Webinar: Rising Construction Costs – Implications for Reauthorization
Date: November 6, 2025
Time: 11:00 am to 11:45 am PT
Cost: Free 
Continuing Education Credits: Unknown
Organization: Eno Center for Transportation

Since the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021, there has been significant growth in highway construction costs. Potential factors for cost escalations include supply chain disruptions, materials and inputs costs, labor market shortages, demand side increases, number of bidders on projects, state capacity and reliance on consultants, borrowing costs, regulatory costs, and higher quality projects.

In August 2025, the Eno Center issued a whitepaper entitled “Rising Construction Costs: Analyzing the Contributors to Cost Escalations and the Impact on Federal Transportation Infrastructure Investments,” exploring competing cost indices, long-term construction cost trends, contributing factors to cost escalations, the impact on federal infrastructure investments, and implications for future transportation funding.

This webinar will feature two speakers: Susan Howard, from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and Dr. Alison Premo Black, from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. The panelists will discuss how rising construction costs have impacted their members and how increased costs are influencing their advocacy efforts heading into surface transportation reauthorization.