Imagine commuting daily on pothole-ridden roads, truckers struggling with congestion and aging bridges, and even drone deliveries hampered by inadequate digital infrastructure. Is this the future America wants? President Trump has revived his ambitious $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan, but the critical question remains: where will this massive funding come from?
Accelerating Infrastructure Plans: The Funding Dilemma
In his State of the Union address, Trump urged Congress to pass legislation generating at least $1.5 trillion in "new infrastructure investment." However, the plan appears to rely heavily on state, local, and private sector contributions rather than federal funding. This "blank check" approach has drawn immediate skepticism, with even veteran Republican Senator John Cornyn stating: "The question is, how are you going to pay for it? Tell me where the money's coming from, then I can tell you what we can do."
Independent Senator Angus King echoed these concerns: "Not addressing where the money comes from makes me worried."
Freight Industry's Plea: Don't Let Infrastructure Lag Behind
Despite the uncertainty, the freight industry welcomes the proposal. The Coalition for America's Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC) emphasizes prioritizing multimodal freight infrastructure. While Trump predicted the 2017 tax reform would spur economic growth, CAGTC warns these gains may falter without sufficient freight infrastructure investment.
"Federal investment in freight infrastructure has lagged behind population and economic growth for years," said CAGTC Chair Leslie Blake. "This fiscal burden shouldn't fall solely on states, localities, and private entities. We applaud the President's commitment to advancing a federal investment plan."
Blake highlighted severe underfunding of existing projects, calling for "substantial resources" beyond current funding levels, including at least $2 billion annually dedicated to freight projects. With America's freight system currently moving 55 million tons of goods worth over $49 billion daily—equivalent to 63 tons per person annually—and a projected 70 million population increase by 2045, infrastructure must keep pace with growing demand.
ATA's Solution: Raising the Fuel Tax
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is pushing lawmakers to support its "Build America Fund" proposal—a "bold solution" to modernize deteriorating roads and bridges. ATA President Chris Spear stated: "Roads aren't partisan—both Republicans and Democrats use them. Infrastructure modernization requires real investment, not financial gimmicks."
The ATA proposes a 5-cent-per-gallon annual fuel tax increase over four years, adjusted for inflation and fuel efficiency (capped at 5% yearly growth), which they estimate would generate $340 billion in new revenue over a decade. Spear emphasized that trucking currently covers 45% of Highway Trust Fund (HTF) revenues despite representing just 14% of road usage, adding: "Our industry is ready to invest up to $112 billion more through this plan."
Spear criticized alternative financing methods like tolling, noting studies show toll systems waste up to 12% of revenue on administrative costs, whereas fuel tax collections direct 99% of funds toward infrastructure maintenance.
Chamber of Commerce: Rethinking Infrastructure as Opportunity
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce advocates a 5-cent fuel tax increase over five years to fund infrastructure upgrades, urging policymakers to view infrastructure not as a problem but an opportunity for innovation. Rich Funk, Procter & Gamble's Vice President of Global Supply Chain, emphasized that future transportation requires automated systems and AI—all currently hindered by inadequate infrastructure.
"Bottlenecks in Chicago, St. Louis, and California tie up capital that could be invested in R&D," Funk noted. "Eliminating these would unlock tremendous productivity gains."
Drones' Potential: The Digital Infrastructure Imperative
AirMap's General Counsel Bill Goodwin highlighted that realizing drones' economic potential depends on building digital infrastructure—a critical enabler demonstrated during hurricanes Harvey and Irma when drones assisted with search/rescue operations and damage assessment.
"The gap between what drones can do and what's permitted stems from missing digital infrastructure," Goodwin said. "This is the missing link to widespread commercial adoption."