American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) President and CEO Pete Ruane commended President Barack Obama for recognizing the need for investment in America's infrastructure following the release of his Fiscal Year budget on Feb. 2.
“The president’s budget recognizes the obvious,” Ruane said. “Status quo federal investment levels in America’s highways, bridges and transit systems just won’t cut it anymore. ... Passage of a robust, six-year transportation investment proposal would send the right signal to states and to private sector companies contemplating whether to hire workers and make capital investment decisions.”
Ruane issued a cautionary note, though.
"We shouldn’t put the horse before the cart," Ruane warned. "The most immediate challenge facing Congress and the president is reaching agreement on a sustainable revenue source to fix the beleaguered Highway Trust Fund before the next extension expires at the end of May. We urge them to check political expediency at the door and work together to quickly find a permanent funding solution for the nation’s transportation networks.”
Based in Washington, D.C., the 106-year-old ARTBA serves as the voice of the U.S. transportation design and construction industry. As a federation whose primary goal is to grow and protect transportation infrastructure investment to meet the public and business demand for safe, efficient travel, ARTBA provides programs and services for its more than 6,500 public and private sector members.
Alerts Sign-up