Related investment has declined from a peak of 4.2 percent of GDP to just 1.5 percent in 2016, leaving a gap of at least $2 trillion. That threatens transportation systems and such utilities as power and water supplies, notes the report, titled Strong Infrastructure Drives Retail Sales: The Link Between Infrastructure Investment and the Retail Real Estate Industry.

“The lack of public sector investment in infrastructure represents a challenge to the competitiveness of ICSC members, who rely on transportation systems that get people and products to and from their developments, utilities that power their facilities, and water systems that ensure health and safety for their operations,” the report reads.

ICSC proposes the restoration and reform of federal infrastructure funding, the encouragement of public-private partnerships, and the streamlining of the permitting process to maximize the effectiveness of infrastructure funds. Among specific proposals, the white paper calls for Congress to explore the creation of a user fee and an increase in the federal gas tax with indexing for inflation, so long as all the resulting funds are dedicated to infrastructure.

Download the white paper here.