On May 26, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) unanimously passed bipartisan highway legislation, S.1931, the Surface Transportation Act of 2021 (STRA-21). The bill, led by Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), would provide $311 billion over five years from FY 2022 to FY 2026 for the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) – Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). On June 16, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee also passed S. 2016, the Surface Transportation Investment Act, a $78 billion, five-year investment from FY 2022 to FY 2026. S. 2016 will serve as the rail and safety titles of the Senate reauthorization bill. Currently funded by an extension of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (P.L. 114-94), the nation’s roads and bridges are badly in need of consistent and reliable support from our federal partners, which can be provided for through the enactment of a long-term surface transportation reauthorization. The one-year extension (P.L. 116-159) of the FAST Act will expire on September 30, 2021.

This analysis highlights key provisions for county governments.