Federal Memo 'Gently' Discourages Highway Construction

Although the Senate removed provisions proposed in the House version of the infrastructure bill that would have required local governments to prioritize climate resilience and maintenance of existing infrastructure when it comes to transportation projects, the Federal Highway Administration issued a memo that urges its staff to promote climate-friendly projects and encourage building new highways only as a last resort. According to an article by Aarian Marshall, this gentle approach could still have some impact as state and local officials decide how to allocate federal funding.

Marshall notes that a similar approach has made a difference in Colorado, where the state encourages 'people-friendly' infrastructure projects that focus on maintenance and safety. Consequently, "an expansion project on Interstate 70 will include a new van shuttle system that could grow bigger with demand."  

Environmental advocates have expressed disappointment at the 'toothless' language around climate change and road safety in the bill, which still allocates 80 percent of funding to roads and only 20 percent to transit. But recent developments, such as a proposed rule for revising emissions measurements and the FHA's decision to halt progress on a controversial freeway widening project in Houston, signal that, at the very least, "the administration has managed to spark conversation about the effects of highway construction on the communities that surround them, and on the planet."