The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) sent a letter to conferees for the reauthorization of a highway bill saying “it is one of the most proactive steps Congress can take to help boost the U.S. economy” after enduring more than 30 months of temporary extensions.

The funding uncertainty has “stifled lettings of long-term transportation infrastructure improvement projects in many states,” ARTBA asserts.

However, the organization points out that the “direct and indirect employment benefits of a federal investment are undeniable,” it doesn’t guarantee creation of jobs if a transportation bill is approved.

Noting this, ARTBA is urging conferees “to ensure any conference report, at a minimum, provides inflation-adjusted FY 2011 levels of surface transportation investment as approved by the Senate. Failing to do so would solidify the job-threatening $2 billion cut in highway improvement funds enacted as part of the FY 2012 appropriations process.”

For a downloadable PDF of the full letter that ARTBA sent the conferees, click here.