Buttigieg talks partnering with counties on infrastructure, safety, climate change

Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg discusses transportation issues with NACo Immediate Past President Larry Johnson during his address Monday at the NACo Legislative Conference.
Error message
In order to filter by the "in queue" property, you need to add the Entityqueue: Queue relationship.-
Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg discusses transportation issues with NACo Immediate Past President Larry Johnson during his address Monday at the NACo Legislative Conference.County NewsCounties and the federal government must work together to get the most out of funding for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program and the Bipartisan Infrastructure LawButtigieg talks partnering with counties on infrastructure, safety, climate change
-
County News Article
Buttigieg talks partnering with counties on infrastructure, safety, climate change
Counties and the federal government must work together to get the most out of funding for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg told a General Session audience Monday at the NACo Legislative Conference.
“When I was mayor, I believed that local government was the key for getting things done, and the reality is the answers, the projects, the delivery doesn’t come from Washington, but more of the funding should, and that’s exactly what we’re doing with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — we’re seeking to work with our partners on the ground to help you meet the priorities that you’ve known all along need to get done,” Buttigieg said.
Buttigieg pointed to benefits the Rural Surface Transportation Grant program has brought counties, including the addition of a ferry boat to provide access across the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish, La. and a railroad project in Clay County, Minn.
“We have more funding than ever, and we know that it’s not just having the funding out there, it’s making it easier to work with,” Buttigieg said. “Rural counties don’t have legions of federal relations staff to pick through federal requirements to work with our agents, we get that, and so we are available on request –– we can often provide technical assistance to help work that process, not just securing a grant but getting those dollars out and we want to help you deliver.”
To combat rising numbers in pedestrian deaths and injuries related to transportation, Buttigieg said that counties need to focus on road design, reducing speed and reducing the number of “conflict points.” The success of Vision Zero, a strategy to eliminate traffic deaths and severe injuries, shows that sometimes the best way to prove that something can be done is to implement it at the local level, Buttigieg said.
“Some people struggle with that, because it sounds so pie in the sky, but it’s actually happened,” he said. “It hasn’t happened nationwide, but it’s happened in Jersey City, it’s happened in Hoboken, in Evanston, Ill., so instead of saying, ‘How do we get from 40,000 to zero overnight?’ we say, ‘How do we take the roster of the places that got there and make that roster longer each passing year? It just changes the conversation and I think sometimes expands our imagination about what’s possible.”
Over 7,000 miles of highway, 3,700 bridges and 8,000 buses, ferries and other transit are being created through funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Buttigieg said.
“We can’t tell you what your community’s priorities are, but we can partner with you on priorities that I think we all share –– safety, job creation … climate change,” Buttigieg said. “This is not going to be easy –– none of this is easy. You’ve got to deal with escalating costs and the inflationary environment that we have, you’ve got to deal with permitting, you’ve got to deal with local alignment, with raw materials, workforce constraints.
“But I would argue that these are the kinds of problems we went into public service to solve.”
Counties and the federal government must work together to get the most out of funding for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law2023-02-14County News Article2023-04-11
Counties and the federal government must work together to get the most out of funding for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg told a General Session audience Monday at the NACo Legislative Conference.
“When I was mayor, I believed that local government was the key for getting things done, and the reality is the answers, the projects, the delivery doesn’t come from Washington, but more of the funding should, and that’s exactly what we’re doing with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — we’re seeking to work with our partners on the ground to help you meet the priorities that you’ve known all along need to get done,” Buttigieg said.
Buttigieg pointed to benefits the Rural Surface Transportation Grant program has brought counties, including the addition of a ferry boat to provide access across the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish, La. and a railroad project in Clay County, Minn.
“We have more funding than ever, and we know that it’s not just having the funding out there, it’s making it easier to work with,” Buttigieg said. “Rural counties don’t have legions of federal relations staff to pick through federal requirements to work with our agents, we get that, and so we are available on request –– we can often provide technical assistance to help work that process, not just securing a grant but getting those dollars out and we want to help you deliver.”
To combat rising numbers in pedestrian deaths and injuries related to transportation, Buttigieg said that counties need to focus on road design, reducing speed and reducing the number of “conflict points.” The success of Vision Zero, a strategy to eliminate traffic deaths and severe injuries, shows that sometimes the best way to prove that something can be done is to implement it at the local level, Buttigieg said.
“Some people struggle with that, because it sounds so pie in the sky, but it’s actually happened,” he said. “It hasn’t happened nationwide, but it’s happened in Jersey City, it’s happened in Hoboken, in Evanston, Ill., so instead of saying, ‘How do we get from 40,000 to zero overnight?’ we say, ‘How do we take the roster of the places that got there and make that roster longer each passing year? It just changes the conversation and I think sometimes expands our imagination about what’s possible.”
Over 7,000 miles of highway, 3,700 bridges and 8,000 buses, ferries and other transit are being created through funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Buttigieg said.
“We can’t tell you what your community’s priorities are, but we can partner with you on priorities that I think we all share –– safety, job creation … climate change,” Buttigieg said. “This is not going to be easy –– none of this is easy. You’ve got to deal with escalating costs and the inflationary environment that we have, you’ve got to deal with permitting, you’ve got to deal with local alignment, with raw materials, workforce constraints.
“But I would argue that these are the kinds of problems we went into public service to solve.”
Hero 1
About Meredith Moran (Full Bio)
County News Junior Staff Writer
Meredith is NACo’s junior staff writer. She is responsible for contributing content for each bimonthly issue of the print newspaper of County News, including interviewing sources, completing revisions after copy editing and gathering images to accompany articles.More from Meredith Moran
-
Webinar
NACo Information Series on Treasury’s ARPA Flexibility Guidance: Transportation Infrastructure Project
Sep. 20, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pmOn August 10, the U.S. -
Blog
The County Countdown – August 29, 2023
Every other week, NACo’s County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. Watch the video and explore NACo resources below on some of the top issues we are covering this week. -
Reports & Toolkits
NACo Analysis: Overview of New Treasury Guidance for ARPA Flexibility Legislation
On August 10, the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) released an Interim Final Rule (IFR) for the bipartisan State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure, and Disaster Relief Flexibility Act -
Blog
U.S. House and Senate introduce bipartisan FAA reauthorizations
In June 2023, the U.S. House and U.S. Senate Congressional committees with jurisdiction over aviation introduced bipartisan versions of bills that would reauthorize funding for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is currently set to expire on September 30, 2023. -
Blog
Counties directly eligible for over $3 billion in competitive USDOT funding for community and regional planning
On July 5, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the availability of over $3 billion in competitive funding through the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program.
-
Basic page
Transportation Policy Steering Committee
Responsible for all matters pertaining to federal transportation legislation, funding and regulation and its impacts on county government. This includes highway and bridge development, finance and safety, public transit development and finance, transportation planning, airport development and service, passenger and freight railroads, ports and waterways, freight movement, and research and development of new modes of transportation.pagepagepage<p>Responsible for all matters pertaining to federal transportation legislation, funding and regulation and its impacts on county government.
-
Reports & Toolkits
Implementing Infrastructure Investments at the County Level: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (P.L. 117-58)
As intergovernmental partners, counties play a key role in ensuring the successful interpretation and implementation of the BILReports & Toolkitsdocument100710:00 amReports & Toolkits<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%" summary="call-out transparent jump">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Contact
-
County News Junior Staff Writer(202) 942-4281
Related Resources
-
Blog
The County Countdown – August 29, 2023
Every other week, NACo’s County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. Watch the video and explore NACo resources below on some of the top issues we are covering this week. -
Blog
U.S. House and Senate introduce bipartisan FAA reauthorizations
In June 2023, the U.S. House and U.S. Senate Congressional committees with jurisdiction over aviation introduced bipartisan versions of bills that would reauthorize funding for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is currently set to expire on September 30, 2023. -
Blog
Counties directly eligible for over $3 billion in competitive USDOT funding for community and regional planning
On July 5, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the availability of over $3 billion in competitive funding through the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program.
-
Reports & Toolkits
NACo Analysis: Overview of New Treasury Guidance for ARPA Flexibility Legislation
On August 10, the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) released an Interim Final Rule (IFR) for the bipartisan State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure, and Disaster Relief Flexibility Act -
Reports & Toolkits
Legislative Analysis for Counties: Federal Permitting Provisions in the Fiscal Responsibility Act
Fiscal Responsibility Act includes longstanding county priorities for federal permit streamlining. Explore NACo's full analysis for counties. -
Policy Brief
FAA Reauthorization
Advocate for the passage of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill that supports airport development and continues air service to large and small communities.
More From
-
Primer for Counties: 2023 Farm Bill Reauthorization
NACo's primer on the 2023 Farm Bill reauthorization breaks down the process counties can expect this year, highlights key county priorities and explains how counties can access funds authorized through the Farm Bill.
Learn More