Spend infrastructure dollars carefully
Pete Ruane, president and CEO of ARTBA, told GPN that the infrastructure stimulus package needs to be well-planned.
“While investing in highway and transit projects is a road to economic recovery, and should be a key part of any stimulus package, simply throwing transportation dollars at the current crisis — unless done right — would be a critical mistake,” Ruane said. “Every transportation dollar included in the stimulus package should be subjected to a strict review process by both the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and U.S. Department of Transportation inspector general. This will ensure timely, independent review and appropriate utilization. These safeguards will ensure transparency and demonstrate social utility. And, most importantly, the inclusion of these measures will ensure that funds go to needed projects that will put thousands of employees on job sites nationwide helping to build a modern, efficient transportation infrastructure network.”
Washington, D.C.-based ARTBA represents more than 5,000 public- and private-sector members of the U.S. transportation design and construction industry before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, news media and the general public.
