More than 2,800 bridge repair and replacement projects have been launched across the country in recent months, according to a White House release marking the one-year anniversary of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
That legislation, signed into law by President Biden in November of last year, carried a $1.2 trillion price tag and was designed to address bridge, road, electric grid, and broadband infrastructure needs.
According to the White House, the bridge work under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration is seeing some $120 billion spent on projects for fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
Last month, the Federal Highway Administration issued a statement saying that competitive grants under the Bridge Investment Program had thus far been sent to 23 states. In a statement, Deputy Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg said those grants “will be used to create a pipeline of future bridge construction projects.”
The bridge work represents the largest federal investment in such work since the original passage of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, which was signed into law by President Eisenhower and launched the building of the nation’s Interstate Highway System.
Of the $120 billion coming out of Washington, Arizona has received around $2.1 billion for bridge and roadway work; while Colorado has been the recipient of some $1.7 billion in funds for the same work.
At the same time, up to $1.1 billion in funding has been announced for bridge and roadway work in New Mexico.
Texas, meanwhile, has been on the receiving end of around $10.8 billion in spending from Washington.
According to a report issued earlier this year by the Congressional Research Service, up to 44,000 bridges nationally are classified as being in poor condition. Of that total, around 80% are located in rural areas.
By Garry Boulard
