Each year representatives of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the Associated General Contractors (AGC), and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) come together at the AGC-AASHTO-ARTBA Joint Committee meeting to discuss issues impacting the construction and transportation industry. Recently the Joint Committee completed its annual policy development process and developed consensus-based policy recommendations for four policy papers.
For 2025, the committee focused on four key topics: progressive design-build project delivery (AASHTO), PFAS liability and regulatory uncertainty (AGC), project cost drivers (ARTBA), and the balance between formula and discretionary funding in the federal transportation program (Joint Committee).
Throughout the year, these topics were discussed during regional Joint Committee meetings held in conjunction with NASTO, SASHTO, WASHTO, and MAASTO conferences. Representatives from AASHTO, AGC, and ARTBA participated in these meetings, sharing professional perspectives and firsthand experiences to refine the issues and inform policy development. Insights from the regional meetings were then carried forward to the AASHTO-AGC-ARTBA Joint Committee Executive Conference, where representatives from each association worked collaboratively to finalize the four policy papers. Following this process, each paper was formally approved by the boards of directors of AASHTO, AGC, and ARTBA, completing the 2025 Joint Committee policy cycle.
Why This Matters for AGC Members
The Joint Committee plays a critical role in bringing together the perspectives of state transportation agencies, construction contractors, and transportation builders to develop aligned, practical policy positions. For AGC members, this collaboration helps ensure that federal transportation policy reflects real-world construction challenges—such as project delivery risk, regulatory uncertainty, and rising costs—while also accounting for the needs and constraints of public owners. By working through differences and reaching consensus with AASHTO and ARTBA, AGC strengthens the industry’s collective voice and improves the likelihood that policymakers adopt solutions that are workable, balanced, and grounded in on-the-ground experience.
For more information, please contact Jonathon Porter.