National Steel Bridge Alliance


Transportation

Transportation and infrastructure provide the backbone of our economy, allowing our nation to collectively move goods and services within and across state lines efficiently. 

In 2018, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics estimated that the country has a whopping 9 million roadway lane-miles, and our National Bridge Inventory consists of more than 617,000 bridges. 

These crucial links must be maintained to ensure that people and goods get to their destination safely.

The highway and public transportation funding authorized by the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act; P.L. 114-94) expires on September 30, 2020, and the Highway Trust Fund is expected to run out of money by 2021 if we don't do something soon to fix it.

This interactive map represents NSBA steel bridge fabricators as well as steel and pipe and tube producer members of the American Iron and Steel Institute, the Steel Manufacturers Association, the Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports, and the Specialty Steel Institute of North America.

 National Steel Bridge Alliance Priorities

1. Long-term, robust, and sustainable transportation and infrastructure funding

The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and its bridge division, the National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA), welcome any proposal aimed at fixing America's aging infrastructure. Our nation's bridges are dangerously behind on maintenance or inadequate for current needs. 37% of America's 616,000 bridges are in need of replacement or rehabilitation, according to the Federal Highway Administration's National Bridge Inventory. With such a large backlog of bridge projects, it is essential to renew--and expand--the current federal highway funding. Reductions in infrastructure maintenance will only exacerbate the problem as our bridges continue to be neglected. Providing states with long-term, predictable, and flexible financing allows them to look forward and commit to major infrastructure needs like bridge repair and construction.

2. Expedited and efficient regulatory planning and reviews

A six-year transportation bill of at least $100 billion annually would support more than 2.18 million American jobs and rebuild our underperforming infrastructure. Infrastructure funding should be accompanied by regulatory reforms that significantly shorten the permitting and approval process for project delivery to put more people to work quickly. Streamlined regulations would also make America more competitive, supporting the basic needs of U.S. businesses and their workers.

3. Commitment to Buy America for infrastructure investments, across all public and private funding sources

Infrastructure is a public trust that should require Buy America principles, even if financing comes from private sources. While current Buy America requirements apply only to projects that receive federal funding, the underlying principles should apply to all public infrastructure projects, regardless of how specific project financing may be arranged.


American industry should drive American progress.
AISC and NSBA strongly support the adoption of explicit Buy America requirements in policy and legislation. For example:

a. Tax Credits 
Tax credits currently incentivize a variety of private investments for the public good, including research and development, energy exploration, urban investment, and energy-efficient consumer products. If a federal tax credit program is used to promote private investment in public infrastructure, the credits should only be available for projects that comply with Buy America requirements.

b. P-3 Projects 
The "Public" component of Public-Private Partnerships (P-3s) acknowledges the inherent public interest in infrastructure. Accordingly, P-3 infrastructure projects should carry the same Buy America requirements as projects receiving taxpayer-financed federal-aid and assistance, regardless of whether the P-3 is engaged in the initial construction of a project or in a sale/lease/toll arrangement. 

c. Infrastructure Bank
Any federal legislation or regulation that authorizes an infrastructure bank should make the loans used to support infrastructure projects subject to Buy America rules, similar to the rules for TIFIA credit assistance projects.


AISC and NSBA members are ready to fabricate and supply steel for any bridge and structure that will serve our national needs for decades to come. The investment is essential to grow our economy, our jobs, and our national strength.

 

NSBA position papers

Transportation industry resources

Transportation advocacy

  • March 31, 2020 | Five major steel industry groups strongly urged Congress to include significant infrastructure investment in the next phase of COVID-19 stimulus legislation to provide a clear path toward our nation's recovery.

  • April 16, 2020 | NSBA sent a letter to Congressional leadership, urging them to include an immediate $50 billion in flexible federal funding to offset state budget shortfalls.

  • May 13, 2020 | AISC led a co-branded advocacy campaign on behalf of the steel industry to urge action from members of Congress to support state DOT relief which is critical to the steel industry’s future.

  • June 9, 2020 | AISC signed and sent a Buy America Coalition Letter with 11 other associations to the entire Senate supporting The Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422), championed by Sens. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), and the Bipartisan Buy America Amendment to S. 3422 sponsored by Sen. Baldwin.

  • June 26, 2020 | AISC and NSBA signed on to a multi-association letter to Congressional leadership expressing opposition to “efforts to weaken Buy America by allowing imported iron and steel that is finished in the United States to be used in taxpayer-funded infrastructure projects."

  • July 2, 2020 | NSBA as part of the Transportation Construction Coalition signed on to a letter with 30 other national associations urging the House of Representatives to approve H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act as a necessary step toward reauthorizing federal surface transporation programs before the FAST Act expires.

  • July 16, 2020 | AISC joined 12 other steel, manufacturing, and labor-focused organizations in a letter urging House leaders to include a the bipartisan “Buy America” amendment in the Great American Outdoors Act (H.R. 7092).

  • July 20, 2020 | Five major steel industy groups urged Senate leaders to include infrastructure in the next stimulus bill and to include at least $37 billion for state DOTs.

  • July 20, 2020 | AISC and NSBA joined AASHTO and 37 other associations on a letter to Congressional leaders strongly urging them to include an immediate infusion of at least $37 billion to state departments of transportation (DOTs) to ensure the delivery of planned transportation projects.

  • September 9, 2020 | AISC and NSBA signed on to a letter urging Congressional leaders to support a turn-key, one-year extension of the current surface transportation law with increased investment levels, emergency federal funding for state departments of transportation and public transit, and agencies—$37 billion and $32 billion, respectively--as well as provisions to ensure solvency of the Highway Trust Fund for the duration of the extension at a minimum.