America’s Moving Forward Campaign to Urge Congress to Pass New Surface Transportation Bill on Time, as New Associated General Contractors of America Report Finds Most Major Metros Added Construction Jobs Since 2020
The Associated General Contractors of America is launching a nationwide campaign to push for new federal highway and transit funding to preserve economic growth in communities across the country, association officials announced today. The campaign, called America’s Moving Forward, launches as a new association analysis of federal employment data found that most major metro areas in the country added new construction jobs since 2020.
“Improving highways and transportation systems makes it easier for companies to thrive and expand by lowering shipping costs, accelerating deliveries and connecting firms to clients and investors,” said Ken Simonson, the chief economist of the Associated General Contractors of America. “But without a long-term transportation bill in place, it is hard to see how most areas will be able to sustain the kind of job growth they have experienced since 2020.”
Simonson noted that ten of the nation’s 15 largest metro areas added construction jobs between December 2020 and December 2025. The Dallas/Fort Worth metro area added the most new construction jobs, 47,100 and experienced the highest rate of growth as well, an increase of 22 percent. Other major metro areas that added a significant number of new jobs included Houston, Miami, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
The construction economist noted that one reason for the construction job growth in most areas is the significant investments being made by federal and state officials in improving the region’s transportation network. He noted that developers look for good transportation connections when siting new projects, manufacturers want efficient shipping routes and businesses want to avoid gridlock.
He cautioned, however, that there are growing indications that Congress may not draft, debate and pass the next transportation bill, known as the Surface Transportation Bill, before the current law expires at the end of September. If that were to happen, the economist warned that it will become harder for states to move forward with the kind of big, multi-year transportation projects that spur significant economic growth.
As a result, the Associated General Contractors of America launched a nationwide campaign today to educate the public, and through them Congress, about the many benefits of having a highway and transportation bill in place and on time. The America’s Moving Forward campaign will use targeted digital and social media advertising to reach constituents in many key Congressional districts across the country and send them to a campaign site to learn more about the benefits of federal transportation funding and connect them with their member of Congress to show their support.
Ads for the campaign are already running in Texas and Missouri and will launch in additional states this spring. The association plans to invest up to $2 million in the campaign. “While this is a big investment for an association like ours, it is a small price to pay to ensure continued economic growth in America’s communities,” the economist said.
“If we do our job right, it will be very hard for Congress to kick the can on passing a new highway, bridge and transit bill before the current one expires,” Simonson added.