Kirk Preston Watson - Mayor of Austin, Texas | Twitter
Kirk Preston Watson - Mayor of Austin, Texas | Twitter
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes traveled to Washington, D.C. this week to advocate for continued federal support for transportation infrastructure projects.
Mayor Watson, serving as Vice Chair of Inter-Modal Transportation, presented his case before the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Transportation Standing Committee. Meanwhile, Mayor Pro Tem Fuentes addressed the Congressional House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
“There is a significant pipeline of U.S. Department of Transportation-supported projects that will make a real difference in so many communities throughout the nation,” Watson stated during his testimony. He expressed optimism about engaging the new Administration and Congress on the advantages of localism.
Fuentes emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration between Congress and local governments on infrastructure initiatives under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. “Whether in a large city like Austin, Texas, or a smaller one like Mission, Kansas, reliable infrastructure is the foundation of our local economic future,” she said. She highlighted that "a strong federal partnership will ensure that local governments can continue to be a powerful force in solving national challenges like road safety and connectivity."
In recent years, Austin has benefited from nearly $82 million in federal grants or contracts from the U.S. Department of Transportation aimed at enhancing local transportation infrastructure.
Mayor Kirk Watson testified at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Transportation Standing Committee.
Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes provided her testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
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