Goods movement coalition commends problem solvers caucus’ dedication to infrastructure improvement WASHINGTON, DC - With the largest global transportation conference as a backdrop and a much-anticipated, forthcoming infrastructure plan by the Trump Administration, the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC) today applauded the release of the Problem Solvers Caucus platform which details bipartisan policy solutions to address and improve our nation’s infrastructure. The report, “Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure,” contains many of the same policy recommendations long-held by the Coalition. Included among the common policy prescriptions are:

• Increased funding eligibility for multimodal projects under the FAST Act’s INFRA and the freight formula programs;
• Transparency in federal grant decision making;
• Project approval streamlining measures that reduce delivery time and costs without jeopardizing safety; and
• Sustainable and long-term funding solutions that support the freight system.

“I commend the bipartisan, solution-driven approach undertaken by the Problem Solvers Caucus and its Infrastructure Working Group,” said CAGTC Executive Director Elaine Nessle. “The report findings underscore the direct correlation between a 21st Century infrastructure and a 21st Century economy and come at a critical juncture, when Congress and the Administration are seeking to bolster economic prosperity through robust investment.” Unique from other types of infrastructure investment, investment in the nation’s multimodal freight network is an economic multiplier. Not only are jobs created immediately in the construction phase, but an efficient goods movement system will attract and retain U.S. businesses and benefit the economy for years to come. CAGTC looks forward to working with the 115th Congress and the Trump Administration to prioritize investment in our multimodal goods movement system. “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,” said CAGTC Chairman Tim Lovain, also of Crossroads Strategies. “Freight infrastructure funding and investment solutions, such as those put forward today by the Problem Solvers Caucus, are needed to address these challenges head-on.”  Since its formation, CAGTC has supported the development of a multimodal freight-specific grant program that distributes money to meritorious projects on a competitive basis, using economically-driven criteria. A commitment to investment in goods movement and dedicated funding for a freight program is critical for America to ensure a safe, efficient, reliable, multimodal supply chain that will continue to stoke the engine of commerce and support job growth.