The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) announced it is leading the 11 member associations of the Highway Materials Group (HMG) in the launch of “Highways Drive America,” a social media campaign designed to raise awareness about the critical need to fund highway infrastructure as a way to stimulate the nation’s return to work and the economy’s recovery in the wake of COVID-19.
The Highways Drive America campaign raises awareness of the need for highway construction and maintenance funding among key legislators and their staff on Capitol Hill. “The campaign reminds us that highways are not just how we’ll get back to work and school, but also how we’ll create new jobs across multiple industries,” NAPA said. “The campaign uses social media to amplify these messages, calling for increased investment in highways, which will increase job opportunities and economic development in every community and industry across the nation.”
“NAPA is proud to be a part of this campaign focused on the critical role that highway construction and maintenance plays in our country’s economy. It’s imperative that Congress adequately fund highway infrastructure,” said Dr. Audrey Copeland, NAPA president and CEO. “Investing in highway construction will not only create opportunities to replace jobs lost during the pandemic but will also act as a major catalyst for economic recovery.”
Safe and well-maintained highways have been integral to battling the COVID-19 pandemic – bringing essential workers to their jobs and moving critical supplies across the country – and they will be essential to bringing Americans back to work and creating new jobs.
Investing in surface transportation is an investment in every industry and community across the nation. For every dollar invested in transportation infrastructure, the Unite States sees $3.70 in economic growth, according to a University of Maryland study.
“The crisis has shown us that America can’t function without a safe, reliable, well-maintained surface transportation network. To help kick-start our country’s economic recovery post-COVID, Congress must invest in highway infrastructure now,” NAPA stated.