Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) today introduced the Restoring Essential Public Access and Improving Resilient (REPAIR) Infrastructure Program Act. The bill would reauthorize and expand the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Reconnecting Communities Program as the REPAIR Infrastructure Program, building on the groundwork laid by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bridge communities separated by ill-conceived transportation and infrastructure barriers. This would ensure more neighborhoods are vibrant and safe, contributing to healthier lives and creating more opportunities for American families. Senators Blunt Rochester, Merkley, and Warnock all championed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021. This bill is led in the House by U.S. Representatives Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.-18) and Shomari Figures (D-Ala.-2).
“When my colleagues and I were shaping what would become the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, I made sure it included significant funding for communities to correct historic injustices that resulted from past infrastructure policies. Now, the time has come to reauthorize and expand that program,” said Senator Blunt Rochester, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “Over the last four years, the Reconnecting Communities Program has proven successful, including critical work done in Delaware. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance the REPAIR Infrastructure Act and invest more of this critical funding into communities across our nation.”
“The federal government must uphold its commitment to righting the historical wrongs associated with infrastructure projects in our communities, like Portland’s I-5 Rose Quarter project,” said Senator Merkley, a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “The Trump Administration has spent the last year relentlessly undermining once-in-a-generation investments and critical federal funding for infrastructure projects. I’ll keep fighting to protect the billions of dollars I have helped secure for Oregon and ensure that all communities across the nation have an opportunity to thrive.”
“Physical mobility and economic mobility are inextricably linked,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “Ensuring Georgians aren’t cut off from accessing jobs and economic opportunity also helps restore the cultural fabric of communities divided by legacy infrastructure. I’m proud to partner with my colleagues on this important legislation and look forward to better connected communities across our state.”
“Hudson Valley families and commuters deserve cohesive, safe neighborhoods, connected to good schools, high-paying jobs, and local businesses. That’s exactly what my bill does,” said Congressman Ryan. “Whether it’s improving the safety of a dangerous highway crossing, like the 9-W in Kingston, working to prevent pedestrian and cyclist deaths at roadway intersections, or making access to our community spaces easier for everyone, the REPAIR Infrastructure Act is going to deliver the safer, more accessible Hudson Valley all of our families deserve.”
“As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, it is important to me that we prioritize making investments in enhancing and modernizing transportation infrastructure in our communities,” said Congressman Figures. “The Trump Administration recently cancelled a 36.6 million dollar Reconnecting Communities Grant in Montgomery. I am committed to seeing that funding restored, and I’m proud to join my Democratic colleagues in the Senate to make sure other communities in Alabama have the opportunity to access this same funding.”
“We applaud Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester, Senator Jeff Merkley, Senator Raphael Warnock, and Representative Pat Ryan for stepping up to continue the work of the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program to heal historic harms caused by divisive infrastructure,” said Beth Osborne, President and CEO of Smart Growth America. “The work of reconnecting communities has brought significant economic and community benefits to the places that have pursued it. By providing additional funding and greater flexibility, the REPAIR Infrastructure Act would allow more communities, from our most rural towns to urban centers, to build transportation systems that better serve the people who live there. Moreover, this legislation is crucial to help set the tone in Congress for what the upcoming surface reauthorization must prioritize: safety, connectivity, and rethinking how, why, and for whom we build transportation infrastructure.”
“We applaud Senator Blunt Rochester’s focus on connecting our communities divided by transportation infrastructure and her commitment to establishing safe walking and biking routes as essential to make American communities work better for everyone,” said Kevin Mills, Sr., Vice President of Policy at Rails to Trails Conservancy.
Between fiscal years 2022 and 2024, there was an average of $4.6 billion in unmet funding requests for the Reconnecting Communities Program. During the same period, there were nearly 1,500 applications from communities in all 50 states for projects eligible under the REPAIR Infrastructure Act, demonstrating a desire for this funding across the nation.
Ultimately, DOT has funded 257 projects in 47 states. Those projects have helped communities redesign streets, spur economic development, address outdated highways, improve multimodal access, and enhance transit options.
The REPAIR Infrastructure Act would:
- Reauthorize the REPAIR Infrastructure program out of the Highway Trust Fund at $3B per fiscal year from 2027 through 2031.
- Codify language to ensure REPAIR Infrastructure projects promote economic development, increase access to daily destinations, prioritize community involvement, and prevent displacement.
- Add explicit eligibility for REPAIR Infrastructure projects to existing highway formula programs.
The REPAIR Infrastructure Act is endorsed by Smart Growth America, the National League of Cities, the American Society of Landscape Architects, America Walks, the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), the Environmental Law & Policy Center, the League of American Bicyclists, the Living Streets Alliance, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Rails to Trails Conservancy, Safe Routes Partnership, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and a national coalition of 74 additional organizations.
A one pager on the bill is available here. A section-by-section summary is here. Full text is available here.
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