APWA Applauds Agreement on Two-Year Transportation Bill

The American Public Works Association (APWA) commended House and Senate conferees for reaching a final agreement on a long-overdue federal surface transportation bill, clearing
the way for the Senate and House of Representatives to vote final approval before the bill is presented to the President for his signature. APWA is calling for swift final approval of MAP-21, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, which reauthorizes federal highway, transit and safety programs at current levels of funding through September 2014.

“APWA thanks Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. John Mica for their leadership in finalizing MAP-21, a bill to reauthorize our surface transportation programs,” said APWA Executive Director Peter B. King. “MAP-21 is critically important to local communities and their economies. It will create and sustain jobs, provide stable funding for state and local transportation programs, and it directs needed investment toward modernizing, improving and repairing our roads, bridges and public transportation systems,” King said.

“MAP-21 also contains needed reforms aimed at cutting the amount of time it takes to complete
transportation projects, saving money and making it possible for project benefits to be achieved sooner, such as improved safety and reduced travel times,” said King.

The legislation replaces the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), which expired September 2009.