Trade Associations and Lobbying for Roads: Funding, Strategies, and Discourses

The need for spending on roads and highways is largely unquestioned because the benefits of economic growth, reduced congestion, and increased jobs seem both self-evident and politically neutral. Yet, as we document in this report, this narrative benefits from the support of hundreds of lobbyists, millions of dollars in spending, and a collection of extensive and diverse strategies. This report focuses on one group involved in the road lobby — the trade associations and business organizations that stand to directly benefit from increased investment in road building, including contractors, building material and aggregate producers, and engineering companies. We find that trade associations spend heavily on lobbying and political campaigns, and they are often among the top spenders in their industry category. This results in hundreds of lobbyists working for trade associations, many with government experience, and millions of dollars donated to political campaigns and political action committees (PACs). The strategies used are diverse and extensive, including direct engagement with elected officials, mobilizing association members and grassroots advocacy, establishing expertise through “informational lobbying” and research institutes, and funding programs to support lobbying at other levels. These resources are used to frame road building as critical to economic growth and job creation, worthy of support through increased spending and dedicated user fees as well as regulatory reform.