Harris Revels New Federal Investments in Bridge Infrastructure
Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks by the 14th Street Bridge (Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge) in Washington, DC on April 13, 2023 after announcing a $40 billion investment to repair 15,000 bridges across the country. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson).
This was the final stop and concluded the Investing in America tour that has lapsed over the course of three weeks.
Article by Georgia Simon, Associate White House Reporter
WASHINGTON - On Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris visited the Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C., to celebrate President Biden’s Investing in America plan that continues to expand throughout the country.
“Vice President Harris and senior administration officials will announce nearly $300 million for nine bridge projects in both rural and urban areas in eight states and the District of Columbia, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Bridge Investment Program,” the White House said in a statement. “These bridges serve over 230,000 vehicles combined per day, and the investments will save taxpayers time and money by reducing congestion and making long-overdue improvements.”
As of right now, there have been more than 4,600 funded “bridge repair and replacement projects” in different areas all over the United States.
Throughout the almost month-long tour, President Biden, Vice President Harris and around 20 Biden-Harris Administration executives traveled through 25 states and more than 50 different cities to speak on the president's successful plans.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan are just a few examples of the many differentiating ways that Biden-Harris Administration programs have seemed to benefit local citizens.
“The nearly $300 million announced today will go to nine bridge projects that serve over 230,000 vehicles combined per day. The projects include the repair, rehabilitation, and/or replacement of the following bridge projects,” the White House said.
$435 billion has been poured into Investing in America for “private sector manufacturing investments” which has “funded 23,000 infrastructure projects across 4,500 cities and towns.” This has also increased the start-up of small businesses and created 12 million jobs.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has committed $40 billion to help restore various bridges in different sectors across the country. Some examples include the Palm Avenue Overcrossing Bridge in San Diego, California, the Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge in Albany, New York, the Burgard Bridge in Portland, Oregon and the John Nolen Drive Bridges in Madison, Wisconsin. This funding will not only repair notable bridges but also around 15,000 small-scale bridges as well.
The Biden-Harris Administration also added the fact that “Vice President Harris brought together Democrats, Independents, and Republicans to pass the most transformative investment in transportation infrastructure since passage of the Eisenhower-era Interstate Highway Act of 1956.”
New bridges across all regions will be composed to help keep a vital connection for first responders. The funding will create an easier experience for truck drivers, transit riders, and various emergency response teams throughout the country.