The keyword for 2026 is clear: reauthorization.
As the 2026 heavy and highway construction season has ramped up into full swing, CIRI companies and the industry at large are still faced with the typical competing factors and challenges. The five-year Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), set to expire on September 30, has been a major boon to our state’s infrastructure, economy and overall quality of life. Between now and then, much discussion will take place in Washington regarding the acute need for a five-year reauthorization to continue this remarkable progress.
Experts and analysts at the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) believe federal investment levels will remain about the same. If a reauthorization is not passed in Congress by September 31, ARTBA expects a continuing resolution will materialize to keep projects funded and in motion. As an active ARTBA member, CIRI is not only pushing for a minimum of status quo funding. We’re advocating for increased funding for bridgework and roadwork to counteract the significant effects of inflation and unforeseen needs over the next five years.
As always, we will keep CIRI members apprised of the latest developments in the funding and appropriations arena. Again this year, we urge our members to voice their support for infrastructure funding to our elected officials on the national, regional and local levels — to augment the wider year-round advocacy effort that CIRI provides for its valued members.
Keeping safety foremost in mind while keeping projects in motion.
We continue to play an active role in safety awareness and training for the benefit of our member companies and their valued employees. CIRI again conducted a series of valuable safety training sessions this winter — all of them provided free of charge.
This early-year safety push includes an annual May effort at the beginning of the construction season, which taps into the wider synergy of National Safety Week. The momentum from these initiatives is crucial to furthering a Safety First mindset that carries across our members’ jobsites and facilities throughout the year.
Sincerely,
Michael D. D’Ambra
CIRI President
