October 2, 2025

By Lane Kimble

The first federal government shutdown in nearly seven years grabbed headlines this week, but people who work in the transportation construction world shouldn’t see much of an impact with their jobs.

The Highway Trust Fund’s structure ensures spending measures stretch out over multiple years as opposed to the overall federal budget, which sees its fiscal year end every Sept. 30.

Because of this, WisDOT and other state departments of transportation should not see an impact in federal funding or support for heavy highway construction. The HTF receives appropriations currently from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which expires in late 2026.

In prior government shutdowns, the Treasury Department has retained sufficient employees to process FHWA invoices and reimburse state departments of transportation and other localities for work completed, ARTBA says.

The impasse hinges over expiring health care subsidies, with Republicans and Democrats pointing fingers at each other for causing the shutdown.  As of Thursday night, several competing proposals to temporarily extend the federal budget had failed in the U.S. Senate.