OP-ED: Infrastructure to connect US

America’s transportation infrastructure is the backbone of our economy. Yet, for decades, we’ve largely ignored the obvious investment needs facing these systems. That has left us today with infrastructure that is often very old and designed for a bygone era, depriving our nation of the safety, reliability and efficiency necessary to meet the needs of 21st century America.

That’s why there has never been a more opportune moment for robust federal investments in infrastructure, as seen by President Joe  Biden’s American Jobs Plan and the $80 billion it specifically designates for railways. Rebuilding, upgrading and expanding our infrastructure is simply a must-do that only gets harder to accomplish the longer we wait. Such investments will create jobs and stimulate the economy, leading the nation out of the ravages of the pandemic while creating the generational assets that will serve all Americans for decades – and even centuries – ahead.

Today, as part of such a program of investment, we have an opportunity to revitalize train travel, add capacity to our national rail network and simultaneously address some of the nation’s most pressing issues. That’s also why the American Jobs Plan included plans for infrastructure investment, economic recovery, climate change and social equity. Traveling on Amtrak is up to 83 percent more energy efficient than driving. Considering transportation is a leading source of greenhouse gas emissions nationwide, increased rail and mass transit access is crucial to getting people out of single-occupant vehicles and reducing harmful toxins in the air. We must understand the relationship between infrastructure, transportation and emissions to promote a green future and economic growth.

Expanded infrastructure and transportation options will also provide tangible mechanisms of economic opportunity. We know America is ready to build. The population has grown by 120 million since 1971, when the federal government founded Amtrak. Our network has remained more or less the same, however, over those 50 years. Building high-quality infrastructure isn’t just about short-term economic growth – it creates a future we’re proud to leave the next generation.

To accomplish this, Amtrak aims to expand nationwide rail service to build infrastructure in and between our metropolitan areas (the Gulf Coast, Pacific Northwest, etc.) and create passenger rail corridors all around the country, similar to the highly trafficked Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston. Today, many of America’s fastest growing cities have insufficient or nonexistent passenger rail service. Amtrak is well suited to help them and the many communities – big and small – in between by providing a more sustainable and equitable way to connect cities, people and regional economies.

That must be in tandem with continued investment in hubs like the New York metropolitan area, where modernizing infrastructure has long been a strong priority. Since 2017, Amtrak has invested $115 million for basic rail repair in New York City alone and plans to spend another $27 million in FY21 in addition to the major projects the company is advancing. One of those, the Gateway Program – the most essential infrastructure development of the past two decades – is finally beginning construction on the Portal North Bridge. Other projects in the pipeline will upgrade today’s aging infrastructure and transform the daily commute for hundreds of thousands of people, while creating new jobs, industries and economic opportunities.

Amtrak and the New York Building Congress stand ready to play a critical role in guiding our nation to a more green and equitable future. Together, we can expand our transportation network and commit to infrastructure developments that offset carbon emissions. President Biden and U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have rightfully focused on the importance of creating a modern system that addresses the years of systemic underinvestment and disproportionate impacts on disadvantaged communities and communities of color. To build a future that serves everyone, expanded Amtrak and public transportation service is essential. As we build back from the darkest and most devastating days of the pandemic, we must ensure a more equitable and sustainable future for all – and that begins with our infrastructure.

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Stephen Gardner is the president of Amtrak. In this role, Gardner leads the company’s day-to-day operations, with an emphasis on regaining and growing customers and partners through the strong delivery of Amtrak’s Annual Operating Plan and the company’s long-term goals.

Carlo A. Scissura, Esq., is the president and CEO of the New York Building Congress, a membership association committed to promoting the growth and success of the construction industry in New York City and its environs.