Transportation Infrastructure for the 21st Century

Dear Friend,

For decades our country's infrastructure served as the backbone of our economic success. But today, our crumbling infrastructure is slowing economic growth, and without serious long-term investments, we simply will not be able to compete in today's global economy. There are over 100,000 bridges in the U.S. that are over 65 years old, and in Chicago, we have a century old transit system that desperately needs updates to keep up with increased capacity.

As a member of the House Appropriations subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), my goal is to drive federal dollars back to Chicago's infrastructure and transportation agencies. Last December, Congress took a great step forward in passing the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), authorizing $305 billion to fix our roads, bridges, highways and public transit over the course of the next five years. For Chicago, this means a guaranteed $7.5 billion for roads and $2.9 billion for public transit.

While The FAST Act is a significant bipartisan accomplishment that provides much needed funding certainty, Congress must do more. What America really needs is a long-term bill that makes significant investments in our transportation infrastructure. This Infrastructure Week, It's time for Congress to go big and plan for the long-term projects that will modernize our infrastructure, spur economic growth and create jobs. Like my Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram page to share your thoughts with me this Infrastructure Week.

Sincerely,

Mike Quigley