Group Says $45 Million Spent on Transportation Lobbying

Nearly 1,800 special interest groups ranging from road builders trade groups to the AARP spent nearly $45 million and employed 2,100 lobbyists during the first half of 2009, mostly to lobby Congress on a new transportation authorization bill, according to a report of the Washington, D.C., non-profit group Center for Public Integrity.

Among those on CPI’s  list of transportation-related lobbying entities are 475 cities; 160 counties; 140 universities; 95 transit agencies; 75 road, auto and trucking organizations; and 65 construction and engineering groups.