"Investing in infrastructure is something members of both political parties have always supported," Obama said during his Columbus Day remarks at the White House, marking the second consecutive federal holiday that the president has drawn attention to the need for increasing transportation investment. (see Sept. 10 AASHTO Journal story for details of Obama's Labor Day speech in Milwaukee) "There's no reason why we can't do this. This is work that needs to be done. There are workers who can do it. All we need is the political will."

John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, voiced support for Obama's continued attention to increasing funding for transportation infrastructure.

"We are pleased that the president wants to press for a frontloaded $50 billion investment in the lame-duck session," he said. "The stimulus funding made possible through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be wrapping up next year. Unless there is an initiative like the president's to continue investment in transportation, you will see 300,000 construction jobs lost by the end of next year."

Obama's Columbus Day comments came after he met at the White House with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood; Govs. Edward Rendell, D-Pennsylvania, and Jack Markell, D-Delaware; as well as the mayors of Atlanta; Baltimore; Columbus, Ohio; Los Angeles; Oklahoma City; Philadelphia; San Antonio; and Charleston, South Carolina.

Former transportation secretaries Samuel Skinner and Norman Mineta were also in attendance. The pair last week released a report by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia concluding that without new ways to fund America's ailing transportation system, the nation will not be able to continue to compete economically with the rest of the world. (see Oct. 8 AASHTO Journal story)

A separate report released Monday by the U.S. Treasury Department and White House Council of Economic Advisers concludes that this is the "optimal time" to invest in public-works projects due to both the high unemployment rate and low prices in the construction sector.

Approximately 90% of the projected new jobs in the construction, manufacturing, and retail industries created by the president's infrastructure plan would fall in the middle-class range, according to the latest report. About 61% of those jobs would be in the construction sector, which has been hit hard with an unemployment rate surpassing 17%.

The Treasury/CEA report, "An Economic Analysis of Infrastructure Investment," also notes that infrastructure investment as a percentage of gross domestic product has declined by 50% since 1960 and now accounts for just 2% of the nation's GDP. China, in contrast, spends approximately 9% of its GDP on infrastructure.

The reported notes that "it is clear that persistent neglect of our infrastructure will impact America's competitive position vis-a-vis the rest of the world."

Stephen Sandherr, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of America, praised the report for its emphasis on addressing America's pressing infrastructure needs.

"This new federal report is a sobering reminder of the tremendous economic costs of years of underinvestment in the nation's transportation infrastructure," he said in a statement. "As the report makes clear, our collective failure to repair aging roads and bridges, expand transportation capacity, or address chronic traffic congestion is costing businesses billions in lost productivity and workers tens of thousands of jobs."

After the White House meeting, LaHood told reporters the administration would seek legislative action on the infrastructure initiative during the post-election lame-duck session of Congress, which is scheduled to convene Nov. 15. He also expressed praise for the initiative in his blog this past week.

"The president outlined America's two great challenges -- upgrading our infrastructure and putting Americans back to work -- and reminded the nation that his proposed investment in roadways, railways, and runways responds to both those challenges," LaHood wrote.

The 28-page Treasury/CEA report is available at bit.ly/Infrastructure-Report.