AASHTO Journal reports that USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy touched on the broad themes of “state flexibility, permitting reform, and infrastructure innovation” in his keynote address during yesterday’s session of AASHTO’s 2025 Washington Briefing.
One point the new secretary made clear in remarks to state DOT officials and industry stakeholders is his intention to work quickly. “I want fast change that’s going to transform the way we do business,” he stated. “I want to use more private capital. I want more technology and I want more innovation in your space. I’m going to reward the innovators who create and find ways to better build and more effectively build the projects that you guys care so much about. And for those who innovate and are creative, I’m going to give you more freedom and I’m going to give you more money to do your projects.”