​Congressman Adam Smith Introduces Proposal to Fund Freight Network Improvements

November 2017

WASHINGTON, DC… Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA) recently reintroduced legislation to create a freight infrastructure improvement program that would provide competitive grants to boost efficiency and capacity of the U.S. freight network. The Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC) has advocated for a multimodal, freight-focused competitive grant program since its inception and applauds Congressman Smith for his thought leadership in providing potential solutions to the critical need for freight infrastructure funding in the United States.

“I applaud Congressman Smith’s dedication to identifying solutions to meet the growing needs of our nation’s multimodal goods movement network,” said Tim Lovain, CAGTC Chairman and Executive Vice President of Crossroads Strategies. “Freight movement across all modes is expected to grow nearly 42 percent by 2040 – without a strategic campaign of investment, this opportunity has potential to overburden infrastructure and create a drag on our national economy. Freight infrastructure funding and investment solutions, such as Congressman Smith’s Freight Infrastructure Reinvestment Act of 2017, are needed to address these challenges head-on.”

H.R. 3769 calls for the creation of a new freight fee – a 1 percent tax assessed on the cost of ground transportation within the United States. Collected funds will be dedicated to a new National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Fund and invested in the nation’s freight system through a merit-based competitive grant program.

“While the FAST Act’s freight-focused INFRA program provided a first step in addressing multimodal freight needs, much more is needed, as evidenced by the program’s oversubscription: in its initial round, applicants requested $13 for every $1 available,” said Elaine Nessle, Executive Director of CAGTC. “Congressman Smith’s proposed freight mobility infrastructure fee and National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Fund could provide the next iteration of funding for critical freight projects.”