U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) announced this week that they have secured a $3.25 billion commitment for bridge repairs following the Senate committee advancement of a critical highway legislation package.
The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee voted on the package Tuesday, advancing the Bridge Investment Act, which establishes a competitive grant program would be created to aid the repair or replacement of crumbling or outdated bridges. In a nod to concerns Republicans and the White House have made front and center on transportation issues, the bill would also require all projects to use American-made steel and iron.
“Rebuilding bridges across the U.S. will create new jobs and make our country more competitive,” Brown, Ranking Member on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, said. “Ohio has more than 6,000 bridges that need structural repairs or other updates to make them safer and reduce congestion. But states and cities can’t do it alone – they need real investment to help fix these outdated bridges that clog up our roads and leave drivers at greater risk of an accident.”
A report published by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association earlier this year estimated that more than 47,000 bridges in the U.S. are structurally deficient and that the pace of bridge repair is slowing despite this fact.
“All across Oregon, I hear concerns from Oregonians about our nation’s crumbling infrastructure. With over half of the bridges in Oregon being more than half a century old, our state is particularly vulnerable,” Wyden, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, said. “The Bridge Investment Act will provide a critical boost of funding to improve safety and promote economic growth.”
The Bridge Investment Act will also guarantee an infrastructure package could go toward nationally significant large bridges, demand a new evaluation process for projects reaching for federal funding, reduce medium and small projects to a single application, and allow organizations of all sizes to apply for funding for states, Indian tribes or special purpose districts.
The legislation has been supported by various trade associations, including the American Society of Civil Engineers, the National League of Cities and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.