Expert Q&A on Implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

On November 15, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) into law. The legislation provides hundreds of billions of dollars for new spending on infrastructure, which will support investments in transportation, water, energy, and broadband systems. While ambitious initiatives outlined in the legislation represent generational opportunities to modernize our nation’s infrastructure, leveraging this influx of federal dollars for the greatest long-term public benefit, by effectively implementing so many new and existing programs, will be a significant challenge. Federal agencies will have to be strategic to ensure investments are impactful at delivering on their stated goals and are distributed equitably and efficiently.

BPC asked the following experts, all of whom have significant experience in administering federal infrastructure programs, to share their advice on the opportunities and challenges inherent in implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act:

• Susan Bodine – Former EPA Assistant Administrator
• Jane Garvey – Former FAA Administrator; Former FHWA Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator
• Beth Osborne – Former DOT Acting Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy
• Nicole Nason – Former FHWA Administrator and NHTSA Administrator
• Jim Ray – Former DOT Senior Advisor
• Rodney Slater – Former DOT Secretary and FHWA Administrator
• Mariia Zimmerman – Former HUD Deputy Director for Sustainable Communities

See their responses below.