July 29, 2021 - Last night, the U.S. Senate voted to start debate on a historic infrastructure bill. The bill is expected to be around $1.2 trillion, spent over 8 years. According to the White House, it includes $550 billion in new federal investment and the Biden Administration claims the bill will create around 2 million jobs per year over the course of a decade.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will work to provide many necessary improvements in many areas of American’s infrastructure which, according to an official White House factsheet on the plan will include:
$110 billion in new funds for roads, bridges, major projects and reauthorization of the surface transportation program for the next five years. This investment will repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all users, including cyclists and pedestrians. The bill includes a total of $40 billion of new funding for bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation, which is the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system. The bill also includes a total of $17.5 billion for major projects that are too large or complex for traditional funding programs but will deliver significant economic benefits to communities.
$11 billion in transportation safety programs, including a new Safe Streets for All program to help states and local governments reduce crashes and fatalities, especially for cyclists and pedestrians. This amount also includes "more than doubling funding" to programs that improve highway safety, truck safety, pipeline and hazardous materials safety.
$39 billion to modernize and improve accessibility for America’s public transportation system and replace thousands of transit vehicles, with environmentally-friendly vehicles.
$66 billion in rail improvements, broken down into $22 billion as grants to Amtrak, $24 billion as federal-state partnership grants for Northeast Corridor modernization, $12 billion for partnership grants for intercity rail service, including high-speed rail, $5 billion for rail improvement and safety grants, and $3 billion for grade crossing safety improvements.
$7.5 billion to build out a national network of plug-in electric vehicle (EV) chargers, including charging stations along highways with a focus on "rural, disadvantaged and hard-to-reach communities."
$2.5 billion in zero emission buses, $2.5 billion in low emission buses, and $2.5 billion for ferries.
$1 billion to "reconnect" communities that have been divided by transportation infrastructure. The Administration says "significant portions of the interstate highway system were built through Black neighborhoods" and the program will fund planning, design, demolition and reconstruction of street grids, parks and other infrastructure.
$17 billion in port infrastructure and $25 billion in airports to address repair and maintenance backlogs, reduce congestion and emissions near ports and airports, and drive electrification and other low-carbon technologies.
Over $50 billion in funds to protect against droughts and floods, in addition to a major investment in weatherization. The Administration claims the funding will make "communities safer and our infrastructure more resilient to the impacts of climate change and cyber-attacks."
$55 billion investment in clean drinking water, including dedicated funding to replace all of the nation's lead service lines and the chemical PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl).
$65 billion in broadband infrastructure, requiring funding recipients to offer a low-cost affordable plan as the money is used to provide "every American" with access to reliable high-speed internet service.
$21 billion in environmental remediation, including funds to clean up superfund and brownfield sites, reclaim abandoned mine land, and cap orphaned gas wells.
$73 billion in funding for upgrades to power infrastructure, including funding renewable energy transmission lines, establishing a "Grid Development Authority," investing in research and development for advanced electricity transmission and distribution technologies, and demonstration and research hubs for advanced nuclear reactors, carbon capture and clean hydrogen technologies.
SO NOW THE $1.2 TRILLION QUESTION: How is it paid for? See our separate article on that topic HERE.