Yesterday, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) Chair Tim Duit testified before the U.S. House Highways & Transit Subcommittee on the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
Duit said that regulatory proposals that are clear and well-defined can achieve their intended purpose, reciting a new Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) proposal. The new proposal placed more attention on separation between road workers and motorists.
This measure would improve safety for all, according to Duit.
“In other instances, however, while the road to regulation is paved with good intentions, the outcomes can cause uncertainty and a lack of clarity for the companies working on transportation projects,” Duit said.
Duit highlighted other major policies that are making it harder to initiate transportation system improvements:
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s non-compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision on EPA’s “Waters of the United States” rule. This treats roadside ditches as protected waterways. Federal agencies have not fully compiled, resulting in confusion.
- Inconsistent implementation of the IIJA’s “Buy America” provisions.
- FHWA’s attempt to impose greenhouse gas performance measures on state transportation departments.
- A Fish and Wildlife Service proposal against accidental harming of migratory birds, which could cause work stoppages on transportation construction sites.
To read the full testimony, click here.
Source: ARTBA
