Record number of ATSSA members take roadway safety message to Capitol Hill

Record number of ATSSA members take roadway safety message to Capitol Hill

Funding plans are priority for roadway and work zone safety

This year’s Legislative Briefing & Fly-In set a record with 132 registered.

WASHINGTON – More than 125 ATSSA members fanned out across Capitol Hill this morning to deliver their insights to legislators about ways to enhance roadway safety.

Members from 30 states and D.C. were slated for more than 150 meetings with Senators, House members or their legislative representatives over eight hours today.

The primary focus of this year’s Legislative Briefing & Fly-In is providing information to assist legislators as they begin drafting bills for the next long-term surface reauthorization. That is the priority since the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act expires Sept. 30, 2026.

ATSSA members convened on Tuesday for day one of the two-day Legislative Briefing & Fly-In, which is a free, annual event exclusively for ATSSA members. They were briefed on the Association’s legislative priorities regarding the surface transportation reauthorization, the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) and the future of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF).

Rep. Rob Bresnahan

They also heard from several speakers, including Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-PA), who represents the commonwealth’s 8^th District, and Josh Shumaker with the American Society of Civil Engineers, who provided a 2025 Report Card of America’s Infrastructure. ATSSA Vice President of Government Relations Cameron Greene moderated a panel on “Trump, Tariffs and Taxes.” Panelists included Kate Fox Wood of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers and Kathy Ruffalo of Ruffalo & Associates.

Bresnahan, who was a certified flagger at age 20, said he is the only infrastructure contractor in Congress and said that background serves him well in his role on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.

He spoke the language of ATSSA members when he rattled off terms like truck mounted attenuator and retroreflectivity during his remarks. He encouraged Fly-In participants to tell their stories and tie them to the districts of the people they meet with so they understand the value of the work they do.

“The advocacy work is really meaningful,” Bresnahan said. “To hear from real-life people, what they deal with and their challenges” is always helpful.

Shumaker talked about the latest infrastructure report card, which he said gave the nation an overall grade of C. He said some progress has been made but roads are only at the D+ level. He encouraged ATSSA members to share the report, available at infrastructurereportcard.com, with legislators as they meet to discuss funding and safety issues.

Greene said this year’s Fly-In participants included a record number of first-time attendees – 36 – and a significant increase and record number of participants overall – 132.

Jonathan Gosney, a sales operations manager with Korman Signs in Richmond, Va., was taking part in his first Fly-In and arrived not knowing what to expect but eager for the experience. He was to meet with legislators today accompanied by company founder Bill Korman and looked forward to the opportunity to share about the business.

ATSSA’s Roadway Safety magazine Winter issue cover story provided members insights on the Legislative Briefing & Fly-In. It includes the experience of Tim Lang who went from reluctant participant to Fly-In advocate as a result of his first experience.

Lang, who serves as director of business development for Texas-based Impact Recovery Systems, said the thorough preparation and talking points he received during his first Briefing Day gave him confidence for his legislative meetings on Capitol Hill.

This morning, Lang and the rest of the Fly-In contingent headed to Capitol Hill for meetings arranged with representatives from their respective states. Twenty-six legislators including Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona, Joni Ernst of Iowa and Tim Kaine of Virginia, and Representatives Steve Womack of Arkansas, Mike Collins of Georgia and Michael Guest of Mississippi were scheduled to meet directly with ATSSA members. At other offices, legislative staff members were expected to hold the meetings.

Whether with the legislator or staff, each meeting is equally valuable, Greene said.

ATSSA members from Arkansas have six legislative meetings scheduled for today, from left, Sarah Stillman, Emma Stillman and Cindy Williams.

ATSSA Board Member Cindy Williams, president of Time Striping Inc., was slated to visit six offices with fellow Arkansas business owner Sarah Stillman of Creative Design Concepts, and daughter and vice president Emma Stillman.

“It’s important,” Sarah Stillman said. “If we weren’t here, no one would be here from Arkansas.”

They said it’s essential to explain what they do and the risks their employees face each day on the job. And it’s important to convey that the work they do saves lives on the roadways.

Williams said she wants her employees to know they saved a life each day, even if they never see it for themselves.

With surface transportation reauthorization as the key issue for the current Congress, ATSSA provided members a summary of funding priorities that addressed nine topics: the HSIP, work zone safety, rural road safety, tribal road safety, vulnerable road user safety, the HTF, Build America/Buy America implementation, a project delivery process, and roadway safety devices and lifesaving countermeasures.

More than 40,000 people were killed on U.S. roadways in 2023, making it essential to devote significant funding for roadway projects that can save lives, ATSSA emphasized in its presentation.

During Tuesday’s briefing, ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner encouraged members to spread the word about the new ATSSA Roadway Safety Leadership Academy, which launches in August. Applications for the program are due May 15.

The 8-part Leadership Academy program will take place over nine months, beginning in August at ATSSA’s Midyear Meeting and ending in conjunction with next year’s Legislative Briefing & Fly-In, which is scheduled for April 14-15. The Leadership Academy program will include a mix of in-person and remote sessions.

The goal is to provide participants with the skills and insights needed to be effective leaders within the roadway safety infrastructure industry and within their companies. Participation will be limited to 25 people. Full details are available online.