Public Works Supports All of Us

Without public works, nothing works. No clean water, no sewers and no showers. No roads, bridges or bike paths and no one clearing snow, ice or storm debris from our streets. Truly, public works lay the foundation for everything we do in our daily lives. Elevating public works as first responders and amplifying the work that public works does to elected officials, media and the public are core drivers for the work we’ve done and will continue to do.

We have much to celebrate when we look back on 2025. Our two annual conferences, the North American Snow Conference and PWX, welcomed record attendance from public works professionals. We also had a record number of agencies applying for accreditation, and our best year for applications to our Emerging Leaders Academy (ELA). Both programs develop public works professionals into leaders who inspire purpose and commitment to the mission and values of public works.

Sustaining progress will remain a central focus throughout 2026. With Congress working on new surface transportation legislation and the reauthorization of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), our organization is focused on shaping what comes next; a smarter, more resilient era of investment. For us, advocacy in Washington isn’t just about reacting to policy, it’s about building relationships and serving as the resource that informs the conversations defining the future of infrastructure and supports public works departments nationwide.

Our Government Affairs team advances a vision that connects local experience to national priorities. Our members are calling for an IIJA reauthorization that keeps communities at the center of federal decision-making. This would mean long-term, predictable funding, streamlined project delivery and a workforce pipeline strong enough to meet growing demand.

We also support elevating the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to a cabinet-level office, positioning emergency management at the core of national security and resilience. As climate impacts and disaster costs grow, we see this structural change as essential to improving federal/local coordination and recovery speed.

We will continue to push for approval of the SPEED Act, bipartisan legislation to simplify the federal permitting process for infrastructure, energy and environmental projects while maintaining environmental protections. We will also continue (as part of the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks) to oppose efforts to increase truck size and weight limits because heavier and longer trucks would accelerate pavement and bridge deterioration, threaten safety and impose new costs on state and local transportation agencies already working to stretch limited maintenance budgets.

The new year will see us continue to assist our more than 60 chapters in getting their local and state officials to recognize public works professionals as first responders. The men and women who repair water lines, clear snow and restore power during emergencies deserve the same recognition and access to resources as other emergency services. We are also expanding grassroots advocacy by equipping members with information and strategies to meet with lawmakers, host infrastructure site visits and demonstrate how federal policy decisions shape local outcomes.

APWA’s policy priorities in water, transportation and emergency management will continue to guide our engagement with Congress and federal agencies. As the next generation of infrastructure policy takes shape, APWA will ensure that the voices of public works professionals continue to shape the nation’s priorities for decades to come.

Along with our advocacy efforts, we are launching some exciting programs and services in 2026. First, there is our new Career Zone. This online career hub and job board will support our members who are hiring as well as our members who are looking for a new job. The CareerZone will also provide resources for career pathways, including recommended education levels for various public works professions. Next, we have established a new credentialing strategy that will offer public works professionals a chance to build their professional development portfolio through microcredentials and stackable certifications. Third, we are excited to welcome listeners to our new Public Works Radio (PWR) podcast. Each episode will explore the projects and people shaping our communities.

We are also pleased to move forward with plans for a Fallen Heroes Memorial. We are partnering with the Public Works Experience in Baltimore, Maryland, to design and place a memorial celebrating and honoring those who lost their lives in the line of duty while working as a public servant in public works.

This year has been one of remarkable activity and productivity. We think 2026 will be even more exciting.

Scott Grayson is the CEO of the American Public Works Association. He can be contacted at sgrayson@apwa.org.

This column is featured in our November/December issue of American Infrastructure, read more here