This Thursday at 10AM ET, debate begins in Congress on the next transportation bill to replace the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The House Transportation Committee Chairman Sam Graves (MO) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (WA) delivered BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870), a bipartisan, five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill that invests $580 billion in America’s roads, bridges, transit, rail transportation and highway and motor carrier safety programs.
Due to the election year schedule, the House will be racing the Congressional clock to get a bill through the Committee, through the funding and House leadership approvals, and then onto the House floor before Sept. 30 when key IIJA programs like Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) expire with it. The BUILD America 250 Act markup is the first step towards long-term authorization.
What’s in the Bill for Local Governments
There’s a lot of infrastructure programming and policy in the 1,005 page BUILD America 250 Act (PDF), but here are a few of the key provisions that could help local governments.
1. 25 Percent of the Renewed and Increased Bridge Funding Will Go to Local Bridges
In Section 1108, the bill authorizes formula and competitive programs to fund bridge improvement projects, and the program requires that states set-aside 25 percent of funds to run a competitive process to fund locally owned bridge projects. Under the formula program, the Federal share for locally owned bridges is 95 percent.
2. Safe Streets Program for Local Safety Projects Continues
In Section 1119, Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program is codified and guarantees five-years of additional funding albeit at slightly lower overall funding levels. There will be more focus on implementation funding (as planning is reduced to 5 percent), and a 30 percent set aside for rural communities is added.
3. Direct-to-Local Grants Remain for Key Transportation Needs
For local communities, the IIJA provided many grant opportunities that help to encourage core infrastructure development. Several favorite grants are continued, including Rail Crossing Elimination, PROTECT discretionary grants and Safe Streets.
Additionally, in Section 1124, a new Surface Transportation Accelerator Grant (STAG) discretionary program to fund surface transportation projects in local, regional, rural and urban communities is formed. Under the program, 50 percent of funding is for local and regional grants, 25 percent is for rural grants (50,000 or less), and 25 percent is for urban grants. The rural component sets a minimum grant amount of $5 million. The rural component also makes room for even the smallest of the small cities with a 5 percent set-aside for grants for eligible projects in small communities with a population of not more than 5,000.
What’s Next
NLC is glad to support the transportation reauthorization through the process. We continue to actively discuss all the positive elements of the bill with the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, as well as possible amendments to improve the bill as it moves to the markup on Thursday, May 21 at 10 AM ET.
“The National League of Cities applauds Chairman Sam Graves and Ranking Member Rick Larsen for the bipartisan introduction of the BUILD America 250 Act, which reflects the local bridge, safety, and regional priority projects championed in Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet and Rep. Rob Bresnahan’s BASICS Act. Thousands of cities, towns and villages reached out to Congress to ask that they prioritize the basic improvements that allow communities to repair and replace crumbling infrastructure and save lives on our roads, and the BUILD Act delivers. Mayors and councilmembers across the country look forward to a new chapter of infrastructure investment that we can celebrate during America’s 250th anniversary.”
– NLC President Kevin Kramer, Councilmember, Louisville, Ky.
While no bill is perfect, we remain encouraged that local governments will continue to have a partner in the federal government in significant ways, and we will continue to support improvements through the legislative process.
How to Make Your City’s Priorities Heard
Now is a good time to reach out to your Member of Congress and their transportation staff using the switchboard number (202) 224-3121 or using the best contact information you have from previous discussions.
Here’s a few key talking points:
The House is beginning to move the next transportation package, and I want to make sure you know how important these programs can be for local governments like mine including:
- regional priority transportation projects through the Surface Transportation Block Grant program
- local bridges
- safety projects through the Safe Streets grant program.
I’d like for you to work with the National League of Cities as the amendment process moves forward to ensure that you are hearing more about what cities, towns and villages across the country want to see.
Contact Congress
Act now and urge Congress to support transportation and water reauthorization.
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