More than half of the bridges on the United States’ National Highway System are in fair or poor condition. If confirmed as administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, Sean McMaster said he will work “tirelessly” to change that.
McMaster’s comments came during his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works on Wednesday, May 14.
According to FHWA’s 2024 National Bridge Inventory Data, more than 83,000 out of the 147,000 bridges received marks of fair or below. Additionally, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave America’s bridges a C and the roads a D+ as part of its 2025 report card.
“We must work to build and restore the beautiful roads, bridges and tunnels across the nation,” McMaster said. “While we have made progress advancing these priorities, the current state of our critical infrastructure must be further improved.”
McMaster, who worked as the Department of Transportation’s deputy chief of staff during President Donald Trump’s first term, was nominated in March to lead the FHWA.
One of the ways to improve the nation’s infrastructure more quickly, McMaster said, is to streamline the process for getting projects approved and completed.
“We must further streamline project delivery, including the permitting process,” he said. “If confirmed, I look forward to working with the secretary (Sean Duffy) and Congress to improve efficiency and reduce costs so more of the funds being invested in our infrastructure will go to building the infrastructure.”
(H2) Inflation
Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, stressed the importance of delivering road and bridge projects in a timely manner, because “time is money.”
To that point, FHWA’s National Construction Cost Index indicates that inflation led to a 67% increase in transportation construction costs from March 2021 to March 2024. Additionally, DOT Secretary Sean Duffy told the Senate in March that the previous administration left him with a backlog of 3,200 awarded projects that lacked signed agreements.
McMaster said that the combination of delays and inflation leads to the completion of fewer projects.
“What I will say as far as expediting project delivery: You couldn’t have a more supportive administration in this effort,” McMaster said. “I know the secretary has a tremendous effort underway to take these thousands of grant awards and move them to grant agreements. As part of that process, there is a review to reduce the regulatory burden where there are not statutory demands and intent of Congress. He is taking it upon himself to clean up those grant awards to where the ultimate project awardee can move those projects quicker, faster and better.”
Truck parking
Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., used some of her time during the hearing to highlight the problems that truck drivers have finding safe and secure places to park.
“With the limits on how long you can stay behind the wheel, 18 wheelers are struggling for places to park when they time out,” Lummis said.
Along with Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Lummis introduced the Senate version of the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act in 2023. The bill would provide $755 million to expand truck parking capacity across the nation. Lummis hinted that she and Kelly plan to reintroduce the legislation in the 119th Congress.
Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., reintroduced the House version in February. LL
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