An Economic Analysis of

Infrastructure Investment

The Department of the Treasury

with the Council of Economic Advisers

October 11, 2010
AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT

A REPORT PREPARED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

WITH THE COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS

OCTOBER 11, 2010
1

Executive Summary

On Labor Day, President Obama announced a bold plan to renew and expand America’s 

infrastructure. The plan includes a $50 billion up-front investment connected to a six-year 

reauthorization of the surface transportation program and the creation of a National Infrastructure 

Bank to leverage private capital and select projects of regional and national significance. The 

Department of the Treasury, with the Council of Economic Advisers, has conducted an analysis 

of the economic effects of transportation infrastructure investment. Our analysis found four key 

reasons why now is an optimal time to increase our investment in transportation infrastructure:

 Well designed infrastructure investments have long term economic benefits;

 The middle class will benefit disproportionately from this investment; 

 There is currently a high level of underutilized resources that can be used to improve and 

expand our infrastructure; and

 There is strong demand by the public and businesses for additional transportation 

infrastructure investments.

Return on Investment

 Many studies have found evidence of large private sector productivity gains from public 

infrastructure investments, in many cases with higher returns than private capital 

investment. Research has shown that well designed infrastructure investments can raise 

economic growth, productivity, and land values, while also providing significant positive 

spillovers to areas such as economic development, energy efficiency, public health and 

manufacturing. 

 Not all infrastructure projects are worth the investment. Investing rationally in 

infrastructure is critically important, as is providing opportunities for the private sector to 

invest in public infrastructure. There is currently very little direct private investment in 

our nation’s highway and transit systems due to the current method of funding 

infrastructure, which lacks effective mechanisms to attract and repay direct private 

investment in specific infrastructure projects. The establishment of a National 

Infrastructure Bank would create the conditions for greater private sector co-investment 

in infrastructure projects. A National Infrastructure Bank would also perform a rigorous 

analysis that would result in support for projects that yield the greatest returns to society

and are most likely to deliver long-run economic benefits that justify the up-front 

investments.
2

Helping the Middle Class

 Investing in transportation infrastructure creates middle class jobs. Our analysis suggests 

that 61 percent of the jobs directly created by investing in infrastructure would be in the 

construction sector, 12 percent would be in the manufacturing sector, and 7 percent 

would be in retail trade, for a total of 80 percent in these three sectors. Nearly 90 percent 

of the jobs in the three sectors most affected by infrastructure spending would be middle 

class jobs, defined as those paying between the 25th and 75th percentile of the national 

distribution of wages.

 The President’s proposal emphasizes transportation choices, including mass transit and 

high speed rail, to deliver the greatest long-term benefits to those who need it most: 

middle class families. The average American family spends more than $8,600 a year on 

transportation, one-third more than they spend on food. For the 90 percent of Americans 

who are not among the top decile in income, transportation costs absorb one out of every 

six dollars of income. This burden is due in large part to the lack of alternatives to 

expensive and often congested automobile travel. Multi-modal transportation 

investments are critical to get American families moving again without wasting their time 

and their money sitting in traffic. 

Investing in Infrastructure Uses Underutilized Resources

 The average unemployment rate among those who gain employment as a result of 

additional investment in infrastructure is currently over 15 percent. This is more than one 

and one-half times the national unemployment rate. Within the construction sector, 

where the majority of direct employment occurs as a result of infrastructure investment, 

the unemployment rate is over 17 percent.

 Construction costs and other costs associated with building projects are especially low in 

the current environment. The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) experience with 

Recovery Act funding has shown that more than 2,000 additional airport, highway, 

bridge and transit projects were funded because of low bids, or projects being completed 

under budget. DOT also reported that among its $1.1 billion in aviation investments, 

winning bids for the projects came in $200 million below their initial engineering 

estimates. 
3

Americans Want Additional Investment 

 As a result of years of under-investment in our transportation system, Americans’ 

satisfaction with our public transit system, when compared to public satisfaction with 

public transit systems around the world, ranks 25th out of 32 OECD nations. While our 

nation has historically favored road building over public transit, we rank only 17th out of 

32 -- in the middle of the pack -- with respect to our satisfaction with our roads and 

highways. The relatively higher satisfaction with roads and highways is consistent with 

the observation that our nation’s historic investment pattern favored highways and roads 

over public transit. 

 One study found that almost 19 out of 20 Americans are concerned about America’s 

infrastructure and 84 percent support greater investment to address infrastructure 

problems.
4

An Economic Analysis of Infrastructure Investment

I. Introduction

On Labor Day, President Obama announced a bold plan to renew and expand America’s 

infrastructure. This plan includes a $50 billion up-front investment connected to a six-year 

reauthorization of the surface transportation program and the creation of a National Infrastructure 

Bank. The President’s plan would rebuild 150,000 miles of roads, construct and maintain 4,000 

miles of passenger rail, rehabilitate or reconstruct 150 miles of runways while upgrading our 

outdated air traffic control system, bringing American aviation travel into the 21st century. This 

report considers various economic effects of infrastructure investments.

Public infrastructure is an essential part of the U.S. economy. Every day, Americans use our 

nation’s transportation infrastructure to commute to work, visit their friends and family and 

travel freely around the country. Businesses depend on a well functioning infrastructure system 

to obtain their supplies, manage their inventories, and deliver their goods and services to market. 

This is true for companies whose businesses rely directly on the infrastructure system, such as 

UPS and CSX, as well as others whose businesses indirectly rely on the infrastructure system, 

such as farmers who use publicly funded infrastructure to ship crops to buyers, and dot.com

companies that send goods purchased online to customers throughout the world. A modern

transportation infrastructure network is necessary for our economy to function, and is a 

prerequisite for future growth. President Eisenhower’s vision is even more relevant today than it 

was in 1955, when in his State of the Union Address he said, "A modern, efficient highway 

system is essential to meet the needs of our growing population, our expanding economy, and 

our national security." Today, that vision would include making not only our highways, but our 

nation’s entire transportation system more efficient and effective. 

Our analysis indicates that both demand- and supply-side factors support the conclusion that 

further infrastructure investments would be particularly timely and beneficial for the U.S. 

economy. First, estimates of economically justifiable investment, expert reports and public 

opinion indicate that American infrastructure is not keeping pace with the needs of our economy

and the desires of the American people. Second, because of high unemployment in sectors such 

as construction that were especially hard hit by the bursting of the housing bubble, there are 

underutilized resources that can be used to build infrastructure. Moreover, states and 

municipalities typically fund a significant portion of infrastructure spending, but are currently 

strapped for cash; the federal government has a constructive role to play by stepping up to 

address the anticipated shortfall and provide more efficient financing mechanisms, such as Build 

America Bonds.
5

The President’s plan addresses a significant and longstanding need for greater infrastructure 

investment in the United States. Targeted investments in America’s transportation infrastructure 

would generate both short term and long term economic benefits. However, transforming and 

rehabilitating our nation’s transportation infrastructure system will require not only greater 

investment but also more efficient use of resources, because simply increasing funding does not 

guarantee economic benefits. This idea is embodied in the President’s proposal to reform our 

nation’s transportation policy, as well as establish a National Infrastructure Bank, which will 

leverage private and other non-federal government resources to make wise investments in 

projects of regional and national significance.

In this report, we begin by reviewing demand-side factors that should influence investment in 

infrastructure. Next, we review evidence on supply-side factors, including the availability of 

workers with the requisite skills, which suggest that now is a particularly favorable time to 

initiate these investments.

II. Demand-Side Considerations

Long Run

The United States has a rich history of investing in infrastructure and reaping the long-term 

economic benefits. Influential research by David Aschauer and others has explored the link 

between public infrastructure investment and economic growth.1,2,3 Many studies have found 

evidence of large private sector productivity gains from public infrastructure investments, in 

many cases with higher returns than private capital investment. A recent analysis by the 

Congressional Budget Office found that additional investment in infrastructure is among the 

most effective policy options for raising output and employment.4Since much of the public 

capital stock is owned by state and local authorities, more recent research has compared the 

economic benefits of infrastructure investments between regions in the U.S., generally finding 

smaller but economically significant benefits in comparison to Aschauer’s estimates.

5

Investments in infrastructure allow goods and services to be transported more quickly and at 

lower costs, resulting in both lower prices for consumers and increased profitability for firms. 

 

1 Aschauer, David. "Is Public Expenditure Productive?" J. Monet. Econ., Mar. 1989a, 23(2), pp. 177-200. 

2 Aschauer, David. "Public Investment and Productivity Growth in the Group of Seven," Econ. Perspectives, 1989b, 

13(5), pp. 17-25.

3 Aschauer, David. "Does Public Capital Crowd Out Private Capital?"J . Monet. Econ., 1989c, 24(2), pp. 171- 88.

4 Congressional Budget Office, “Policies for Increasing Economic Growth and Employment in the Short Term,” 

January 2010. 

5 Munnell, Alicia H, 1992. "Infrastructure Investment and Economic Growth," Journal of Economic Perspectives, 

American Economic Association, vol. 6(4), pages 189-98, Fall.
6

Major transportation infrastructure initiatives include the building of the national railroad system 

in the 19th century and the creation of the Eisenhower Interstate System in the 1950s and 1960s. 

In these cases, many observers have concluded that there was a causal link running from 

infrastructure investments to subsequent private sector productivity gains.6 Alternatively, it is

possible that infrastructure investments occur when productivity gains are also likely to follow 

but for unrelated reasons. Determining causality is difficult.

A study by John Fernald makes progress on establishing causality by comparing the impact of 

infrastructure investment on industries that a priori should experience different benefits from 

infrastructure. 7 He finds that the construction of the interstate highway system in the 1960s 

corresponded with a significant increase in the productivity of vehicle-intensive industries (such 

as transportation and gas utilities), relative to industries that do not depend on vehicles (such as 

apparel and textiles and industrial machinery). Fernald’s findings suggest that previous 

investments in infrastructure led to substantial productivity gains, and suggest the potential for 

further increases in productivity through additional, well targeted investment. 

Another study by Climent Quintana-Domeque and Marco Gonzalez-Navarro makes progress on 

estimating the causal effect of infrastructure investment, using an experimental design.

8

Specifically, the study randomly assigned some roads to be paved and others to be in a control 

group in the Mexican city of Acayucan. Their analysis suggests that such infrastructure 

investment substantially raised housing values on the newly paved roads, which reflects an 

improvement in living standards, as well as provided benefits for home values on nearby streets. 

The rise in housing values on affected streets significantly exceeded the cost of paving.

Edward Gramlich argues that the greatest return on investment can be garnered from spending on

maintenance of existing highways.9 Citing data from the Congressional Budget Office, he finds

an extremely high rate of return from bringing road conditions up to their minimum state of good 

repair. Interestingly, he also finds that improvements beyond the state of good repair are not 

associated with positive returns. Allocating maintenance dollars to where they are most needed 

is likely to generate high rates of return and improve safety, suggesting that our spending on 

infrastructure going forward should prioritize funding roads that are in a state of disrepair.

 

6 Munnell, Alicia H, 1992. "Infrastructure Investment and Economic Growth," Journal of Economic Perspectives, 

American Economic Association, vol. 6(4), pages 189-98, Fall.

7

Fernald, John G., "Roads to Prosperity? Assessing the Link Between Public Capital and Productivity," The 

American Economic Review, Vol. 89, No. 3 (Jun., 1999), pp. 619-638

8 Quintana-Domeque, Climent and Marco Gonzalez-Navarro, “Street Pavement: Results from an Infrastructure 

Experiment in Mexico,” Industrial Relations Section, Princeton University, Working Paper No. 556, (Jul., 2010)

9 Gramlich, Edward, "Infrastructure Investment: A Review Essay," Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 32, No. 3 

(Sept., 1993), pp. 1176-1196
7

Not surprisingly, the literature suggests that the economic benefits from various infrastructure 

projects vary widely.10,11 Additionally, even if previous infrastructure investments had economic 

benefits, it is not clear that policymakers should expect the same rate of return for subsequent 

infrastructure investments. This is especially true when one considers the network effects that 

are associated with the creation of original transportation networks. We must continue to take 

advantage of new investment opportunities made available by technological progress and be 

mindful of the fact that at some point, the economy reaches the point of diminishing returns from 

further investments in a particular area. As Fernald observed, “Building an interstate network 

might be very productive; building a second network may not.”12 

The merits of infrastructure investments must also be considered alongside projections of 

population growth, trading patterns and expected changes in American lifestyles. As the 

economy and population grow, infrastructure resources will be stretched thinner as existing 

systems age and additional needs for new systems arise. With the American population expected 

to grow to over 400 million people by 2050 and interstate commerce expected to grow as well,

targeted infrastructure investments can be one strategic tool that policymakers use to prepare for 

the future.13 

American firms rely on infrastructure to manage their supply chain and transport goods to the 

point of sale. Investments in transportation infrastructure will allow firms in all 50 states to have 

the opportunity to benefit from growth in foreign markets. Exports account for 7 percent of total 

U.S. employment; smart investments in infrastructure have the potential to create more jobs in 

export-oriented U.S. companies. The President’s National Export Initiative calls for the 

“Departments of Commerce and Transportation [to enter] into a Memorandum of Understanding 

to work together and with stakeholders to develop and implement a comprehensive, 

competitiveness-focused national freight policy. The resulting policy will foster end-to-end U.S. 

freight infrastructure improvements that facilitate the movement of goods for export and 

domestic use.”

14 Moreover, the Department of Transportation “estimates that population growth, 

 

10 Gramlich, Edward, "Infrastructure Investment: A Review Essay," Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 32, No. 3 

(Sept., 1993), pp. 1176-1196

11 Gramlich, for example, cites CBO data that demonstrate different rates of return across different types of 

infrastructure investments, including new construction and maintenance.

12 Fernald, John G., "Roads to Prosperity? Assessing the Link Between Public Capital and Productivity," The 

American Economic Review, Vol. 89, No. 3 (Jun., 1999), pp. 619-638

13 “U.S. Interim Projections by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin.” U.S. Census Bureau, 2004.

<http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/usinterimproj/>

14 “Report to the President on the National Export Initiative: The Export Promotion Cabinet’s Plan for Doubling 

U.S. Exports in Five Years.” National Export Initiative, 2010. 

<http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/nei_report_9-16-10_full.pdf>
8

economic development, and trade will almost double the demand for rail freight transportation 

by 2035.”15

There are other positive benefits from infrastructure investments. According to the Bureau of 

Economic Analysis, publicly-owned transportation infrastructure makes up nearly 13 percent of 

our total non-residential capital stock, and this stock has resulted in significant positive 

externalities.16 Available evidence suggests that infrastructure investment can raise property 

values, which reflects an improvement in living standards. For example, research suggests that

proximity to public transit raises the value of residential and commercial real estate. Bernard 

Weinstein studied the effect of the Dallas light rail system on property values, and found a jump 

in total valuations around DART stations that was about 25 percent greater than in similar 

neighborhoods not served by the system.

17

 This is consistent with studies conducted in St. 

Louis18, Chicago19, Sacramento20 and San Diego21, all of which find that property values 

experience a premium effect when located near public transit systems. 

Agglomeration benefits from transportation extend beyond the benefits to property values. For 

example, in Chicago, transportation agglomeration benefits have led to greater business 

clustering and economic growth associated with manufacturing, as businesses took advantage of 

Chicago’s position in a national transportation network. 

Finally, well-maintained transportation infrastructure, which allows individuals to access 

multiple modes of transportation, will result in significant efficiency benefits for Americans. 

Well-maintained roads, coupled with access to driving alternatives, can lower traffic congestion

and accident rates which not only saves Americans time and money, but can also save lives. 

These benefits can also reduce dependence on foreign oil, improve energy efficiency, and reduce

air pollution. For example, one study in the Los Angeles area found that traffic congestion has a 

 

15 “National Rail Freight Infrastructure Capacity and Investment Study.” American Association of Railroads, 2007. 

<http://www.camsys.com/pubs/AAR_RRCapacityStudy.pdf>

16 Treasury calculation based on data from the National Income and Product Accounts, from the Bureau of 

Economic Analysis.

17Weinstein, B. et al. “The Initial Economic Impacts of the DART LRT System.” Center for Economic Development 

and Research, University of North Texas, 1999.

18 Garrett, T. “Light Rail Transit in America: Policy Issues and Prospects for Economic Development,” Federal 

Reserve Bank of St. Louis, 2004. 

19 Gruen, A. “The Effect of CTA and METRA Stations on Residential Property Values.” Regional Transportation 

Authority, 1997.

20 Landis, J. et al. “Rail Transit Investments, Real Estate Values, and Land Use Change: A Comparative Analysis of 

Five California Rail Systems.” Institute of Urban and Regional Development, UC Berkeley, 1995.

21 Cervero, R. Et al. “Land Value Impacts of Rail Transit Services in San Diego County,” Urban Land Institute, 

2002.
9

significant effect on CO2 emissions, and that reducing stop-and-go traffic conditions could 

potentially reduce emissions by up to 12%.22

The United States’ infrastructure stock benefits working families by reducing transportation 

costs and increasing efficiency. We should continue to invest in infrastructure so working 

Americans can continue to accrue these benefits.

Americans Want More Infrastructure Investment

American workers, families and businesses are demanding more infrastructure investment.

Americans have voted repeatedly for increased investment in transportation infrastructure. In 

2008 alone, over 80 percent of the 59 transportation infrastructure projects proposed in local 

referenda were approved by the public. Even more striking is that over 98 percent of the funds 

requested for these projects were approved by the voting public.

25,26,27,28

 Another study found 

 

22 Barth, Matthew and Kanok Boriboonsomsin. “Real-World CO2 Impacts of Traffic Congestion.” University of 

California at Riverside, 2008. <http://www.uctc.net/papers/846.pdf>

23 Mintz, S. (2007). “Building the Transcontinental Railroad.” Digital History. Retrieved October 6, 2010 from

<http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=177>.

24 Edward L. Glaeser, Ed. Agglomeration Economics Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2010.

25 Treasury calculation based on information compiled from [26], [27], and [28]. Where the funds were approved on 

an annual basis for an indefinite number of years, it was assumed that the measure was not extended beyond the 

initial year. The measures for which the total funding impact is ambiguous were excluded from this calculation. 

Building a National Community

The advent of railroads brought time standardization to the United States. Before rail travel was 

available, cities and towns across America set their clocks based on local sunrises and sunsets. 

However, the lack of time coordination across cities caused rail travelers considerable confusion.23 

To address this issue, railroad managers developed the current nationwide time system with four 

distinct time zones to allow for a uniform schedule for arrivals and departures. Thus, the 

development of rail lines furthered the goal of a national community by allowing people and goods 

to travel quickly from one place to another, reducing the time to travel across the country from five 

to six months to just five days and by leading to the development of a national time standard. 

Just as the development of railroads provided greater opportunities for Americans, boosted 

economic productivity, and helped build a national community in the past, increased investment in 

transportation infrastructure can provide these same benefits today. Research has found significant 

benefits from increased agglomeration of people, firms and industrial activity, particularly in 

manufacturing.24 Strategic investments in infrastructure can help connect Americans in new ways 

to sustain communities and increase economic growth. 
10

that almost 19 out of 20 Americans are concerned about America’s infrastructure and 84 percent 

support greater investment to address infrastructure problems.29

Public support for infrastructure is not surprising, given that for the average American family, 

transportation expenditures rank second only to housing expenditures. As can be seen in Figure 

1, the average American annually spends one-third more on transportation than food, and more 

than two times as much as on out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. Given how much Americans 

spend on transportation expenditures, public investments which lower the cost of transportation 

could have a meaningful impact on families’ budgets. Decreasing the need for car maintenance 

due to potholes and poor road conditions, increasing the availability of affordable and accessible 

public transit systems, and reducing fuel consumption by making better use of the land would 

benefit Americans and allow them to spend less money on transportation. 

Figure 1: Average Household Expenditures, 2008

Source: Based on 2008 Consumer Expenditure Survey

 

26 “2008 Transit Ballot Measures.” Center for Transportation Excellence.

<http://www.cfte.org/success/2006BallotMeasures.asp#2008CompletedTransitBallotMeasures>

27 “State and Local Ballot Initiatives.” The Associated General Contractors of America.

<http://www.agc.org/cs/State_and_Local_Ballot_Initiatives>.

28 “NCSLnet Search Results: 2008 State Initiatives and Referenda.” National Conference of State Legislatures.

<http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=13597>

29 “The Building America’s Future National Survey,” Luntz et al. 2009. 

<http://bafuture.org/Websites/investininfrastructure/Images/Press%20Release%20memo2.pdf> 
11

 

30 America’s Roughest Rides and Strategies to Make Our Roads Smoother, Sept. 2010, 

www.tripnet.org/urban_roads_report_Sep_2010.pdf.

31 See appendix for chart of 20 urban areas where costs are the highest 

32 ICF International, Public Transportation and Petroleum Savings in the U.S., Linda Bailey, January 2007.

Middle Class Americans Are the Biggest Beneficiaries of Improved Infrastructure

For the 90 percent of Americans who are not among the top decile in income, transportation costs 

absorb one out of every six dollars of income. Transportation expenses relative to income are 

almost twice as great for the bottom 90 percent as they are for the top 10 percent.

Figure 2: Percent of Income Spent on Transportation 

by Household Income, 2008

Source: Estimates based on 2008 Consumer Expenditure Survey, Interview Survey. 

Figures are total transportation expenditures relative to total income for each group.

Improving our nation’s transportation system can save middle class families money by reducing 

the costs associated with congestion and the additional automobile maintenance caused by poor 

road conditions. One recent study found that poor conditions of roads cost the average motorist 

who drives in cities on a regular basis over $400 a year.30,31

Moreover, providing high speed rail and improved public transportation will provide middle class 

families with more options to save time and money, so that they can keep more of their income for 

other purposes and spend more time doing what they want, rather than spending time getting there. 

One study concluded that a two adult household using public transportation saved $6,250 a year 

compared to a similar family that is unable to use public transportation.32
12

The business and labor communities have also expressed a desire for more transportation 

infrastructure investment. Proposals from the American Public Transport Association (APTA),

the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the U.S.

Chamber of Commerce and AFL-CIO call for greater infrastructure investment. APTA 

advocates for nearly $15 billion of investment for federal public transportation programs, and at 

least $2.5 billion to be put towards high speed and intercity rail systems. AASHTO reported in 

2009 that between $132 billion and $166 billion of investment is necessary to rebuild and repair 

America’s highways.33 The view that more transportation infrastructure is necessary is 

consistent with other research, including the recently issued bi-partisan report by two former 

Secretaries of Transportation, Norman Mineta and Samuel Skinner. Their report estimated that 

an additional investment of $134 to $194 billion per year is needed to maintain our transportation 

system, and an even larger sum, from $189 to $262 billion, would be needed to improve it.34 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has stated that “to have a transportation system that supports a 

21st century economy, the United States needs a high level of investment targeted at improving 

performance across all modes and geographies. There can be no more business as usual.”35

 

33 Oakley, Janet. “Investing in Transportation Infrastructure.” Government Research Association Annual Policy 

Conference. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. 29 July 2009. 

<http://www.transportation.org/sites/aashto/docs/Oakley-2009-07-28pdf.pdf>

34 Mineta, Norman, and Skinner, Samuel, “Well Within Reach: America’s New Transportation Agenda”

35 “Transportation Index National Results From 1990 to 2008.” U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

<http://www.uschamber.com/lra/transportation-index/national-results>
13

International Competitiveness 

By most measures, the United States is investing less in infrastructure than other nations. While 

there are reasons for this disparity, international comparisons can offer a useful benchmark to 

assess our investment decisions. We spend approximately 2 percent of GDP on infrastructure, a 

50 percent decline from 1960.

36,37

 China and Europe, by contrast, spend close to 9 percent and 5

percent of GDP on infrastructure, respectively.

38 To be clear, simple cross country comparisons 

do not account for differences in the current public capital stock, differences in demographics 

and population densities, and different transportation preferences across nations. However, it is 

clear that persistent neglect of our infrastructure will impact America’s competitive position vis-

 

36 Milano, Jessica. “Building America’s 21st Century Infrastructure.” Progressive Policy Institute, 15 January 2009. 

<http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=450020&subsecID=900194&contentID=254788>

37“Remarks by the President at CNBC Town Hall Discussion on Jobs” The White House Office of the Press 

Secretary, 2010. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/09/20/remarks-president-cnbc-town-halldiscussion-jobs> 

38Ibid.

Creating a More Livable Community

Infrastructure investment should create a more livable community for working Americans. The 

Department of Transportation has identified six principles that the transportation system 

should satisfy to improve the lives of working families:

 Provide more transportation choices to decrease household transportation costs, reduce 

our dependence on oil, improve air quality and promote public health. 

 Improve economic competitiveness of neighborhoods by giving people reliable access 

to employment centers, educational opportunities, services and other basic needs. 

 Target federal funding toward existing communities – through transit-oriented 

development and land recycling – to revitalize communities, reduce public works costs, 

and safeguard rural landscapes.

 Align federal policies and funding to remove barriers to collaboration, leverage funding 

and increase the effectiveness of programs to plan for future growth. 

 Enhance the unique characteristics of all communities by investing in healthy, safe and 

walkable neighborhoods, whether rural, urban or suburban. 

 Expand location- and energy-efficient housing choices for people of all ages, incomes, 

races and ethnicities to increase mobility and lower the combined cost of housing and 

transportation. 
14

a-vis the rest of the world. Indeed, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce noted this in their Policy 

Declaration on Transportation Infrastructure, stating, “Long term underinvestment in 

transportation infrastructure is having an increasingly negative effect on the ability of the United 

States and its industries to compete in the global economy.”

Looking at the case of high speed rail specifically, other nations are laying the groundwork for 

large-scale passenger rail systems in the future, while the U.S. is lagging behind. For example, 

China plans to spend an estimated $300 billion to have a high speed rail system in the country by 

2020. China has already completed the fastest high speed rail line in the world, connecting 

Wuhan and Guangzhou, two cities with populations over 8 million people. The line covers 600 

miles in only 3 hours.39 Another high speed rail line, running between Shanghai and Beijing, is 

set for completion in 2011. European nations and Japan have long had high speed rail systems. 

The Recovery Act contained $8 billion for high speed rail projects, and several states, including 

California, have approved billions more from their own coffers. However, significant additional 

investment is required if we hope to develop high speed rail corridors in the United States. High 

speed rail has the potential to link the American people together in a way that would not be 

possible under the current infrastructure system. Reducing intercity travel times, with trains 

reaching top speeds of 220 mph, could transform how and where Americans live and work, 

revitalizing regions and supporting new jobs. 

The Gallup World Poll indicates that compared to other OECD countries, Americans are 

relatively dissatisfied with their local public infrastructure systems (see Figures 3 and 4). 

Americans’ satisfaction with public transit ranks 25th out of 32 OECD nations. We rank only

slightly better with respect to satisfaction with our roads and highways: 17th out of 32 countries. 

The relatively higher satisfaction with roads and highways is consistent with the observation that 

our nation’s historic investment pattern favored highways and roads over public transit. 

 

39 “A Look at China’s High-Speed Rail Investments.” Solar Feeds News and Commentary, 2010. 

<http://www.solarfeeds.com/the-green-leap-forward-/12404-a-look-at-chinas-high-speed-rail-investments>
15

Figure 3: Percent Satisfied with the Public Transportation in their Area 

Source: Gallup World View data, 2009, OECD countries. Percent responding “satisfied” to the 

following question: “In the city or area in which you live, are satisfied or dissatisfied with the 

public transportation system?”

Figure 4: Percent Satisfied with the Roads or Highways in their Area 

Source: Gallup World View data, 2009, OECD countries. Percent responding “satisfied” to the 

following question: “In the city or area in which you live, are satisfied or dissatisfied with the 

roads and highways?”
16

The Costs of Not Investing in Infrastructure

Although infrastructure investments are expensive, it is even more expensive for the nation if we 

skimp on infrastructure. There are real costs to not investing in infrastructure, including 

increased congestion and foregone productivity and jobs. Already, Americans are wasting too 

much time, money and fuel stuck in traffic. The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) recently 

estimated that Americans in 439 urban areas spent some 4.2 billion hours sitting in traffic in 

2007, equivalent to nearly one full work week for the average commuter. TTI’s calculations 

suggest that “congestion (based on wasted time and fuel) cost about $87.2 billion in the 439 

urban areas.”40

Although TTI’s estimate is a good benchmark when evaluating congestion costs, it is important 

to remember that it is not always clear that time spent in congestion should be valued at the wage 

rate. The Department of Transportation recommends using a variety of values of time, 

depending on whether the travel takes place as part of paid business travel, local commuting 

travel, or long-distance leisure travel. The value of time in freight transportation is even more 

complex, varying with the value and perishability of the cargo that is being transported. 

Additionally, there are costs of congestion beyond lost time and wasted fuel. For example, a

recent survey by Gallup found that those with long commutes are more likely to experience back 

and neck pain.41 Moreover, congestion leads to more rapid road erosion and higher maintenance 

costs, a higher frequency of accidents and associated need for emergency services, higher 

pollution per car, and productivity losses from traffic delays. All of these potential costs of 

congestion – and corresponding benefits of alleviating congestion – should be factored into any 

cost-benefit analysis of infrastructure alternatives that would relieve congestion.

 

40 “What Does Congestion Cost Us?” Texas Transportation Institute. 

<http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/report/congestion_cost.pdf>

41 “Wellbeing Lower Among Workers with Long Commutes.” Gallup, 13 August 2010. 

<http://www.gallup.com/poll/142142/wellbeing-lower-among-workers-long-commutes.aspx>
17

 

42 MacDonald JM, Stokes R. Cohen D. Kofner A. Ridgeway G. The Effect of Light Rail on Body Mass Index and 

Physical Activity. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2010; 39(2):105-112. 

43 Finkelstein EA, Trogdon JG Cohen JW Dietz W. Annual Medical Spending Attributable to Obesity: Payer- And 

Service-Specific Estimates. Health Affairs 28, no. 5 (2009): w822-w831.

44 Stokes RJ, MacDonald J. Ridgeway G. Estimating the effects of light rail transit on health care costs. Heath Place 

2008;14(1):45–58.

The Charlotte Light Rail System: An Infrastructure Success Story

If improved infrastructure changed the way Americans live and work, there would be significant 

benefits to health and wellness. For example, MacDonald et al. find that improving 

neighborhood environments and increasing the public’s use of light rail transit would benefit 

health to the extent it causes increased physical activity, reduction in the incidence of obesity 

(body mass index greater than 30), and reduction in the odds of becoming obese.42 

Using data on individuals before (July 2006 to February 2007) and after (March 2008 to July 

2008) the completion of a light rail system in Charlotte, North Carolina, they find that the use of 

light rail to commute to work is associated with a nearly 1.2 point reduction in body mass index 

as well as an 81 percent reduction in the odds of becoming obese over time. Moreover, improved 

perceptions of neighborhoods as a result of the availability of light rail were associated with 15

percent lower odds of obesity as well as higher odds of meeting weekly recommended physical 

activity levels for walking and vigorous exercise (of 9 percent and 11 percent, respectively). 

In addition to all of the personal benefits associated with a healthier life style, overall costs on 

our health care system are substantially reduced when obesity rates are lowered, given that health 

care costs for the obese are almost twice the rate for normal weight individuals. Finkelstein et al.

find that between 1998 and 2006, the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. increased by 37 percent, 

adding $40 billion dollars to health care costs.43

A separate study by Stokes et al. estimates that health care savings in Charlotte from the creation 

of the first segment of their light rail system could reach a cumulative $12.6 million by 2015. 44 

These facts also suggest that targeted investment in creating new public transportation systems 

could translate into large-scale savings in health care costs over time. Furthermore, many other 

academic studies show that proximity to public transportation and more rationally-designed 

neighborhoods tend to be associated with increased walking and other physical activity for the 

general population, working or otherwise. 
18

Congestion is not limited to our roads. Each year, Americans lose more than $9 billion in 

productivity from flight delays.

45 Adopting a NextGen air traffic control system could 

significantly reduce these delays and their associated costs. NextGen will help both the Federal 

Aviation Administration and airlines to install new technologies and, among other 

improvements, move from a national ground-based radar surveillance system to a more accurate 

satellite-based surveillance system – the backbone of a broader effort to reduce delays for 

passengers, increase fuel efficiency for carriers, and cut airport noise for those who live and 

work near airports.

Failure to maintain our infrastructure network properly has significant consequences. For 

example, in August 2010, three major transportation systems in the Northeast corridor region 

(Amtrak, the Long Island Railroad, and New Jersey Transit) all experienced problems due to 

fire, power failure, and outdated equipment. Particularly illustrative of the need for upgrades of 

America’s infrastructure was the fire in the Long Island Railroad’s track switching system. 

Constructed in 1913, the system’s break down forced rail personnel to switch tracks manually 

with mallets and spikes, an outdated and hazardous practice. 

 

45“Flight Delay Task Force Report.” The Port Authority of NY & NJ, 2007. 

<http://www.planebusiness.com/buzz/flightdelay.pdf>

46 “U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces Lowest Traffic Fatalities in Six Decades.” National Highway 

Traffic Safety Administration, 9 September 2010. <http://www.nhtsa.gov/PR/DOT-165-10>.

47 “Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes As a Leading Cause of Death in the United States, 2005.” National Highway 

Traffic Safety Administration, April 2008. <http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/810936.PDF>. 

Building a Safer and More Reliable Infrastructure System

The American people deserve safe and reliable infrastructure. Recent bridge collapses in 

Minnesota and Oklahoma remind us of the risk of neglecting our infrastructure and of unsafe 

designs. 

In 2005, motor vehicle traffic crashes were the leading cause of death for every age 3 through 6 

and 8 through 34. Though 2009 saw the lowest fatality and injury rates ever recorded, it is clear 

that we can still do better, as nearly 100 people die on our roadways every day. 46,47 Aging 

transportation infrastructure – whether it is our roadways, transit systems, or railways – increase 

safety risks because they lack proven countermeasures that are installed on newer systems and 

equipment. Devoting resources to raising existing transportation infrastructure to a state of good 

repair in a “fix-it-first” approach is a sound strategy to help address critical safety challenges.

The Federal Government, along with State, local, and private owners and operators of 

transportation infrastructure, must work together to target resources to risks before they become 

safety hazards.
19

III. The Role of a National Infrastructure Bank

President Obama has proposed a National Infrastructure Bank to help finance infrastructure 

projects. A well designed infrastructure bank could:

 increase overall investment in infrastructure by attracting private capital to co-invest in 

specific infrastructure projects;

 improve the efficiency of our infrastructure investment by having a merit-based selection 

process for projects; and

 fill the gaps in our infrastructure funding system, which currently disadvantage

investments in multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional infrastructure projects.

One way to address the need for more infrastructure investment is to attract more private capital 

for direct investment in transportation infrastructure. There is currently very little direct private 

investment in our nation’s highway and transit systems. The lack of private investment in 

infrastructure is in large part due to the current method of funding infrastructure, which lacks 

effective mechanisms to attract and repay direct private investment in specific infrastructure 

projects. In addition, the private benefit for investors is less than the benefit for society as a 

whole, because of positive externalities from infrastructure. A National Infrastructure Bank 

could address these problems by directly funding selected projects through a variety of means. 

The establishment of a National Infrastructure Bank would create the conditions for greater 

private sector co-investment in infrastructure projects. 

Additionally, with a few notable exceptions, federal funding for infrastructure investments is not 

distributed on the basis of a competition between projects using rigorous economic analysis or 

cost-benefit comparisons. The current system virtually ensures that the distribution of 

investment in infrastructure is suboptimal from the standpoint of raising the productive capacity 

of the economy. 

To address the lack of merit-based funding, a National Infrastructure Bank would develop a 

framework to analytically examine potential infrastructure projects using cost-benefit analysis, 

and would evaluate the distributional impact of both the costs and benefits of each project. Of 

course, not all costs and benefits from infrastructure projects can be quantified, but an effort 

should be made to quantify those that can be quantified and to take account of any additional 

benefits and costs to society. A rigorous analytic process would result in support for projects 

that yield the greatest returns to society, and would avoid investing taxpayer dollars in projects 

where total costs exceed total societal benefits. A National Infrastructure Bank would select 

projects along a sliding scale of support that most effectively utilizes the bank’s limited 

resources, targeting the most effective and efficient investments. 
20

IV. Supply-Side Considerations

The previous section analyzed the demand for public capital and demonstrated that additional, 

carefully selected infrastructure investment will yield substantial benefits to the U.S. economy in 

the future. This section looks at the supply side of infrastructure investment. The main 

conclusion is that now is a particularly opportune time to invest in infrastructure, because the 

availability of underutilized resources (especially labor) implies that the opportunity cost of 

infrastructure investment is currently well below its normal level. 

There is currently a large pool of unemployed and underemployed labor available to improve our 

infrastructure. Building more roads, bridges, and rail tracks would especially help the segment 

of workers that was most disproportionately affected by the economic crisis – construction and 

manufacturing workers. The recession that started in late 2007 had an exceptionally large impact 

on the labor market. The U.S. lost over 8 million jobs between December 2007 and December 

2009. Fully 21 percent of those who lost jobs were in the construction industry.

Due to the collapse of the real estate market, the contraction of employment in the construction 

industry was especially acute. Since December 2007, the construction industry has lost 25 

percent of its total payroll jobs, dropping from 7.5 million to 5.6 million employees. In August 

2010, the unemployment rate for construction workers stood at 17 percent. This is over three 

times the rate from three years ago, and almost double the overall unemployment rate. 

Accelerated infrastructure investment would provide an opportunity for construction workers to 

productively apply their skills and experience. Moreover, hiring currently unemployed 

construction workers would impose lower training costs on firms than would be incurred by 

hiring workers during normal times, because these workers already have the requisite skills and 

experience in construction.

The excess supply of construction workers is one of many factors making current construction 

costs low. This is translating to lower project costs. For example, the Federal Aviation 

Administration received $1.1 billion in Recovery Act funds for airport improvements. The 

money was designated for 300 projects. The winning bids for those projects came in over $200 

million below the engineers' estimates. A second round of projects was selected, which also 

received lower bids than anticipated. As a result of these cost savings, 367 runway and airport 

improvement projects were funded with the money that was originally intended to support 300 

projects. 

The states and transit authorities that selected most of the highway ($26.6 billion) and transit ($8 

billion) projects supported by the Recovery Act reported similar experiences, and similar bid 

savings. Overall, the Department of Transportation estimates that more than 2,000 additional 
21

airport, highway, bridge and transit projects were funded because of low bids, or projects being 

completed under budget. 

Another critical question is whether there are worthwhile infrastructure projects available for 

investment. While well-targeted infrastructure investment can be tremendously beneficial, 

experience has also shown that poorly targeted infrastructure investments have limited, or even

negative effects in the long run. The Recovery Act established the Transportation Investment 

Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program to spur a national competition for innovative, 

multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional transportation projects that promise significant economic 

and environmental benefits to an entire metropolitan area, region, or the nation. TIGER was 

allocated $1.5 billion in the Recovery Act to select projects including improvements to roads, 

bridges, rail, ports, public transit and inter-modal facilities.

As part of the open competition for this investment, the Department of Transportation (DOT) 

conducted a solicitation for projects meeting the TIGER criteria, providing a test case to 

determine the supply of these kinds of infrastructure projects. This solicitation yielded 1,457 

project applications from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and three territories. Combined, 

these projects requested over $59 billion in federal funding, with many projects also supported 

by state, local and sometimes private capital. These projects were both big and small, with 546 

requesting less than $20 million from the federal government while 82 projects requested more 

than $100 million. Given its limited initial funding, DOT was only able to fund 50 projects. 
22

 

48 These estimates do not include multiplier effects.

Infrastructure Investment Creates Middle Class Jobs

Spending on infrastructure generates demand for products and services from a variety of industries.

For example, road building not only requires construction workers, but also grading and paving 

equipment, gasoline or diesel to run the machines, smaller hand tools of all sorts, raw inputs of 

cement, gravel, and asphalt, surveyors to map the site, engineers and site managers, and even 

accountants to keep track of costs.

Data from the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) provide insight into 

how a dollar’s worth of demand for some broad categories of spending is divided among the 

supplying industries. Analysis of data from the BEA 2007 annual input-output table and related data 

from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on the composition of industry employment suggest that 61 

percent of the jobs created by investing in infrastructure would be in the construction sector, 12 

percent would be in the manufacturing sector, and 7 percent would be in retail trade, for a total of 80 

percent in these three sectors.48 Using BLS data on the structure of occupations in those industries, 

and the distribution of wages for those occupations by industry, nearly 90 percent of the jobs in the 

three sectors most affected by infrastructure spending would be middle class jobs, defined as those 

between the 25th and 75th percentile in national distribution of wages. 

Further analysis suggests that the jobs created by investing in infrastructure are not only middle class 

jobs, but also are concentrated in occupations and industries that have been disproportionately 

affected by the economic downturn. Overall, the average unemployment rate among those who 

would be put to work by additional investment in infrastructure is over 15 percent, more than one and 

one-half times the national unemployment rate.

Figure 5: Jobs Created by Infrastructure Investment

 Source: Estimates based on BEA and BLS input-output tables.
23

Enhancing the efficiency of existing infrastructure is also a critical component of the President’s 

plan. As noted earlier, research has shown that investment that improves existing infrastructure 

networks can have significant returns. The Recovery Act also created the Transit Investments in 

Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) program to support such improvements by 

providing public transit agencies with one-time grants to improve the energy efficiency of their 

operations. Increasing energy efficiency for transportation is particularly important since the 

transportation system accounts for one-third of all carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel 

combustion, the largest share of any economic sector in the United States according to the 

Environmental Protection Agency.

49 The cost of energy is a significant factor in the cost of

providing public transportation; one study found that the cost of providing public transportation 

rises by $7.6 million for every penny increase in the price of gasoline.

50

The TIGGER program received $100 million in Recovery Act funding. The Federal Transit 

Administration (FTA) announced the selection criteria on March 24, 2009, inviting transit 

agencies to submit proposals within 59 days (May 22). Despite the short time frame, FTA 

received applications for 561 projects with a total value of over $2 billion, twenty times larger 

than the amount of funding available. 

During recessions it is common for state and local governments to cut back on capital projects –

such as building schools, roads and parks – in order meet balanced budget requirements. Past 

research has found that expenditures on capital projects are more than four times as sensitive to 

year-to-year fluctuations in state income than is state spending in general.51 However, the need 

for improved and expanded infrastructure is just as great during a downturn as it is during a 

boom. Tax receipts at the state and local level contracted for four straight quarters at the 

beginning of this recession and are still below pre-recession levels. The Recovery Act provided 

crucial support for infrastructure during the recession, but further strategic investments from the

federal government are needed to make up for the shortfall in state and local funds. Providing 

immediate additional federal support for transportation infrastructure investment would be 

prudent given the likely response from state and local governments to the current economic 

environment, the upcoming reduction in federal infrastructure investment as projects using 

Recovery Act funds are completed and the strong benefits associated with public investment. 

 

49 “Frequent Questions – Emissions.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2010. 

<http://epa.gov/climatchange/fq/emissions.html>

50 “Impact of Rising Fuel Costs on Transit Services.” American Public Transportation Association, May 2008. 

<http://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/fuel_survey.pdf>.

51 James R. Hines, Hilary Hoynes, and Alan Krueger, "Another Look at Whether a Rising Tide Lifts All Boats," in 

The Roaring `90s: Can Full Employment Be Sustained?, edited by Alan B. Krueger and Robert Solow, Russell Sage 

and Century Fund, 2001.
24

V. Conclusion

An analysis of the economic impact of transportation investment indicates that now is an optimal 

time to increase the nation’s investment in transportation infrastructure. This conclusion follows 

from both supply- and demand-side factors. Investing in transportation infrastructure would 

generate jobs to employ workers who were displaced because of the housing bubble. We 

estimate that the average unemployment rate among those who would gain employment in the 

jobs created by additional infrastructure investment is currently more than 15 percent. There is 

also accumulating evidence that construction costs are currently low because of underutilized 

resources, so it would be especially cost-effective to seize the opportunity to build many of the 

quality infrastructure projects that are ready to be built. Historically, we also know that state and 

local governments are more prone to cut back on infrastructure spending during tough economic 

times, despite the growing need and demand for these projects. Americans overwhelmingly

support increasing our infrastructure investment, as evidenced by consistent support for local 

investments on ballot initiatives. This is hardly surprising given that our report documents that 

the American public is less satisfied with our transportation infrastructure than residents of most

other OECD nations. 

Merely increasing the amount that we invest, however, must not be our only goal. Selecting 

projects that have the highest payoff is critically important, as is providing opportunities for the 

private sector to invest in public infrastructure. Given the significant needs for greater 

investment, the federal government cannot, and should not, be expected to be the sole source of 

additional investment funds. More effectively leveraging federal investment by pairing it with 

state, local and private investment is necessary to meet the challenges we face in expanding our 

transportation network. 

Evidence shows that well functioning infrastructure systems not only generate large rates of 

return for the people who travel on the systems every day, but also for those in the region and 

nation more generally. Investment in infrastructure today will employ resources when they are 

underutilized and raise the nation’s productivity and economic potential in the future. By 

contrast, poorly planned, non-strategic investment is not only a waste of resources, but it can also 

lead to lower economic growth and production in the future. That is why any increase in 

investment should be coupled with broad-based reform to select infrastructure projects more 

wisely. The President’s proposal to increase our nation’s investment in transportation 

infrastructure, coupled with broad-based reform of our transportation funding system, would 

have a significant and positive economic impact in both the short and long term, raising our 

nation’s economic output, creating quality middle-class jobs and enhancing America’s global 

economic competitiveness. 
25

Appendix

The twenty urban regions with at least 500,000 people (includes the city and its surrounding 

suburbs), where motorists pay the most annually in additional vehicle maintenance because of roads 

in poor condition: 

Appendix Table 1: Annual Vehicle Operating Cost 

in Selected Urban Areas

Rank Urban Area Annual Vehicle 

Operating Cost

1 San Jose, California $756 

2 Los Angeles, California $746 

3 San Francisco – Oakland, California $706 

4 Honolulu, Hawaii $701 

5 Concord, California $692 

6 New Orleans, Louisiana $681 

7 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma $662 

8 San Diego, California $654 

9 New York – Newark, NY/NJ $640 

10 Riverside-San Bernardino, California $632 

11 Sacramento, California $611 

12 Tulsa, Oklahoma $610 

13 Indio-Palm Springs, California $609 

14 Baltimore, Maryland $603 

15 Omaha, Nebraska $587 

16 Kansas City, Missouri / Kansas $587 

17 San Antonio, Texas $549 

18 Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas $539 

19 Detroit, Michigan $536 

20 Albuquerque, New Mexico $527 

Source: America’s Roughest Rides and Strategies to Make Our Roads 

Smoother, Sept. 2010, www.tripnet.org/urban_roads_report_Sep_2010.pdf.
Department of the Treasury and

the Council of Economic Advisors