Several leading associations in the surface transportation construction industry have weighed in on the results of the 2020 national elections, including the projected win of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
Industry leaders say they are eager to work with the incoming administration and new Congress on long-term transportation solutions.
"We are ready to work with the incoming administration and Congress to help craft an agenda that is focused in rebuilding infrastructure and reviving the national economy," Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America’s CEO Stephen E. Sandherr said in a statement. "To that end, we are eager to work with the president-elect as he and his team fashion their promised infrastructure investment proposals. In addition, we look forward to working with federal officials to craft a new, long-term highway and transit law, enact liability reform that protects honest firms from frivolous coronavirus lawsuits, and pass other tax and credit measures that will stimulate economic growth and demand for construction."
"President-elect Biden has been a tireless champion for public transit and passenger rail over his many years of public service, and we look forward to working with his administration on numerous issues of importance to millions of Americans who rely on bus and rail to get to work, to school, to family, and across this great nation," the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) said in a statement. "Investment in public transit is a bipartisan issue, and APTA will continue to work with Republicans and Democrats alike in Congress to build a public transportation infrastructure that is the pride of the nation and rebuilds our economy."
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) called for called for bipartisanship in Congress to address infrastructure and other pressing concerns. "While there will be sharp differences of opinion on how to best govern our country and solve our most pressing challenges, there will also be opportunities to come together to strengthen our country," AEM President Dennis Slater said in a statement. "Our elected officials must put policy ahead of politics and work in a bipartisan fashion to get things done. This includes rebuilding our infrastructure, opening up more markets for international trade, and revitalizing rural America."
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) announced that the association's upcoming virtual annual meeting will focus on the potential ways the results of the 2020 national elections could affect the nation’s transportation policy agenda. AASHTO said its Transportation Policy Forum will delve into the Congressional policy outlook for surface transportation funding reauthorization in 2021 and conduct two interactive polling exercises—the first on the pending COVID-19 relief package, including AASHTO’s $37 billion backstop request before Congress, and second on the development of the 2021 AASHTO legislative action agenda.
The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) highlighted the association's analysis showing voters in 18 states have approved a record 94% of state and local ballot initiatives to date, providing an additional $14 billion in one-time and recurring revenue for transportation improvements throughout the country. ARTBA's analysis indicates voters Nov. 3 approved 303 of 322 initiatives, the highest approval rate in the 20 years ARTBA has been tracking initiatives.
“More than ever before, these results prove that improving transportation infrastructure is something Americans voters strongly support,” ARTBA Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Alison Black said in a statement.
