After months of deliberations, Congress voted to pass, and President Biden elected to sign the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan. The plan would include $550 billion of new federal investment in America’s infrastructure over five years – touching projects that include bridges, roads, broadband, water, and energy systems. This new $550 billion complements the $650 billion in previously authorized funding for roads and other infrastructure. This package will be paid for by utilizing unspent COVID-19 relief and unemployment insurance aid, as well as other fundings modes.
- $110 billion to repair highways, bridges, and roads. According to the White House, there are 173,000 total miles of highways/major roads, and 45,000 bridges that are classified as in poor condition. $40 billion of this total (dedicated specifically for bridges) is the largest bridge investment since the construction of the national highway system.
- $39 billion to expand public transit systems and improve access for people with disabilities and provide subsidies for state and local governments to buy low or zero-emission buses. The estimated current repair backlog relates to more than 24,000 buses, 5,000 rail cars, 200 station, and tens of thousands of miles of track and power systems.
- $66 billion to improve the Amtrak system and ameliorate its enormous maintenance backlog. Most investment will happen along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, though some money will support other routes as well. This is the largest passenger rail investment since Amtrak’s founding in 1971.
- $7.5 billion to install electric vehicle charging stations and $5 billion for the purchase of electric school buses and hybrids
- $108 billion to build broadband and enable internet access in rural areas and places with majority low-income or tribal communities. Most of this money is expected to be made available through grants to states.
- $65 billion to improve the reliability and resiliency of the power grid – in light of more frequent and destructive outages in recent years. This investment will also boost carbon capture technologies and more environmentally friendly electricity sources.
- $25 billion to be spent at airports. Investments in runways, gates, taxiways, terminals, and air traffic control towers.
- $55 billion to improve water and wastewater infrastructure. This includes $15 billion to replace lead pipes and $10 billion to address water contamination due to polyfluoroalkyl substances that leech into water sources (chemicals common in our daily environment – Teflon, firefighting foam, water-repellent clothes, etc.)