In The News

Obama calls for $556 billion transportation bill

President Obama has officially announced that he wants Congress to pass a new surface transportation reauthorization bill. The president’s budget request for the U.S. Department of Transportation calls for $556 billion for transportation over six years.

In the first year of the proposal, Obama is calling for $129 billion for the DOT, and $70.5 billion of that would go to roads and bridges.

The first $50 billion of the six-year plan would front-load a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill, which includes improving highways, transit and rail infrastructure.

The last transportation funding bill, SAFETEA-LU, was implemented in 2005 and expired in September 2009. Since then, DOT programs and infrastructure have been funded by shorter-term bills.

President Obama’s State of the Union Address earlier this month was a precursor to this week’s announcement that it’s time to get a six-year authorization bill in place for transportation. A lot of work must happen before such a bill is to become law.

U.S. House and Senate lawmakers are taking up the topic this week and next as part of that process.

To read the DOT’s budget highlights, click here .

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