9 billion for airport capital improvements —a 137 percent increase. The bill would add $775 million to the $3.8 billion directed by the IIJA for multi-modal transportation grants, compared to $1 billion in FY 2021.

What’s next: All federal spending programs have operated under a series of stop-gap measures since FY 2022 began Oct. 1, 2021—the current extension expires March 11. Congress and President Joe Joe Biden will likely need one more interim measure through March 15 to enact the package released March 9.