President Joe Biden scored a win in November with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, but has failed to pass social and environmental pieces of his so-called Build Back Better plan. Still, the administration hopes that the infrastructure spending will support its plans to combat climate change and inequity, as a Federal Highway Administration memo of Dec. 16 suggests. The memo calls for “Investments and projects that …
- improve the condition, resilience and safety of road and bridge assets consistent with asset management plans (including investing in preservation of those assets);
- promote and improve safety for all road users, particularly vulnerable users;
- make streets and other transportation facilities accessible to all users and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act;
- address environmental impacts ranging from stormwater runoff to greenhouse gas emissions;
- prioritize infrastructure that is less vulnerable and more resilient to a changing climate;
- future-proof our transportation infrastructure by accommodating new and emerging technologies like electric vehicle charging stations, renewable energy generation, and broadband deployment in transportation rights-of-way;
- reconnect communities and reflect the inclusion of disadvantaged and under-represented groups in the planning, project selection and design process; and
- direct Federal funds to their most efficient and effective use, consistent with these objectives.”
To further such goals, infrastructure czar Mitch Landrieu has undertaken a massive outreach to the prospective recipients of funds, the New York Times reports, having apparently met with nearly every governor and more than 50 mayors. In turn, 16 governors have written jointly to the president, calling for the streamlining of federal regulations and other forms of ”administrative red tape that will counter actual improvements and meaningful results.”