In this section, Informed Infrastructure compiles infographics from trusted sources that reveal insight on infrastructure spending. We also compile some of the top infrastructure stories that shouldn’t be missed. For ongoing news coverage, turn to Informed Infrastructure online (www.informedinfrastructure.com), our Twitter feed (@IInfrastructure) and our weekly e-newsletter.

State Transportation Funding Legislation Ramping Up in 2019

Legislators in 37 states introduced 185 bills aimed at boosting transportation investment in the first two months of 2019, according to analysis from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association Transportation Investment Advocacy Center (ARTBA-TIAC). The number of bills introduced is higher than the amount of legislation tracked over the same period last year and is projected to grow as additional measures are introduced throughout the year.

Motor fuel taxes continue to be a popular method to raise new revenue. Twenty-one states have proposed increasing one or more types of motor fuel tax to generate funding for transportation improvements.

Continuing a trend seen in recent years, many states introduced electric vehicle fees to help ensure all vehicles that create wear and tear on roads pay for their share of maintenance. Sixteen states filed legislation to implement an electric vehicle registration fee, with 10 of those states including an additional registration fee for hybrid vehicles.

Find more information at www.transportationinvestment.org.

Survey: Contractors Struggling to Meet Project Deadlines as Labor Shortage Persists

Results from the Q1 2019 USG Corporation + U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index indicate the labor shortage continues to pose major challenges to the industry, causing firms to ask skilled workers to do more work (81%), struggle to meet deadlines (70%), increase costs for new work (63%) and reject new projects (40%).

As the industry fights to solve the labor shortage, the latest survey suggests a contributing factor could be negative perceptions of construction careers by young workers, leading to fewer workers seeking to enter the industry.

View the full report at https://uscham.com/2CocYl2.