The US needs infrastructure investment and it needs it now, according to the Transportation Construction Coalition. The call comes ahead of US Transport Secretary of State Ray LaHood’s planned visit to ConExpo-Con/Agg 2011 with contractors placing pressure on government to announce a new four-year transport bill.
The Transportation Construction Coalition and contractors across the US are campaigning for a long-term plan and not another 12-month extension of the current program.
According to Case New Holland CEO and president Jim McCullough, who is also AEM president, contractors cannot buy new machines on the strength of a single-year extension and that a four-year bill is vital.
“If you look at the countries that are performing well, it’s because they have infrastructure,” said McCullough. “Investment in infrastructure is a key priority for the US and politicians need to understand the important role that it plays in the economy.”
McCullough believes that the risk of deferring infrastructure investments will be enormous. “North America will lose its competitiveness,” he said. “There are a lot of inventive ways to invest in infrastructure, like issuing bonds or public private partnerships.”