As the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expires, leaders from 21 states collaborate with EPA, DOT to sustain infrastructure investment momentum
Washington, D.C. – The National Governors Association (NGA) this week hosted its 11th Infrastructure Coordinators Workshop, bringing together over 30 governor-appointed infrastructure coordinators and advisers from 21 states and territories. With the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) set to expire in September, state and territory officials met with a range of stakeholders – including Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) leaders and industry partners – to develop plans to sustain momentum on infrastructure investment.
“Governors are delivering on infrastructure, making historic investments in the roads, bridges, broadband, water and transit projects that keep communities connected and keep state economies growing,” said NGA Chief Policy Officer Timothy Blute. “Infrastructure is a national bipartisan priority, and federal-state coordination is key to building the projects America needs to compete, and win, in the global economy. With critical federal funding expiring this year, the NGA urges Congress to pass reauthorization legislation that cuts red tape, provides funding certainty and gives states the flexibility they need to keep building.”
From permitting reform to public-private partnerships to federal funding alternatives, states are strategizing to continue delivering the roads, bridges, ports, broadband, water, railways and energy infrastructure needed to grow the economy, keep Americans safe and revitalize rural communities. The NGA holds Infrastructure Coordinator Workshops twice per year, providing a forum to share challenges and best practices, coordinate with private sector infrastructure and financing practitioners and collaborate with federal officials.
“America has always been a nation with strong infrastructure to match its vast size and growth,” said Global Infrastructure Investor Association (GIIA) Chief Executive Jon Phillips. “And we know from our members that much of the investment currently deployed into building, maintaining and operating vital infrastructure projects is increasingly being focused at the state level – where public-private-partnerships are gaining real momentum. We’re pleased to be working alongside the NGA and its infrastructure coordinators to help states unlock the full potential of private investment into roads, railways, energy grids and wider assets that will serve future generations for decades to come.”
This week’s workshop focused on solutions to counter headwinds stemming from the upcoming expiration of IIJA as well as construction cost inflation, which has decreased purchasing power for materials, labor and land rights of way – reducing the number of projects IIJA was ultimately able to support. As IIJA expires, focus shifts to surface transportation reauthorization. In a 2025 letter to congressional leaders, governors shared their reauthorization priorities, calling on Congress to ensure robust funding levels, promote certainty and timely release of funds and increase state flexibility by prioritizing formula programs.
“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provided a historic foundation of investment that accelerated critical infrastructure projects nationwide,” said Katie Dailinger, director of State and Local Government Relations at Bentley Systems. “As governors and state leaders strategize for a future beyond the IIJA, Bentley Systems remains committed to maximizing continued investments and efforts to adopt digital technologies. Leveraging digital infrastructure technology, like digital twins, enables state agencies and private partners to collaborate more effectively, accelerate project delivery timelines, and deliver resilient infrastructure essential to America’s economy.”
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure released bipartisan text for the BUILD America 250 Act and is scheduled to hold a mark-up this week.
Check out these resources and event recaps to learn more about NGA’s work to support governors’ infrastructure priorities:
- The State of Infrastructure: Governors’ 2026 Priorities
- Governors’ Letter to Congress on Surface Transportation Reauthorization
- Read-out: Fall Infrastructure Coordinators Workshop (November 2025)
- Read-out: Spring Infrastructure Coordinators Workshop (April 2025)
- NGA Infrastructure Implementation Resources
- State Resource Center: Innovative Infrastructure Funding, Financing and Delivery
