Skip to main content
Image
harvesters hard at work in fields

Fixing Our Infrastructure; Revitalizing Rural America

October 17, 2019
E-Newsletters

Straight Talk with Sam

Dear Friend,

In the past, it's been easy for folks in rural America to feel like they've been written off, left behind, and forgotten—especially when it comes to our infrastructure. Weight limited roads, one lane bridges, deteriorating shoulders—the list goes on. Finding the means to make all the necessary fixes can seem daunting.

The numbers don't lie.

71 percent of the Nation's public road lane-mileage runs through rural America. In Missouri, these percentages are even more pronounced – 82 percent of our roads and 81 percent of our bridges are in rural areas. Across the country, 82 percent of structurally deficient bridges are rural bridges.

Thankfully, rural America—and North Missouri in particular—has an ally in the White House now. President Trump and his administration have made rebuilding our rural infrastructure a priority. To that end, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced the Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) Initiative last week—which will level the playing field and help our rural communities navigate the federal bureaucracy to secure the critical infrastructure funding we need to rebuild our roads and bridges.

Rural infrastructure isn't just important for helping farmers get products to market and revitalizing our rural economies. These projects are essential for connections all over North Missouri and America—helping ship American-made products throughout Missouri, the country, and the world quickly and efficiently.

While the ROUTES Initiative is a positive step towards ensuring that rural America can compete for their fair share in the years to come, we have had great success this year in getting several important infrastructure projects funded in North Missouri. I've been pleased to help secure important federal funding for many of our rural bridges and airports. That doesn't happen without great partners like MODOT and President Trump. I can't thank them enough for their help in making sure flyover country is no longer forgotten.

Our roads and bridges in North Missouri must be safe and usable. We've made a lot of progress, but we've got a long way to go. Working together, I believe we can bring our rural transportation network into the 21st century so we can thrive.

Sincerely,

Image
Signature of Congressman Sam Graves

Sam Graves