Pappas Introduces Legislation to Deliver More Federal Dollars for New Hampshire Roads, Bridges, and More
Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, introduced the Highway Fair Share Act, legislation to increase federal funding for infrastructure and transportation projects for New Hampshire by requiring that each state receive at least .5% of the total federal-aid highway formula funding. Maine, Delaware, Hawaii, and D.C. are also underfunded under the current formula; Ranking Member of Highways and Transit Subcommittee Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), and Representatives Jared Golden (ME-02), Sarah McBride (DE-AL), and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) are original cosponsors of this legislation.
Of the 50 states, New Hampshire has received the least amount of annual funding for decades, leaving the state lacking needed funding. A March 2026 report on New Hampshire found a third of state and locally-owned roads are in poor or mediocre condition, 192 bridges were identified as in poor condition, and the state’s 10-year transportation improvement plan is significantly underfunded. Poor roads cost New Hampshire drivers an estimated additional $551 in yearly vehicle maintenance.
The Highway Fair Share Act would reinstate a 0.5% minimum apportionment of the highway formula funding for each state, as included in previous surface transportation bills. It is estimated that this change would increase New Hampshire’s apportionment from the current $232 million to $286 million, an 23% increase.
“Several states including New Hampshire are being shortchanged in badly-needed federal funding for transportation projects due to an outdated formula. This hinders our state’s ability to maintain and repair our roads, bridges, and other infrastructure, risking public safety and ultimately costing taxpayers more at the repair shop,” said Congressman Pappas. “Federal funds are crucial for our state to maintain and modernize our infrastructure, so I’m fighting to make sure New Hampshire receives its fair share of highway formula dollars. As we continue to craft this year’s bipartisan surface transportation reauthorization, I will continue working to pass this legislation so that small states like New Hampshire get the resources we need to build for the future.”
“New Hampshire’s transportation system is vital to our economic growth and quality of life. Congressman Pappas’s legislation would provide more federal funding to make smart investments in our roads and bridges to ensure that this vital infrastructure can benefit Granite Staters today, tomorrow, and into the future,” said Alex Koutroubas, Executive Vice President of Associated General Contractors of New Hampshire.
As a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Pappas has worked to ensure New Hampshire receives key federal dollars for transportation and infrastructure projects in every surface transportation reauthorization. Pappas helped craft provisions of the bipartisan infrastructure law (the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act) that was passed and signed into law in 2021. In 2019, Pappas successfully fought for the repeal of the FAST Act rescission to protect states from a $7.6 billion loss in highway funding.
Background:
The regular reauthorization of our nation’s surface transportation programs is vital to national and economic security. Multi-year reauthorizations provide states with the long-term certainty they need to plan and execute many important surface transportation infrastructure projects. The most recent surface transportation reauthorization was included in the much broader Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA); it expires on September 30, 2026. One of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s main priorities for the 119th Congress is passing the next bipartisan, multi-year surface transportation reauthorization before the current law expires.
In January 2025, the Committee began holding hearings to examine different aspects of our highway, transit, and rail transportation programs and ensure that Committee Members gather information in preparation for the development of this legislation.