Congressman Josh Riley Leads Push for Rural Infrastructure Improvements in Highway Bill

WASHINGTON D.C. —– U.S. Representative Josh Riley announced today that he is co-leading the Agricultural & Rural Road Improvement Program (ARRIP), a major infrastructure initiative included in the upcoming Highway Reauthorization Bill. This proposal, introduced alongside Congressman Mike Bost (IL), aims to unlock $275 million annually in federal highway funds to repair and enhance rural roads and bridges critical to farmers and agricultural industries.

“Every farmer, every rural business, and every family in Upstate New York deserves safe, reliable roads and bridges,” said Rep. Riley. “This bill isn’t about politics—it’s about getting the job done for our rural communities. Better infrastructure means lower costs, fewer delays, and safer roads. That’s exactly what I'm committed to delivering for the hardworking families who power our economy.”

ARRIP targets crucial improvements in the first- and last-mile connections between farms and local agricultural facilities. By addressing aging roads and weight-restricted bridges, this initiative will directly help farmers and rural businesses save time, reduce transportation costs, and safely deliver their products.

Key objectives of the Agricultural & Rural Road Improvement Program include:

1. Upgrading Rural Infrastructure: Repairing roads and bridges to remove weight and capacity limitations, enhancing efficiency in transporting agricultural goods.
2. Boosting Rural Economic Growth: Lowering transportation costs for farmers, providing better market access, and improving competitiveness.
3. Improving Safety and Reliability: Modernizing critical rural routes to ensure safer journeys for agricultural freight and rural families.

“For farmers in Southern Illinois, the rural roads used to haul grain for weighing or to transport feed and fertilizer are often narrow, weight-limited, and in disrepair,” said Bost. “These first-mile and last-mile connections are just as important as the highways they lead to. The Agricultural and Rural Road Improvement Program Act puts real investment into the roads and bridges that get crops from the field to market safely and efficiently, and I'm proud to help lead this effort.”

Rep. Riley is committed to delivering results for rural communities across Upstate New York. His work includes:

• Supporting Agricultural Innovation: Introduced the bipartisan Leveraging Efficiency Awareness for Pumping Systems (LEAPS) Act to help farmers adopt efficient irrigation systems.
• Promoting Ethical Government: Co-sponsored the Transparent Representation Upholding Service and Trust (TRUST) in Congress Act, banning insider trading by members of Congress and their families.
• Riley created and chairs a new advisory board consisting of farmers, producers, and officials to guide Farm Bill priorities, support farm-to-school programs, and advocate for ag-research funding
• Riley introduced a bipartisan bill adjusting federal rules to help egg farmers. The goal: lower food costs and help producers manage avian-flu challenges.
• Introduced a bipartisan bill (Honor Farmers Contract Act) to force USDA to uphold contracts to Upstate Farmers.
• Introduced bipartisan legislation to expand and streamline federal grants that support rural cooperatives, (Strengthening Rural Co-ops Act) helping small farmers and local businesses cut costs, grow, and stay community-owned.

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