Skip to main content

Obama signs two-month transportation funding extension

President Obama has signed a two month extension of highway funding into law. The Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015 extends several aspects of infrastructure funding to the end of July. Obama has proposed a six-year transportation bill of US$478 billion which would increase funding in US roads, highways and transit systems and for the first time would provide dedicated funding for passenger rail, rail safety and a national freight program. Congress has so far been unable to reach agreement o
June 2, 2015 Read time: 1 min
President Obama has signed a two month extension of highway funding into law. The Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015 extends several aspects of infrastructure funding to the end of July.

Obama has proposed a six-year transportation bill of US$478 billion which would increase funding in US roads, highways and transit systems and for the first time would provide dedicated funding for passenger rail, rail safety and a national freight program. Congress has so far been unable to reach agreement on how to fund the bill.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said it was the President’s view that the era of short-term patches and chronic under-investment in the transportation infrastructure must come to an end and would continue to urge Congress to take steps in that direction.

Related Content

  • Toll roads important to Trump’s infrastructure plan
    January 10, 2017
    According to The Hill, US toll roads may surge under a US$1 trillion infrastructure proposal being floated by Donald Trump. The president elect’s idea for rebuilding the nation’s roads and bridges relies on private companies instead of the federal government to back transportation projects. Experts believe this means investors will be attracted to projects that can recoup their investment costs using some sort of revenue stream, such as through tolls or user fees. “If he moves forward with an infrastr
  • New York to pilot cordon-based congestion charging
    March 16, 2012
    From 2009, if all goes to plan, New York will run a three-year cordon-based congestion charging pilot - the first in the US. Upon accession, US Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters signalled her intention to continue her predecessor Norman Mineta's initiative to specifically target road congestion. And, with initiatives such as the US Department of Transportation's (USDOT's) Urban Partnership Program actively promoting tolling as a part of a compound solution to the problem, the way was opened for the co
  • New York to pilot cordon-based congestion charging
    March 16, 2012
    From 2009, if all goes to plan, New York will run a three-year cordon-based congestion charging pilot - the first in the US. Upon accession, US Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters signalled her intention to continue her predecessor Norman Mineta's initiative to specifically target road congestion. And, with initiatives such as the US Department of Transportation's (USDOT's) Urban Partnership Program actively promoting tolling as a part of a compound solution to the problem, the way was opened for the co
  • Most Americans would support higher gas taxes - under certain conditions
    September 3, 2015
    A telephone survey by the California-based Mineta Transportation Institute found that the majority of Americans would support higher fuel taxes, but only if the revenue is invested in specific transportation improvements. A gas fuel increase of 10 cents per gallon to improve road maintenance was supported by 71 per cent of respondents, whereas support levels dropped to just 31 per cent if the revenues were to be used more generally to maintain and improve the transportation system. The survey findings