By Kerry O'Hare, WTS-DC 
November 2021

On November 15, WTS-DC welcomed three senior officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to a virtual panel to talk about the department’s accomplishments during the first year of the Biden Administration as well as to look ahead to upcoming priorities, goals, and implementation of the historic bipartisan infrastructure bill. The panelists included Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Acting Administrator Stephanie Pollack; Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for Safety Policy Robin Hutcheson; and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Senior Advisor Veronica Vanterpool. The wide-ranging conversation was moderated by Joan DeBoer who was chief of staff to former DOT Secretary Ray LaHood and current Vice Chair of the Board at Building America’s Future.  

As the virtual program took place on the day that President Biden signed the massive bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) into law, DAS Hutcheson called it a “day of reflection” to recognize the hard work and determination that went into crafting, negotiating, and approving the IIJA. The officials acknowledged that the focus now turns to implementing the new law and, that unlike the 2009 stimulus bill that focused on shorter-term shovel-ready projects, the IIJA represents a longer-term vision that will emphasize “fixing-it-right” with a focus on safety, equity, and resilience. DOT has already started coordinating with the White House and other agencies on implementation planning. They will work closely with the newly appointed Task Force to be chaired by National Economic Council Director Brian Deese and former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. 

The officials noted that while much of the IIJA money will be distributed via established funding formulas, there will be several competitive grant opportunities, including a handful of new opportunities. Some of the IIJA’s programs highlighted by the speakers include a new program to reconnect communities separated by transportation projects decades ago; Safe Streets for All to address roadway design to better protect all road users including vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists; a new $40 billion program for bridges; a 77% boost for transit over current funding levels; and funding for the construction of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.  DOT will be enhancing its public engagement efforts and will endeavor to level the playing field to ensure smaller communities will have an equal opportunity to apply for grants. 

Prior to the discussion of IIJA implementation, the panelists reflected on the challenges facing the transportation network during the COVID-19 pandemic. FHWA Acting Administrator Pollack noted the drop in gas tax revenues due to decreased driving during the first few months of the pandemic and how that impacted transportation budgets at the state and local levels, although traffic and revenues have already rebounded. FTA Senior Advisor Vanterpool spoke about the impact on transit and how the COVID response bills passed by Congress provided a critical lifeline to keep systems operational, but that transit agencies also demonstrated tremendous flexibility and innovation while continuing to serve their communities throughout the pandemic. She remarked that to date, the FTA has awarded 1400 grants and over $40 billion in funding to transit systems around the nation.

There was also discussion about the challenges and changes that may take place with regard to transportation as the nation emerges from the pandemic. From a safety perspective, DAS Hutcheson spoke about the escalation in speeding that caused more accidents and pedestrian deaths. She said that a national roadway safety strategy has been under discussion at DOT to address this with a document expected to be released in January. Senior Advisor Vanterpool talked about how the transit community is looking to address the shifting travel patterns and exploring reduced-fare or free-fare programs for some users. FHWA Acting Administrator Pollack is enthusiastic about new technologies to improve safety such as automated emergency braking for trucks, and all expressed enthusiasm about the staying power of community efforts to reshape roadways and ensure streets are safe for all users.

WTS-DC and all of the attendees are grateful to our moderator and panelists for joining us and for all their support of WTS-DC.

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