The coronavirus pandemic is worsening the problem of infrastructure underinvestment, and the main solution is to increase federal spending in that area, a new American Society of Civil Engineers report says. ASCE is calling on Congress to make infrastructure spending “a centerpiece” of legislation to provide short-term emergency response and longer-range economic recovery in the wake of the pandemic. For example, for bridges and roads, the authors call for Congress to provide $50 billion for state departments of transportation and to come up with a long-term revenue fix for the struggling Highway Trust Fund. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials on April 6 asked Congress for $49.95 billion over the fiscal 2020-21 period. On June 5, AASHTO along with more than 40 other transportation and construction groups, made the same request of President Trump. Addressing the Highway Trust Fund’s revenue problem has long been a priority of ASCE and other engineering, construction and transportation groups.
https://www.enr.com/articles/49611-covid-19-intensifies-infrastructure-funding-problem-asce-says