Support County Priorities as Congress Works on Surface Transportation Reauthorization

Action Needed:

Urge Congress to include county transportation and infrastructure priorities in the next surface transportation reauthorization bill. Key county priorities include increased funding for locally owned bridges, increased funding through the flexible Surface Transportation Block Grant program and no increase to federal truck size and weight limits.

Background: 

Every five years, Congress reauthorizes the U.S. Department of Transportation and its formula and discretionary funding programs. This process often results in other policy changes as well, including the creation of new funding programs, changes to formula funding allocation methods and new rules and regulations.

The most recent surface transportation bill was the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-58), also called the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). In addition to reauthorizing existing surface transportation programs, IIJA also included over $550 billion in new guaranteed spending on a wide range of infrastructure, including roads, bridges, inland waterways, transit, airports and water infrastructure. Despite this increase in funding, counties overall did not see a significant increase in investment from IIJA. Bolstered formula funding continued to flow almost exclusively through state departments of transportation, while new and expanded discretionary grant programs largely benefited other recipients.

IIJA’s programs and authorities are set to expire on September 30, 2026, and there is strong bipartisan interest from both chambers in crafting a comprehensive reauthorization package that builds on the momentum from IIJA. In May 2026, the U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee advanced the Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-Term Development for America’s 250 (BUILD America 250) Act (H.R. 8870), a bipartisan reauthorization bill that would make significant federal investment in local infrastructure. Under the BUILD America 250 Act, an estimated 22 percent of federal dollars would flow to local governments. NACo supports the BUILD America 250 Act and urges Congress to move quickly to pass the legislation before surface transportation programs expire. BUILD America 250 incorporates many policy provisions proposed in the Bridges And Safety Infrastructure for Community Success (BASICS) Act (H.R. 7437). NACo worked closely with congressional leaders and endorsed the BASICS Act as a blueprint for strengthening federal investment in local transportation networks. 

Policy Priorities

• Improve Local Access to Formula Funding: Congress should provide local and regional governments with reliable access to more formula funding and programs. This includes growing the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) program and requiring suballocation of safety and bridge formula programs. By leveraging and bolstering the capacity and expertise of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Rural Transportation Planning Organizations (RTPOs), we can ensure local project selection and prioritization to steer increased federal dollars to deserving local projects.
• Maintain Discretionary Grant Programs: Counties deserve access to formula funding but must retain access to discretionary grants for transformative projects. While there are opportunities for program consolidation, counties want to keep certain programs like the BUILD program and Safe Streets and Roads for All program that advance national priorities at the local level.
• Streamline Permitting and Project Delivery: Counties are eager to invest infrastructure funding but face delays from complex federal approval processes, especially NEPA reviews. Streamlining permitting while preserving environmental protections and public input will accelerate project delivery, benefiting safety and economic growth.
• Improve Intergovernmental Partnerships: Counties play an important role in maintaining the overall transportation system, but they cannot do it on their own. Congress should enact policies that strengthen counties’ ability to uphold their obligations, including through supporting technical assistance and capacity building programs.

Key Talking Points

• Counties own, operate and maintain 44 percent of public road miles and 38 percent of bridges. Locally owned bridges are more than twice as likely to be in poor condition than a state-owned bridge, which threatens supply chains, safety and economic growth.
• Counties support the BUILD America 250 Act, which would make significant federal investments in local infrastructure through the Bridge Formula Program, funding for the Surface Transportation Block Grant and reforms to federal permitting processes.
• In the IIJA, 90 percent or more of federal transportation funds flow directly to state DOTs, leaving counties and other local governments to compete directly for less than 10 percent of competitive funding programs. Providing access to formula funding for local governments would ensure that counties have the resources they need to maintain our nation’s infrastructure.