House bill would create new freight infrastructure fund

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) last week reintroduced legislation that would establish a competitive grant program designed to boost the efficiency and capacity of the U.S. freight network.

H.R. 3769 calls for the creation of a new freight fee — a 1 percent tax assessed on the cost of ground transportation in the United States — that would fund a National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Fund.

The Coalition for America's Gateways & Trade Corridors (CAGTC) praised the bill, and noted that freight movement across all transportation modes is expected to grow nearly 42 percent by 2040.

"Without a strategic campaign of investment, this opportunity has potential to overburden infrastructure and create a drag on our national economy," said CAGTC Chairman Tim Lovain in a press release. "Freight infrastructure funding and investment solutions, such as Congressman Smith’s Freight Infrastructure Reinvestment Act of 2017, are needed to address these challenges head-on."

The bill has been referred to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Water Resources and Transportation.