Transportation and Climate Policy Summary: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Resulting from Different Infrastructure Spending Levels

One key element of federal surface transportation legislation is the overall spending level, which determines the level of investment in transportation-related infrastructure. Yet the effect of spending on transportation-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is not well understood. This policy brief presents analysis of spending scenarios matched approximately to current reauthorization proposals. Transportation infrastructure spending levels do not significantly alter transportation GHG emissions, meaning that infrastructure spending policy by itself is an ineffective tool for reducing GHG emissions, and that setting the overall spending level to meet policy goals unrelated to climate will not wipe out climate-related outcomes. Other transportation-sector policy tools have greater potential for achieving significant GHG emissions reductions.

Author(s): Craig Raborn

Published: June 2011

download: policy brief (.pdf) >