Americans agree: Our nation's infrastructure needs work. Republicans, Democrats and independents alike all support boosting federal investment in infrastructure.1 A transpartisan effort to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure can help to bring Americans together at a time of increasing polarization and help heal the economic wounds caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Throwing money at the problem, however, is not the solution. Nor is rebuilding the same old infrastructure in the same old ways. A transformative infrastructure plan for the United States must focus on the nation’s key 21st century priorities and use taxpayer resources wisely. It should focus infrastructure investment in ways that will make us healthier and safer, prioritize infrastructure repair, avoid investing in infrastructure likely to become “stranded assets,” and get the most out of every dollar invested by using our infrastructure efficiently.
