Better Roads Coalition

Better Roads Coalition
Name	Better Roads Coalition
Formation	1998
Type	Advocacy group
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Region served	United States
Leader title	Executive Director
Leader name	Jane M. Caldwell

Better Roads Coalition The Better Roads Coalition is an American advocacy organization focused on infrastructure policy and surface transportation improvements. Founded in 1998, it engages with federal and state institutions, municipal authorities, private contractors, and civic groups to influence legislation, funding, and project delivery. The coalition operates through research, lobbying, public campaigns, and partnerships with industry associations and think tanks.

History

The coalition was formed in 1998 amid debates following the passage of the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 and the implementation of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 reforms. Early activity included coordination with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the National League of Cities on pavement preservation and resurfacing standards. During the 2000s, the group expanded its presence in policy debates around the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act and later the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act. The coalition played a visible role in conversations around the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and infrastructure stimulus, collaborating with the U.S. Department of Transportation and state departments such as the California Department of Transportation and the New York State Department of Transportation. In the 2010s, partnerships with the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute informed white papers used during deliberations on the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act. Throughout its history the coalition engaged with municipal cases such as the Detroit bankruptcy discussions and with national debates following the release of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council reports.

Mission and Goals

The coalition’s stated mission aligns with objectives promoted by groups like the American Road and Transportation Builders Association and the Associated General Contractors of America: to modernize pavement systems, improve safety on arterials and freeways, and secure long-term capital for local and state projects. Goals include influencing appropriation decisions at the United States Congress level, shaping regulatory guidance from the Federal Highway Administration, and supporting ballot initiatives similar to those seen in Washington (state) and Colorado municipal referendums. The coalition advocates adoption of standards endorsed by the Institute of Transportation Engineers and cross-disciplinary research from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Organizational Structure

The coalition is governed by a board of directors drawn from construction firms, engineering consultancies, state transportation agencies, and municipal officials, with representation akin to that of the National Governors Association councils. Leadership includes an executive director and policy staff who coordinate with external experts from the American Public Transportation Association and the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations. Committees mirror structures used by the Transportation Research Board and include policy, communications, legal, and technical subcommittees. Regional chapters maintain liaisons to state capitols such as Sacramento, California and Albany, New York and engage with metropolitan planning organizations like Metropolitan Transportation Commission (San Francisco Bay Area) and Metropolitan Council (Minnesota).

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources have included member dues from firms comparable to Fluor Corporation and Bechtel Corporation, grants from foundations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in transportation-health intersections, and contracts for research with the Federal Transit Administration. The coalition partners with industry associations such as the National Asphalt Pavement Association and nonpartisan research groups like the Pew Charitable Trusts on fiscal analyses. It has also received support for pilot projects from state innovation programs in Texas and Florida and collaborated with academic centers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of California, Berkeley.

Major Campaigns and Initiatives

Notable campaigns include advocacy during the reauthorization of surface transportation bills in the 2000s, coalition-backed ballot measures for local bond issues similar to those in Los Angeles County and Maricopa County, and public safety campaigns modeled on initiatives from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The group launched a pavement-condition index project employing methodologies from the Transportation Research Board and partner university labs at Purdue University and University of Michigan. It spearheaded a resilience initiative following events like Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy, promoting hardening of critical corridors and coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Policy Positions and Advocacy

The coalition supports long-term revenue mechanisms such as motor-fuel excise adjustments similar to proposals debated in the United States Congress and alternative financing models including public-private partnerships reflected in contracts used by the Toll Roads: Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. It endorses performance metrics parallel to those in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act and technical standards promoted by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The coalition lobbies for increased capital outlays in appropriations cycles and files amicus briefs in cases involving transportation law before courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics, including consumer advocacy groups like Public Citizen and journalists associated with publications such as The New York Times and ProPublica, have alleged that coalition influence skews priorities toward preservation contracts benefiting member firms rather than multimodal investments favored by groups such as the National Association of City Transportation Officials. Reports in outlets like The Washington Post have questioned the role of corporate donors similar to large engineering contractors. Investigations by state auditors in jurisdictions analogous to Pennsylvania and Ohio have scrutinized project selection processes. Debates echo controversies seen around the implementation of the Tolling on Interstate Highways policies and public-private partnership deals examined in cases involving the Indiana Toll Road lease.

Category:Advocacy organizations in the United States