In December, the Federal Highway Administration launched guidance indicating that it wanted as powerful of the new IIJA funds because it’s seemingly you’ll moreover mediate of spent on initiatives that advance Biden administration dreams esteem addressing local weather switch. FHWA would advantage such initiatives by, to illustrate, expediting environmental opinions of bike lane initiatives nonetheless scrutinizing the environmental impacts of new motor automobile lanes, Stephanie Pollack, deputy administrator of the FHWA, indicated. The guidance also stated declare agencies must amassed focal level on fixing contemporary roads ahead of including new ones.
“States very powerful part FHWA’s policy priorities outlined in the guidance,” Wilson wrote in the letter to Pollack, and highlighted localities’ advancements on aligned dreams esteem resilience efforts, greater transit and “total streets.” Nonetheless one region where they receive no longer see belief to belief with the Biden administration is on its procedure to restrict avenue expansions.
“Proposals to require ‘Fix it First’ solutions or prescribe the usage of particular sources of funding for draw preservation receive no longer replicate the usage of strategic planning nonetheless reasonably a one-size-matches-all methodology to asset administration,” Wilson wrote.
The letter defended states’ capacity to plot shut which initiatives they fund, since avenue networks and other components fluctuate so broadly and they also’re most attuned to their very like wants. Scream agencies are most able to managing their transportation wants, and receive no longer deserve to hang a watch on any new processes in stutter to total them, the letter stated.
“Given the outsized public expectations, these powerful-wished programs and initiatives must amassed be superior snappily. For this to happen we must always work collectively and consume contemporary planning processes,” Wilson wrote. “We advantage FHWA to glance the declare DOTs as an environment friendly conduit all the intention in which thru which to salvage local governments.”
Wilson also identified that federal bucks finest produce up a share of states’ transportation budgets, and the FHWA has tiny sigh in what initiatives states in a roundabout intention pursue.
“AASHTO also appreciates FHWA’s acknowledgement that this guidance does no longer counsel that the company has the authority to require states to invest federal formula funds specifically forms of initiatives nor restrict them from investing in other forms of initiatives,” Wilson wrote.
AASHTO officers are no longer the explicit ones requesting more leeway. On Jan. 19, 16 Republican governors sent a strongly worded letter to the White Home that also pushed for more declare defend a watch on over guidelines on how to make spend of IIJA funds, and towards avenue-widening prohibitions specifically.
“Your administration must amassed no longer strive and push a social agenda thru hard infrastructure investments and as a replace must amassed comprise in mind economically sound options that align with declare priorities,” the letter stated.
Alternatively, there would possibly be a more instantaneous grief to advancing IIJA-funded initiatives: federal officers sigh powerful of their work is on stop since Congress has no longer signed a transportation appropriations bill. The persevering with resolution passed in December 2021 retains the federal executive running nonetheless does no longer permit corpulent entry to elevated funding from the IIJA.
