Not So fast: Key Policy Considerations for Financing Transportation

Current conversations around finance and revenue distribution dominate the discussion about transportation in the U.S. today. These concerns are so prevalent today that they spawned not one – but two – national commissions to investigate how the nation should approach the issue of funding transportation over the long term.

The purpose of this presentation at the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association’s annual meeting is to frame the discussion around transportation funding around the major policy flaws inherent in the system today. In that regard, Robert Puentes argues that the U.S. needs to rebuild the public trust before increasing spending and must clearly articulate a clear, coherent national purpose for the program. At the same time, the U.S. must begin to move away from traditional funding and finance mechanisms and, in particular, needs to unleash the market to address a range of concerns.

The metro program hosts and participates in a variety of public forums. To view a complete list of these events, please visit the metro program’s Research and Commentary page which provides copies of major speeches, PowerPoint presentations, event transcripts, and event summaries.