As a potential federal infrastructure package gains momentum on both sides of the political aisle, the construction industry continues to monitor what could be an injection of much-needed funding.
Jay Moreau, CEO of U.S. aggregate and construction materials at LafargeHolcim, is among those who would welcome a long-awaited federal infrastructure package.
“I think the state of infrastructure in the U.S. is such that both the state level involvement in infrastructure, as well as the federal, need to ramp up significantly to meet the demand,” Moreau says. “The poor state of infrastructure in just about every state is such that we need both to be successful in the long run.”
Moreau also believes infrastructure funding is needed to support the industry during what has been a challenging year across the board.
“Number one, the infrastructure is ultimately important in creating and continuing to support jobs, especially in the times we’re experiencing right now,” Moreau says. “I think it’s ultimately important that there be movement on an infrastructure bill.”
One key change over the last several years, according to Moreau, is that some individual states have taken the initiative to raise their own infrastructure funds.
“States aren’t waiting around for federal money to flow into the projects,” Moreau says. “They’re taking control themselves that’s meaningful in creating stability in infrastructure funding.”
Still, whether a massive federal infrastructure package comes to fruition or not, Moreau is confident there are other solutions to repair and rebuild the nation’s roads and bridges.
“Historically, even when an infrastructure bill doesn’t get passed, continuing resolutions are always in place to make sure that we don’t lose jobs and support the jobs as well as the funding of the infrastructure,” Moreau says. “If infrastructure funds are going to ebb and flow or will be under continued resolutions, the states can continue to support their objectives relative to infrastructure, and we’ll certainly be one to benefit from those programs.”