In a notable example of bipartisan action, the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recently approved the BUILD America 250 Act with a vote of 62 to 2. As the largest committee in Congress, Transportation and Infrastructure plays a central role in shaping transportation policy. Its action is the first major step in the once-every-five-year process of reauthorizing federal transportation funding and policy; the clock is running as the current authorizing legislation expires on Sept. 30 of this year.
Why does this matter to Utah? Because transportation is an essential element of quality of life and economic opportunity in our fast-growing state. One of the reasons Utah is regularly ranked as a top-performing state is our decades-long commitment to transportation. We’ve planned, invested and built a system that offers choices to our residents to drive, ride transit, bike and walk.
While Utah’s per-capita state and local investment in transportation is among the highest in the nation, federal funding is also a key component of our overall infrastructure investment strategy. Federal funds help UDOT maintain highways and bridges in good and safe condition, help UTA enhance rail and bus service and help local governments improve their streets and trails.
Because these federal programs have a direct impact on Utah, our transportation agencies and stakeholders work together to help shape the reauthorization bill. This starts with developing Utah’s Unified Transportation Plan, which identifies the projects needed to keep Utah moving — today, in 2034 when the world visits our state again, and for generations to come.
It continues through public and private-sector stakeholders working together to identify shared principles for federal transportation policy, such as ensuring stable, long-term funding and making it easier and faster to deliver infrastructure projects. This collaborative Utah approach is put into action by the members of our congressional delegation, who successfully advocated for priorities such as funding for transportation planning, transit investment in fast-growing areas and reforms to permitting processes — all of which are included in the BUILD America 250 Act.
As Congress begins the work of reauthorizing federal transportation programs — with the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee having acted, and the Senate developing its own proposal — Wasatch Front Regional Council remains committed to the collaborative approach that has helped Utah build one of the nation’s strongest transportation systems. We’re proud to work alongside our partners and stakeholders as we continue building a transportation system that serves our communities, now and in the future.