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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Transportation is a critical engine of the Nation’s economy. Investments in the national transportation network over the country’s history, and especially the last half-century, have been instrumental in developing the world’s largest economy and most mobile society. However, before the end of this summer the Highway Trust Fund – which funds a significant portion of the construction and repair of our surface transportation system – will be insolvent and just a few weeks later the authorities that establish our surface transportation programs will expire. Without action, many States and communities may be forced to slow or stop work on critical transportation projects that our Nation depends upon to move people, energy, and freight every day, putting jobs at risk and slowing investment in our future.

The Generating Renewal, Opportunity, and Work with Accelerated Mobility, Efficiency, and Rebuilding
of Infrastructure and Communities throughout America Act, or GROW AMERICA Act, is a $302 billion,
four year transportation reauthorization proposal that provides increased and stable funding for our
Nation’s highways, bridges, transit, and rail systems. The Administration’s proposal is funded by
supplementing current revenues with $150 billion in one-time transition revenue from pro-growth
business tax reform. This will prevent Trust Fund insolvency for four years and increase investments to
meet national economic goals.

The GROW AMERICA Act will provide States and local governments with the certainty needed to
effectively plan and start construction on projects that will support millions of good paying jobs over the
next several years. It will also enable more transformative transportation projects that will improve the
Nation’s global competitiveness and mobility in communities across the country.

The GROW AMERICA Act will increase transportation investment to support the needs of our Nation’s
communities. The GROW AMERICA Act will provide critical investments to fix our decaying roads and
crumbling bridges and ensure the safety of our transportation systems. Sixty five percent of America’s
major roads are rated in less than good condition, while one in four bridges require significant repair or
cannot handle today’s traffic and 45 percent of Americans do not have access to transit. These
programs will help communities keep pace with our expanding economy, our growing population, and
the traveling needs of the public.

Specifically, the GROW AMERICA Act will provide –

• $199 billion to invest in our nation’s highway system and road safety. The proposal will increase the amount of highway funds by an average of about 22 percent above FY 2014 enacted levels, emphasizing “Fix-it-First” policies and reforms that prioritize investments for much needed repairs and improvements to the safety of our roads and transit services, with particular attention to
• investments in rural and tribal areas. The proposal would also provide more than $7 billion for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to improve safety for all users of our highways and roads, providing a benefit of $21 for every Federal dollar used for infrastructure-related safety investments.
• $72 billion to invest in transit systems and expand transportation options. The proposal increases average transit spending by nearly 70 percent above FY 2014 enacted levels, which will enable the expansion of new projects that improve connectivity (e.g., light rail, street cars, bus rapid transit, etc.) in suburbs, fast-growing cities, small towns, and rural communities, while still maintaining existing transit systems. The GROW AMERICA Act proposes a powerful, $5.1 billion increase in investments to address public transit’s maintenance backlog to reduce bus and rail system breakdowns; create more reliable service; and stop delays that make it harder for all commuters to get to work. The proposal also includes the innovative Rapid Growth Area Transit Program, which would provide $2 billion over four years to fast growing communities for bus rapid transit and other multimodal solutions to get ahead of the challenges caused by rapid growth.
• Tools and resources to encourage regional coordination and local decision making. The proposal includes policy reforms to incentivize improved regional coordination by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), which are local communities’ main voice in transportation planning. The GROW AMERICA Act also strengthens local decision making in allocating Federal funding so that local communities can better realize their vision for improved mobility. High-performing large MPOs will be granted control of a larger portion of funds under two federal transportation programs – the Surface Transportation Program (STP) and the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) – and these MPOs will also receive funds through a set aside under the new Fixing and Accelerating Surface Transportation (FAST) program.

Download this and other fact sheets (dot.gov): The Grow America Act

Download full bill (PDF): The Grow America Act

About the United States Department of Transportation
www.dot.gov
The mission of the Department is to: Serve the United States by ensuring a fast, safe, efficient, accessible and convenient transportation system that meets our vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people, today and into the future.

Tags: Obama Administration, United States Department of Transportation, USDOT

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 6th, 2014 at 12:30 pm and is filed under Bipartisan, Democrat, Highway, Infra Views, National, Policy, Roads . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.