Tracking Transportation Investments in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act

This research paper analyzes transportation investments under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), highlighting the tension between funding for public transit and the continued prioritization of personal vehicle infrastructure.

• The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides $590 billion in total transportation funding, with $91.9 billion specifically dedicated to public transit. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) allocates $12.3 billion to transportation, including $5.21 billion for pilot programs focused on transportation equity and emission reductions under the Justice40 initiative.
• The IIJA includes several targeted grant programs to modernize transit: the Urbanized Area Formula Grants Program ($33.5 billion) for planning and capital projects, the State of Good Repair Formula Grants Program ($23.1 billion) to address a "multibillion-dollar repair backlog" for infrastructure at least seven years old, and the Buses and Bus Facilities Grant Program ($10.75 billion) and Fixed Guideway Capital Investment Grant Program ($8 billion). These efforts are expected to produce over 4,600 new buses, 80% of which will be low or zero emission.
• To address historical inequities and the environmental impact of highways, the IRA's Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) grant program provides $3.2 billion to reconnect communities divided by freeway infrastructure. While 131 projects received funding, demand was high, with 682 applicants requesting over $11.6 billion.
• Despite transit investments, the IIJA and IRA may reinforce car-centric urban design. Approximately 44% ($307 billion) of combined transportation funding is directed toward roadway planning and development. When combined with $119 billion for electric vehicles (EVs), the legislation is described as subsidizing car ownership significantly more than any other mode of transport.
• The Georgetown Climate Center warns that IIJA discretionary funding could increase emissions through 'induced demand' if used to expand lanes and roadways rather than repairing existing infrastructure. The document notes that mass EV adoption alone is insufficient to meet 2050 net-zero targets or the Paris Climate Agreement goals.

APA

Cohen, J. (2024). Tracking Transportation Investments in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/tracking-transportation-investments-in-the-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-and-inflation-reduction-act

Chicago

Cohen, Joshua. Tracking Transportation Investments in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2024. https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/tracking-transportation-investments-in-the-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-and-inflation-reduction-act.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cohen |first1=Joshua |title=Tracking Transportation Investments in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=21 October 2024 |url=https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/tracking-transportation-investments-in-the-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-and-inflation-reduction-act |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cohen2024tracking, author = {Cohen, Joshua}, title = {{Tracking Transportation Investments in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/tracking-transportation-investments-in-the-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-and-inflation-reduction-act}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }