The Senate vote to consider a bipartisan nearly $1 trillion infrastructure package, including $550 billion in new physical infrastructure spending, marks a major milestone in the debate over how best to spur a post-COVID economic recovery.

A White House fact sheet details the Senate agreement including the largest share of the package, $110 billion, for highways, bridges, and major transportation projects. The measure also would reauthorize the federal highway and transit programs for five years.

“DBIA applauds the Senate for moving this important infrastructure package forward. Design-builders understand the power of infrastructure investment in helping drive economic recovery and there is a national consensus for investing in the infrastructure needed to keep our nation strong. As always, the devil is in the details and Congress has more work to do, but America’s design-build teams stand ready to help deliver the most innovative, cost and time-efficient projects possible to spur the recovery our communities desperately need.”…Lisa Washington, DBIA Executive Director/CEO

If passed, this would represent the largest infusion of federal money into the public works system since the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. America’s design-build teams played a vital role in delivering many ARRA projects. During COVID, design-build was also used to build alternative medical facilities and the most cost and schedule-efficient projects at a time when federal, state, and local budgets were stretched to the limit. As design-builders, we have experience in delivering shovel-ready projects to jump-start the economy. We did it in 2009 and stand ready to respond again today.

DBIA will continue to urge our members to reach out to your representatives in Washington urging bipartisan support of comprehensive infrastructure investment for our communities.