The National Governors Association hosted five governors, eight state department of transportation executives, federal officials, and private sector partners during an infrastructure summit held November 30 through December 2 in Annapolis, MD. Participants in the three-day summit shared resources and discussed strategies for implementing the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA on […]

During a three-day infrastructure summit hosted by the National Governor’s Association in Annapolis, MD, federal modal leaders outlined their priorities for the funding expected to flow from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA. [Above left to right: Louisiana DOTD’s Dr. Shawn Wilson, FTA’s Nuria Fernandez, and FHWA’s Stephanie Pollack] Nuria Fernandez, administrator […]

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials has named Joung Lee (seen above) – currently the organization’s director of policy and government relations – as its new deputy director- chief policy officer. In this new role, Lee will continue to lead AASHTO’s transportation policy work and be a key liaison between AASHTO and […]

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials sent a 35-page letter to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) on November 18 in support of changes to the National Environmental Policy Act or NEPA proposed in early October. [Above image via the CEQ] In addition to acknowledging AASHTO’s extensive prior comments regarding NEPA, the […]

An executive order issued by President Biden on November 15 during the signing ceremony for the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA lays out six priorities the administration expects to follow during the legislation’s implementation. [Above photo of signing ceremony via White House video feed] Those priorities are: Invest public dollars efficiently, […]

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is developing an implementation “framework” for state departments of transportation to help them prioritize the flow of federal funds from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA over the next five years. AASHTO released a six-page outline of that framework on November 18, […]

Briefings held by the leadership of the U.S. Department of Transportation on November 8 and 9 outlined the key priorities the agency intends to focus on once President Biden signs the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” or IIJA into law, expected to occur on November 15. Pete Buttigieg (seen above), USDOT secretary, noted in a […]

Seven organizations representing state and local governments sent a letter to Congressional leadership on November 8 backing a bill passed by the Senate in October that would provide greater flexibility in spending American Rescue Plan or ARP funds – especially on infrastructure projects. That bill – entitled the State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure, […]

Late on November 5, the House of Representatives passed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA by a vote of 228 to 206; an effort praised by President Biden (seen above) on November 6. [Above image via the White House] “[The IIJA] will create good-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced – jobs […]

The board of directors of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials elected Dr. Shawn Wilson (seen above at left) – secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development – as its 2021-2022 president during the organization’s annual meeting in San Diego. Dr. Wilson is the first African-American president in the association’s […]