Who is responsible for building and maintaining roads, transit systems and airports in the United States?
Almost all roads, bridges, airports and transit systems in the U.S. are owned by state and local governments or government-created agencies, which are responsible for constructing and maintaining them. Every state has a department of transportation (DOT) as do most counties and cities. You can access a state’s DOT Web site. The federal government helps state and local governments pay for construction and upkeep of airports, transit systems and major roads, but actually owns very little of the nation’s transportation infrastructure-mainly roads in national parks and forests, Indian reservations, and military bases. The federal government, however, does own and operate the nation’s passenger rail system, Amtrak. Learn more at the U.S. DOT Web site.
