OPINION:
President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the visionary champion of the Interstate Highway Program, shaped the nationwide system that we continue to modify today. During his State of the Union address in 1955, he said, “a modern, efficient highway system is essential to meet the needs of our growing population, our expanding economy, and our national security.” Those words ring just as true today, especially for rural America.
Traveling through Kentucky’s Appalachian region is one of the most peaceful scenic routes you can take in the country, with hundreds of miles of roadway winding beneath the broad and vibrant canopy of the Daniel Boone National Forest. But these roads are far more than scenic byways. They represent the backbone of our nation, providing lifelines to connect communities, support emergency response, and unlock regional economic development.
For decades, we’ve worked to preserve our beautiful region while opening new gateways for job creation and industrial recruitment. Rural infrastructure of every measure is a multiplier of economic opportunity. That’s why I was excited to return to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development this Congress. I have worked closely with our state leaders over the years to invest in projects that better connect our rural region to opportunities across the Commonwealth and across the country.
Kentucky now ranks among the top ten leading highway systems in the country for overall performance and cost-effectiveness, proving that our federal and state delegations have prioritized our collaborative efforts. This is no accident. Throughout my career, I have fought for robust investment in rural transportation infrastructure. For example, we are currently on the last phase of a 45-mile Mountain Parkway Expansion Project that has culminated with a hefty price tag of nearly $1 billion, utilizing TIGER and INFRA federal funds, along with sheer perseverance at the federal, state, and local levels. This transformative project is reducing travel time by over 30 minutes to the nearest interstate, enhancing safety and opening faster access to major markets and distribution centers. Projects like this don’t just benefit one region; they strengthen national supply chains, connect labor to opportunity, and prepare our economy for future growth.
As I’ve learned in my time on the House Appropriations Committee, a vision without funding is a hallucination. Federal investment is what turns ambition into achievement. Anytime we face a mountain in Central Appalachia, we engineer our way around it or through it.
It’s this very spirit that paves the way for economic development and utilizes transportation infrastructure as a vital key to our national security and emergency response in rural areas. For instance, in response to deadly floods along the Cumberland River in southern Kentucky, the Army Corps of Engineers successfully diverted the Cumberland River through four mountain tunnels. This herculean effort created effective, life-saving flood control and protects local roadways and bridges from repetitive flood damage. I also championed the Cumberland Gap Tunnel project to replace a road that averaged five fatal crashes per year and now serves as a tourism gateway from East Tennessee to the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. The investment has resulted in countless lives saved, new economic development in both states, and a boost to the local tourism economy.
It is not only our mountain roads that we rely on. In recent years, our often-overlooked airports in Central Appalachia have served as transportation hubs for emergency rescues and vital supply drops after catastrophic floods wiped out rural roads and bridges. Our airports connected those in need when roads could not. Meanwhile, at the national level, we must invest in safer operations and a stronger air traffic control workforce at our major airports. Through programs such as the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP), we can strengthen both our national aviation systems and rural airstrips. The AIP is essential for our small airports and emergency response operations, helping ensure Americans can trust the safety and reliability of our aviation systems every time they fly.
While our cities often boast multi-lane expressways or light rail, rural America depends on roads, bridges, and airports just as urgently, if not more. As we chart the path for future federal investment, we must ensure the needs of small American communities are not forgotten. As I have seen firsthand in my district, transportation serves as a unique, multi-faceted lifeline for rural America that can make our entire nation safer, stronger, and more successful from within.
• Rep. Hal Rogers is the Dean of the House of Representatives, having represented Kentucky’s 5th Congressional District since 1981. He serves on the House Appropriations Committee.
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