Infrastructure Week is Back
Dear Colleagues,
As many of you know, I’m from Louisville, and my hometown this week was sadly the latest place to suffer a senseless act of violence. I want to thank everyone for all of the kind messages I have received from across the country. One of those slain, Tommy Elliott, was my friend. We met on Greg Fischer’s first mayoral campaign, and Tommy loved our city and Kentucky. And, he loved the work that we all do; in fact, the last time I talked to him, it was about infrastructure! He was 63 years young -- a life well lived but cut too short. He would have loved everything about the newsletter that follows, and so it is to him and to every public servant and community advocate with a heart like him that we dedicate our efforts.
– Mary Ellen Wiederwohl
INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK 2023
Infrastructure Week is back for 2023! We hope your calendar is marked for May 15-19 and that your planning is underway for an event of your own that highlights the benefits of and ongoing need for investment in pipes, ports, roads, rails, and other infrastructure.
We just published the initial calendar of 2023 events – from Juneau to Washington, DC – where YOU can post your event and shared how infrastructure investments are putting people to work and helping communities thrive.
If you haven’t started planning yet, but know you want to participate, no problem! Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page for ideas on how to engage.
USDOT THRIVING COMMUNITIES PROGRAM
We’re excited to announce that as part of its Thriving Communities Program, the U.S. Department of Transportation has selected Accelerator for America and our partners – WSP USA, Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP), and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University – to be a Capacity Builder Team. USDOT awarded $5.05 million for the Accelerator team’s Complete Transit Oriented Neighborhoods work.
Together, we will help 14 under-resourced and disadvantaged communities, who were chosen by USDOT from prior application, access new infrastructure funding opportunities that have been made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Accelerator and our partners will bring expertise and resources to bear in helping these communities deliver neighborhood-enhancing transportation projects
It’s an honor to be chosen, and we can’t wait to get to work!
As always, we want to hear from you. If you have any questions about Infrastructure Week, email Ross at ross@acceleratoraction.org. We'll be in touch with more updates about Infrastructure Week soon so stay tuned!
Mary Ellen Wiederwohl
President & CEO | Accelerator for America & Accelerator for America Action