It's possible we will learn the fate of the "hard" infrastructure bill today (H.R. 3684, the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act). Passing this bill would induce an asphalt super-cycle not seen since the mass construction of the Interstate Highway System nearly seventy years ago. This infrastructure bill would reauthorize surface transportation programs for five years, provide record amounts of funding for highway programs and prevent a revenue shortfall in the federal Highway Trust Fund used to reimburse states for road projects.
However, if the bill does not pass there is no back-up plan. The federal highway bill expired yesterday and there is no extension in place. The US-DOT, insulated from government shut downs because they are paid our of the Highway Trust Fund, is about to face furloughing employees for the first time in over a decade and the 2022 construction season would see a major disruption.
The stakes are high and the process is dramatic. It is very likely that what happens in Washington D.C. today will directly affect you, positively or negatively, in a short amount of time. Stay engaged, and let your Representative know how you feel.
