Wyoming Lawmakers Push For Quicker Federal Road Project Approvals

U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso joined Representative Harriet Hageman to introduce the Small Projects Expedited Execution and Delivery (SPEED) Act, bipartisan legislation designed to streamline federal permitting processes and accelerate the delivery of vital surface transportation projects across Wyoming and the nation.

"People in Wyoming know how critical roads are for connecting our communities, driving our economy, and supporting tourism,” said Lummis.

“My common-sense legislation cuts through costly bureaucratic hurdles that delay building highways and bridges. It also addresses the runaway inflation eroding the capacity to build highway infrastructure. I'm proud to work alongside Senator Barrasso and Rep. Hageman on this important initiative, and with President Trump's commitment to streamlining federal processes, I'm hopeful we can get this bill across the finish line and deliver real results for Wyoming families."

“In Wyoming, our highways are essential to our success,” said Barrasso. “We need to make sure Wyoming has the resources it needs to plan, permit and build important road and bridge projects quickly. The Small Projects Expedited Execution and Delivery (SPEED) Act will cut red tape and ensure these critical infrastructure projects are not needlessly delayed.”

“The SPEED Act is about cutting excessive red tape and adjusting outdated limitations to meet current market realities," said Hageman. "Inflation has driven up construction costs across the board, and yet our infrastructure laws and regulations have not kept pace. By modernizing these thresholds, we can fast-track critical highway projects, get more shovels in the ground, and build the roads and bridges our citizens need. This is a practical, targeted fix that reflects the realities and puts local infrastructure priorities back on track."

The SPEED Act amends the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) by doubling the current categorical exclusion thresholds for federally-assisted transportation projects. Under the legislation, projects receiving limited federal assistance of up to $12 million (increased from $6 million) and projects with total costs up to $70 million (increased from $35 million) would qualify for streamlined environmental review.processes.

This reform aims to significantly reduce bureaucratic delays that have plagued infrastructure development, allowing Wyoming's critical road and bridge projects to move forward more quickly while maintaining necessary environmental protections.

Read the full bill text can be found here.