Congress returns to work this fall with the clock ticking on surface transportation funding. Cities and states have a lot to gain — or lose — as they work to maintain roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure.
When the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expires in September next year, it takes with it $350 billion in federal highway funding, largely distributed to states according to a preset formula based on population and roadway miles.
As members of Congress and the White House begin compiling their priorities, there’s an emerging tension between states, which generally receive almost all of the federal highway funding, and cities and counties, which typically receive very little directly, despite controlling a large share of roads and bridges.
