"A bipartisan bill to fund highways, roads, and bridges set to be considered on Wednesday perpetuates the U.S. transportation system’s entrenched safety, sustainability, and inequality problems, advocacy groups say.

The $303.5 billion highway bill that the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is scheduled to mark up would boost funding by 34% compared with the last long-term surface transportation law (Public Law 114-94).

The legislation covers just a portion of the eventual reauthorization and three other Senate authorizing panels will weigh in, including on contentious issues such as transit and financing. Congress must act by Sept. 30 to avoid a lapse in the programs.

But the bipartisan compromise released by the panel’s leaders is already facing divergent views from top outside groups, highlighting potential political hurdles ahead."

Lillianna Byington reports for Bloomberg Environment May 26, 2021. [2]