Transportation organisations the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) and ITS America have applauded the US Congress for passing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Both emphasised the role of technology in helping to address issues such as climate change and sustainable mobility.
Earlier this year a report by the American Society of Civil Engineers on US roadways painted a damning picture.
The Act allocates more than $1 trillion in funds, from which various areas of transportation as well as broadband infrastructure will jostle for a share.
Calling it an "essential step in rebuilding and modernising" US infrastructure, Mark Compton, CEO of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and 2021 President of IBTTA, added: "The reauthorisation of the federal surface transportation program and commitments to additional new investment will continue to ensure America’s economic competitiveness, safety and sustainability."
He highlighted that the new legislation "recognises the important role that tolling and road pricing plays in meeting America’s investment, mobility and climate change challenges".
Pat Jones, executive director and CEO of IBTTA, echoed Compton's comments, saying that IBTTA and its members are ready to support Congress, the US Department of Transportation and the Administration to put the legislation into action.
"We offer the leadership and innovation of the IBTTA community in transportation and tolling to ensure that we make the most of these historic infrastructure investments by strengthening our economy and improving the lives of all Americans,” Jones said.
“We will continue to promote tolling and road pricing programmes as an equitable and sustainable means of transportation funding and finance."
Laura Chace, president & CEO of ITS America said the Infrastructure Act has "set the stage for transforming the US transportation system".
"Technology is the key to delivering this transformation – with road fatalities climbing, climate reports becoming increasingly dire, and congestion once again clogging our roads, we are at a pivotal moment," she added.
She believes that ITS America and its members were "instrumental in ensuring critical technologies were made eligible for funding in areas such as cybersecurity and Mobility on Demand, safety priorities like Vision Zero and Vehicle to Pedestrian technologies, alternative fuelling infrastructure, congestion relief, additional research funding and broadband deployment".
Chace concludes: "Now it is time to invest in and deploy these tools that will allow us to build a digital layer over our physical infrastructure and power our technology-driven 21st century economy. If we make the choice to invest in technology, we will deliver a robust transportation system – one that ensures access and opportunity for all as well as safer roads and more efficient, cleaner mobility."
