Private investors line up to support infrastructure projects without Trump

Private investors remain committed to raising money to finance infrastructure in the U.S. despite the Trump administration's lack of progress on advancing a plan to rebuild America's roads and bridges.

Blackstone Group, a major investment company, said this month that it will move forward with a $40 billion fund to invest in U.S. infrastructure regardless of whether President Trump's $1 trillion infrastructure promise ever happens.

But private equity and infrastructure funding experts say private investment alone cannot guarantee the development of roads and bridges, as well as pipelines and ports. They say commitment from the federal government is needed to provide long-term financing and to connect money with projects that need it.

"Having money simply sitting on the sidelines from the private sector won't necessarily make a project happen," said Scott Zuchorski, senior director of Fitch Rating's global infrastructure group. "It's a good thing money is available. But to put the money to use, there have to be projects. And that requires public-sector support, from a financial standpoint, and to be project champions to ensure the projects get done."

Blackstone is the latest private entity to promise private capital to boost U.S. infrastructure, which in recent years has become an attractive opportunity for companies because of the need for improved and expanded infrastructure and the easy access to debt allowed by low-interest rates.