Interdependence of Federal, State, and Local Transportation Funding and Ownership

Multimodal transportation infrastructure and services are built, owned, maintained, and operated by multiple levels of government and the private sector with a complex mix of interdependent funding and financing sources. This paradigm presents challenges for project development, operations, and service delivery. Navigating this complexity requires creative strategies to leverage all eligible resources available. In the face of this complexity, transportation agencies at all levels need assistance to understand the increasingly interdependent funding and financing options available to them. Challenges presented by the current funding and financing structure include: Less certain revenue streams from federal and state formula grants as use of discretionary and competitive grants increase; Changing relationships and expectations among levels of governments; Tension among competing policies and priorities at different levels of government; User-fee revenue not keeping up with needs; Evolving stakeholder values and goals for the transportation system; and Emerging technologies (such as connected and automated vehicles) that may require smart infrastructure. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this research are to: Detail the funding and financing from local, regional, private, state, and federal sources for transportation, how they are used, and their interdependence; Identify the challenges, constraints, or conflicts transportation agencies experience with interdependent funding and financing sources for current and future needs; Document current practices and strategies used by local, regional, state, and private transportation agencies to navigate these funding and financing sources; and Identify alternative approaches that local, regional, state, and private transportation agencies are considering to address these challenges and constraints.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5160

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $449970
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 19-20

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Project Managers:

  Wadsworth, Trey

• Performing Organizations:

  WSP USA, Inc.

  Merrimack, New Hampshire   
• Principal Investigators:

  Perez, Benjamin

• Start Date: 20220929
• Expected Completion Date: 20250529
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Federal government; Financing; Infrastructure; Local government; Local government agencies; Ownership; Revenues; State departments of transportation; State government
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Finance; Highways; Policy;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01773429
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 19-20
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: May 28 2021 7:35PM