FRAME as Policy

The American surface transportation system has arrived at a critical inflection point. For decades, the nation has relied upon a funding and planning paradigm established in the mid-20th century — one that prioritized the expansion of the highway network over the maintenance of existing assets and the diversification of mobility options. Today, the consequences of this legacy are undeniable: a staggering backlog of maintenance and repair on existing infrastructure, a persistent public health crisis of roadway fatalities, and a Highway Trust Fund that is fundamentally insolvent.

The FRAME Act is a comprehensive legislative response to these systemic failures. It is not merely a reauthorization of existing programs; it is a foundational shift in how the United States invests in, manages, and sustains its mobility network — moving the federal role from a passive provider of capital to an active steward of a data-driven, performance-based mobility economy.