Buttigieg tapped to be new transportation secretary
Nearly one year ago, then-presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg unveiled his $1 trillion infrastructure plan and began to weave it into his campaign. Having been selected this week by President-elect Joe Biden to be U.S. Department of Transportation secretary, we may see many elements of that plan come to fruition in coming years.
Infrastructure and environmental quality are a high priority for Biden. During the campaign, he spoke of modernizing highways and roads and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
It appears that Biden and Buttigieg have similar goals. Buttigieg’s plan included:
- Infusion of $165 billion for the Highway Trust Fund to make it solvent through 2029, through a user-fee system such as a vehicle-miles traveled fee, replacing the gas tax.
- Creating 6 million “well-paying” jobs.
- Updating and fixing at least half of all roads and bridges in poor conditions by 2030.
- Advancing autonomous vehicle technology.
- Expanding the market for electric vehicles, an initiative the vehicle manufacturers are beginning to embrace globally.
Despite bipartisan support for improving transportation infrastructure generally, policy differences remain. Finding the resources to fund these initiatives will not be easy either, and Buttigieg awaits Senate confirmation.
Still, given the stated importance of infrastructure by members of the new administration, transportation advocates have reason for optimism as we approach 2021. A more detailed recap of Buttigieg’s plan can be found here.
