Eyes on the Road Ahead

This summer, millions of Americans are traveling to visit historic landmarks and cultural destinations as part of our nation’s 250th anniversary celebration. These moments of patriotism and reflection remind us how far America has come and how we got here.

This year also marks another milestone: the 70th anniversary of the Interstate Highway System (IHS), one of the most transformative public works projects in U.S. history.

Whether carrying families on cross-country vacations, moving nearly three-quarters of the nation’s freight, or serving as iconic backdrops for countless songs and films, the nearly 50,000-mile IHS is woven into the fabric of American life.

 But the Interstate System is just one chapter in a much larger story.

 From the National Road and Transcontinental Railroad to modern ports, airports, bridges, waterways, and transit systems, sustained federal transportation investment has helped unite a growing nation, strengthen our economy, and connect communities from coast to coast.

None of these achievements came easily. Landmark transportation projects like the Panama Canal and Golden Gate Bridge were expensive, technically challenging, and often politically contentious. Yet each generation chose to invest anyway because the alternative—falling behind in mobility, commerce, or connectivity—was unacceptable.

Congress now has a similar choice to make.

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee took a critical first step May 22 by advancing the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870), a five-year, $580 billion surface transportation authorization that would provide $475 billion in guaranteed Highway Trust Fund investment and authorize an additional $106 billion subject to future appropriations. The overwhelming bipartisan vote by the Committee—62-2–demonstrated a broad base of support that warrants timely consideration of the measure by the full House. 

 The Senate also has an opportunity to build on that momentum. The bipartisan approach by Senate Environment & Public Works Committee leaders, Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), offers a path for action on a surface transportation bill in the coming months.

In the nearly five years since the 2021 infrastructure law was enacted, more than 120,000 transportation improvement projects have moved forward, including at least one in every congressional district. Nine of the nation’s 10 largest freight bottlenecks are being improved, and more than 19,000 bridge repair projects are underway. Such investments make Americans safer, reduce congestion, and lower the cost of moving goods throughout the country.

With only limited legislative days remaining, Congress should remain focused on a multi-year surface transportation bill that reaffirms the federal-state transportation partnership that has helped power economic growth and national success.

By contrast, a short-term measure would inject unnecessary uncertainty for state transportation departments and risk project delays and increased costs.

America’s greatest transportation achievements were never built by looking in the rearview mirror or through one-time efforts. They were built by leaders committed to the future.

Congress should do the same by keeping its eyes on the road ahead and investing in the transportation network that will carry America through its next 250 years.