Federal Investment Helped Advance 22,000 Highway Improvement Projects in 2020, New Data Reveals

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- State governments leveraged $29 billion in federal funds to advance $70 billion in highway improvements during fiscal year (FY) 2020, according to new federal data.

An interactive dashboard created by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) provides U.S. taxpayers, elected officials, news media, and the public with a clear look at how and where all 50 states use their federal highway program funds.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) data compiled by ARTBA's Chief Economist Dr. Alison Premo Black displays information on more than 22,000 projects that moved forward last year. 

"This dashboard is chock-full of projects that are real-world outcomes of the federal highway program," Black said.  "We encourage members of Congress, their staffs, and Biden administration officials to tap this valuable resource as they continue working on a robustly funded surface transportation infrastructure bill."

Nationally, 47 percent of project funds were dedicated to major repair or reconstruction work on existing highways.  Adding capacity (19 percent of funds), planning, design, and construction engineering (13 percent), new construction (6 percent), planning, environmental, and research and administration (3 percent), are among the other featured categories.

The top five projects that moved forward nationwide in 2020 include a mix of federal, state, local and private funds. Each project uses advance construction funds, which means that additional federal funds will be dedicated to the project in future years. Those projects are:

1) Virginia I-64 Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Expansion Project ($3.9 billion)
2) Indiana PR 69 New Road Construction Marion County Segment ($725 million) 
3) Arkansas I-530, Highway 67 Widening and Reconstruction ($631.7 million)
4) Louisiana I-10 ($592 million)
5) Texas US 290 ($556 million)

The top five states with the most projects (including advance construction) are:

1) Texas: 1,249 projects 
2) Ohio: 1,222 projects
3) California 1,120 projects
4) Michigan: 1,100 projects
5) Indiana: 1,041 projects

The dashboard allows users to see how each state annually deployed federal funds and features the top projects dating back to 1950.

ARTBA's Black populates the dashboard using the data states submit to FHWA's Fiscal Management Information System (FMIS).

Learn more: artbahighwaydashboard.org.

Established in 1902, ARTBA brings together all facets of the transportation construction industry to responsibly advocate for infrastructure investment and policy that meet the nation's need for safe and efficient travel.

SOURCE American Road & Transportation Builders Association