TCC Launches Ad Campaign Encouraging Passage of Highway Bill

The Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC), an organization representing 28 national associations and labor groups, has announced that it is launching a new multimedia ad campaign calling on Congress and the administration to create thousands of long-term, sustainable American jobs by passing a new six-year highway/transit authorization bill. The current investment law—the Safe, Accountable, Flexible Transportation Equity Act—A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU)—expired on September 30, according to a news release from the organization.

The TCC says it will be running 60-second radio ads today during morning “drive time” on WTOP, Washington, D.C.’s, top-rated news talk station, highlighting that construction industry unemployment is twice the national average. A companion Internet ad is being produced for online placement.

“Transportation investment creates jobs, gets America moving again and helps lay the road to economic recovery. Tell Congress to pass the six-year highway and transit program bill now,” the ads proclaim.

A “Jobs Check List” print ad is also running today in the “The Washington Post” Federal Page. Over the past few weeks, the ad, which was also developed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and American Public Transportation Association, has been appearing in widely-read Capitol Hill publications such as “Roll Call,” “National Journal,” “Congress Daily,” “Congressional Quarterly” and “Politico.”

The transportation design and construction industry has been hard hit by the recession. While the economic stimulus law likely saved thousands of construction-related jobs in 2009, it was not enough to prevent wide-spread lay-offs among road and transit construction business, according to the news release. The outlook for next year is bleak, too, absent congressional action. According to a recent nationwide survey of more than 500 highway and transit contractors, 44 percent anticipate having to lay off additional permanent employees in 2010 because of overall economic conditions.