The Infrastructure Investment And Jobs Act Passed By Senate Democrats And Signed By President Biden Is Delivering For Communities Across America

Senate Democrats and officials from the Biden Administration recently announced new federal funding for state and local infrastructure projects, including from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program, passed as part of the historic bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

ARIZONA

KVOA 4 Tucson: Sec. Buttigieg announces rebuilding of 22nd Street bridge in Tucson. “U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was in Tucson Thursday morning with a major infrastructure announcement. Most Tucsonans know the 22nd Street bridge has needed repairs for years. Now, with help from a $25 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, it’s being rebuilt. ‘The 22nd Street bridge is part of a critical corridor between downtown Tucson and a number of historic and often disadvantaged communities to the east,’ Buttigieg said. Sec. Buttigieg was joined by Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, U.S. Senator for Arizona Mark Kelly and U.S. Representative for Arizona Ann Kirkpatrick to announce the project.” [KVOA 4 Tucson, 8/11/22]

AZCentral: Big effort for fiber cable in Arizona: $100M Corning factory planned in Gilbert, AT&T expanding service. “Corning Inc. will build a $100 million fiber-cabling factory in Gilbert that will employ 250 people and help AT&T deploy high-speed internet access, the companies announced on Tuesday. The factory news came amid a whirlwind day of economic-development promotion by U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., who joined the companies for their announcement at Mesa Community College amid stops at Arizona State University and the Intertribal Council of Arizona. The factory should open in 2024 and brings Corning’s investment in manufacturing to $500 million since 2020, according to the companies. The factory will occupy 317,000 square feet at Park Lucero, an industrial park near Gilbert Road and the Loop 202. Jobs at the facility will pay close to six figures, officials said.  Kelly credited the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress last year with helping bring the deal together. ‘We didn’t just want to expand high-speed internet, we wanted to put Arizonans to work in doing it, so we required more of the raw materials to be made in the United States,’ Kelly said to a small crowd at MCC. ‘And as a result, companies like Corning are announcing what they are doing here today, expanding fiber-optic, cable-manufacturing facilities right here in our state. That means more good-paying jobs for Arizonans. … That’s the infrastructure law at work.’” [AZCentral, 8/30/22]

KVOA 4 Tuscon: Arizona to receive $13.5 million investment to address PFAs in drinking water. “Arizona senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly announced on Monday that around $13.5 million will be invested to combat Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAs) in drinking water. PFAs, also known as ‘forever chemicals,’ are dangerous pollutants that can be found in drinking water sources. According to a press release from the office of Sen. Sinema, exposure to PFAs may negatively affect the growth and learning of infants, increase the risk of cancer, harm the immune system, and cause other adverse health effects. Senator Kelly commented on the situation, saying, ‘PFAS contamination is already an issue for groundwater across Arizona, including Tucson, the West Valley, Prescott and other communities. I’m glad to announce we secured $13 million from our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for our state and communities to protect our groundwater aquifers, clean up these contaminants, and protect public health’.” [KVOA 4 Tuscon, 9/19/22]

AZ Big Media: Flagstaff gets $32.4M for transportation and pedestrian infrastructure upgrades. “A historic $32,460,000 will be invested in transportation and pedestrian safety infrastructure in the City of Flagstaff from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law led by Senator Kyrsten Sinema and shaped by Senator Mark Kelly. The grant award, allocated by the U.S. Department of Transportation, delivers pedestrian safety improvements, supports roadway expansions, and improves public transportation infrastructure, as well as enables critical enhancements to freight and passenger rail infrastructure along the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF) Southern Transcontinental Corridor.” [AZ Big Media, 9/19/22]

CALIFORNIA

Press-Telegram: Port of LA, Inglewood $35 million combined in federal transportation grants. “The Port of Los Angeles and Inglewood will receive multimillion-dollar grants from a U.S. Department of Transportation program to rebuild infrastructure, and Sens. Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein said on Wednesday, Aug. 10, that it will improve safety and benefit the California economy. The grants are part of a program funding eight local governments, transit agencies and tribes in California. The money — more than $119 million combined for the eight entities — comes from a discretionary grant program called Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, otherwise known as RAISE. The Port of Los Angeles’s Maritime Support Facility Access/Terminal Island Rail System Project will receive $20 million for construction of a four-lane rail roadway grade separation on Terminal Island, at the center of the twin San Pedro Bay complex. The Inglewood Transit Center Project will receive $15 million for an approximately 1.6-mile transit system with three stations along Market Street, Manchester Boulevard and Prairie Avenue.” [Press-Telegram, 8/10/22]

Sierra Sun Times: U.S. Senator Alex Padilla and Governor Gavin Newsom Announce $150 Million to Modernize Port of Entry Infrastructure Along California-Mexico Border. “U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works—announced on Sunday that the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) will receive a $150 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to support the construction of the new Otay Mesa East land port of entry and related transportation infrastructure along the California-Mexico border in San Diego County.” … “’The Otay Mesa East Port of Entry is one of California’s highest priority infrastructure projects – a state-of-the-art facility that will reduce wait times, curb greenhouse gas emissions, power economic growth, enhance regional mobility and bolster international trade along the busiest border region in the Western Hemisphere,’ said Governor Gavin Newsom. ‘I want to thank Sen. Padilla for his support for this project and the Biden-Harris Administration for recognizing its transformative potential with this crucial investment made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.’” [Sierra Sun Times, 9/12/22]

COLORADO

The Gazette: Colorado transportation projects granted nearly $46M in federal funding. “Three transportation projects in Colorado will receive nearly $46 million in federal funding from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program. Of the funds, $4.7 million will go to the Rio Grande Intermodal Transportation Project in Alamosa, $16.8 million will go to the Side Connector Project in Pueblo, and $24.2 million will go to the Westward Three Project in Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs and Rifle, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Wednesday. ‘These exciting federal grants build upon our work at the state level to fix our roads, making it easier, safer and faster for Coloradans to get where they need to go,” said Gov. Jared Polis. “We are excited to use this federal support to expand transit options in Grand Junction, Rifle and Glenwood Springs, update the Alamosa pedestrian connection, fix the roundabout in Pueblo, and provide real results to Coloradans to reduce traffic and improve convenience.’ The RAISE grant program was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — passed in 2021 to invest $550 billion in roads, bridges, mass transit and more through 2026. The law provided $7.5 billion to the RAISE grant program to fund transportation projects throughout the country over the next five years, with $1.5 billion to be allocated this year.” [The Gazette, 8/10/22]

GEORGIA

Saporta Report: MARTA Awarded Federal Grant For Five Points Station Transformation. “MARTA has been awarded a $25 million grant through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program to help transform the exterior of Five Points rail station in downtown Atlanta. The Five Points Transformation Project includes structural upgrades that will improve connectivity, boost safety, and enhance the quality of life for downtown residents and Atlanta’s ten million annual visitors. Additionally, the modernization will accelerate $10 billion in private investment and serve as a catalyst for attracting hundreds of millions of dollars in potential transit-oriented development in an area that has suffered from under-investment.” … “The approximately $200 million project is primarily funded through the More MARTA Atlanta sales tax, with an additional commitment from the State through the Georgia Transit Trust Fund and the $25 million RAISE grant made possible by the continued support of our Federal Delegation, namely Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock, Senator Jon Ossoff, and Congresswoman Nikema Williams.” [Saporta Report, 8/15/22]

WRDW: Augusta Transit gets federal funds to buy electric buses. “Augusta Transit has been awarded a more than $6.25 million federal grant to support the adoption of battery electric-powered buses. According to Augusta Transit Director Sharon Dottery, Augusta will move forward with partnering with battery-electric bus company GILLIG to replace five of the agency’s traditional fuel buses. The funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fiscal Year 2022 Low or No Emission Vehicle Program, which helps state and local governments purchase or lease zero-emission and low-emission transit buses as well as acquire and construct support facilities. The funding passed with legislative support from Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.” [WRDW, 8/16/22]

CBS 46: MARTA getting $19 million in federal grants to buy electric buses, charging equipment. “MARTA is receiving more than $19 million to buy electric buses and charging equipment under a series of grants announced by the White House Tuesday morning. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced $1.66 billion in grants to transit agencies, territories, and states across the nation to invest in 150 bus fleets and facilities. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the White House said more than 1,100 of those vehicles will use zero-emissions technology, which reduces air pollution and helps meet President Joe Biden’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. MARTA’s allotment of $19,302,650 in grants will be used to replace older buses. The White House said the project will improve air quality in metro Atlanta and bolster the transit workforce by supporting a two-year apprenticeship program and collaborations with local technical colleges.” [CBS 46, 8/16/22]

MONTANA

Hungry Horse News: Tester announces Columbia Falls will receive $10 million grant. “Columbia Falls will see more than $10 million in federal funding to rebuild part of 13th Street West and Fourth Avenue West to better serve the high school and the new Glacier Gateway Elementary School. Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, announced Monday the city was successful in obtaining a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Tester was the lone vote from Montana’s Congressional delegation to support the bipartisan infrastructure law. ‘As Columbia Falls continues to boom, it’s critical that the city has up to date infrastructure to support its rapid growth,’ Tester said Tuesday. ‘Through my bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act we’ve been able to grow the RAISE program, and in turn help support our gateway communities like Columbia Falls. These investments will make it easier for folks to operate small businesses, get to work or school on time, and travel around some of Montana’s most sacred natural treasures.’” [Hungry Horse News, 8/10/22]

NEVADA

This Is Reno: Fernley’s ‘Victory Project’ receives $25 million grant. “With the awarding of a $25 million federal grant, Fernley’s logistic hub received a big boost Wednesday to connect Interstate 80 to U.S. Highway 50, expand the dual access of two rail lines and become an important supply chain hub. U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, along with Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy Carlos Monje, Fernley Mayor Roy Edgington Jr., and other local and state leaders touted the grant for the Victory Project that will increase the efficiency of the supply chain, make goods more affordable and expand logistics and manufacturing capacity throughout the region.” … “The Fernley grant, which is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provides Fernley with the means to be an integral hub in the West for the distribution of goods. The grant will complete a major link between two major federal highways by funding road, bridge and rail improvements; creating an inland port designed for additional rail capacity; increasing the efficiency of the supply chain; and helping lower the cost of goods leaving Fernley.” [This Is Reno, 8/25/22]

KOLO 8: Millions in federal grant funds for Harry Reid Airport announced. “Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen announced nearly $10 million in federal grant funds for Harry Reid International Airport. The two grants will help update the airport’s infrastructure and help reduce its carbon footprint. One of those grants invests almost $7 million to rebuild and revamp the airport’s runway infrastructure. The other federal grant invests more than $3 million to help promote zero-emission vehicle use at the airport. ‘Today, I’m proud to announce that Harry Reid International Airport will receive nearly $10 million dollars in federal funding to improve its runway infrastructure and help reduce its carbon footprint,’ said Senator Rosen. ‘Nevada’s airports are critical to our state’s travel and tourism economy, and I will always continue working to make sure our airports have the resources they need.’” [KOLO 8, 8/25/22]

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Seacoastonline: ‘This is transformational’: COAST to receive $7.7 million to build new facility in Dover. “As COAST, the Seacoast’s regional bus transportation service, enters its 40th year, it is preparing to build a new operations, maintenance and administrative facility, funded in large part by $7.7 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, and Congressman Chris Pappas were among those legislators instrumental in getting the $7.7 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to improve public transportation in the Seacoast region.” … “’I am really excited about this announcement,’ said Rad Nichols, Executive Director, Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation (COAST), who learned of the grant award on Saturday. ‘For an organization like ours, this is transformational.’” [Seacoastonline, 8/16/22]

myChamplainValley.com: Buttigieg presents funding to Berlin to improve infrastructure. “U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and New Hampshire lawmakers were in Berlin on Friday to present $19.5 million in federal funding to the city, aimed to both ensure the safety of travelers in the town, and boost their economy. With over 200 bridges and nearly 700 miles of highway in need of repairs in New Hampshire, the road and sidewalks in the state’s northernmost city will soon be getting a makeover. The roadways and sidewalks in Berlin’s downtown will be torn up in the coming years so the snowmelt system can be installed using waste heat from the Burgess BioPower biomass plant, along with later putting in new streets and sidewalks. Buttigieg says the project shows an innovation that Berlin residents should be excited about. ‘You’ve got byproducts of the process in the form of that biomass, that wood, that would otherwise sit on the forest floor untouched. Now we have energy from the plant that would otherwise be vented off into the atmosphere, being piped into the downtown.’ Berlin was one of just 116 nationwide applications approved for federal funding through the Department of Transportation’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development grant program. Buttigieg said New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan’s advocacy for Berlin was vital in getting the funding approved under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. She thinks the new infrastructure will allow Berlin’s economy and businesses to thrive by creating better access for consumers. ‘It’s going to encourage more residents and visitors alike to patronize main street’s small businesses.’” [myChamplainValley.com, 8/26/22]

NEW YORK

The Record: Schumer, Gillibrand, Tonko secure $25M for 12 new CDTA clean electric buses. “U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko recently announced $25,417,053 from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Low and No Emission Vehicle Grant Program for the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA). The lawmakers explained that this funding is a direct result of transportation funding increases they secured in the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law, and will allow the CDTA to purchase 12 new electric buses and expand their charging infrastructure to reduce emissions, fight climate change, and give Capital Region residents a cleaner commute.” [The Record, 8/16/22]

Mass Transit: NY: Rhinecliff train station to get more than $28 million in federal aid, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer announces. “More than $28 million in federal dollars has been secured by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer in an effort to overhaul the Rhinecliff train station. Schumer, a Democrat, announced the $28,222,897 in funding in a press release issued Monday. The funding will go towards the state’s work in overhauling the train station that has been in severe disrepair for more than 15 years, the press release said. In early 2020, Schumer said, he began fighting to secure the federal dollars needed for Amtrak and the state to undertake federally mandated Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ‘infrastructure upgrades and modernizations the station required for its hundreds of thousands of commuters each year,’ according to the release. The revamped station will replace the existing 520-foot-long low-level platform with a new, longer and safer high-level platform, along with other much-needed infrastructure and accessibility upgrades, the release said.” [Mass Transit, 8/23/22]

NY Daily News: Infrastructure bill nets $110M for Hunts Point Market in Bronx. “The bipartisan infrastructure package signed by President Biden in November will secure $110 million for the redevelopment of a sprawling produce market in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office said Friday. The funding for the Hunts Point Produce Market will help make the facility more eco-friendly, adding electric vehicle charging stations and about 800,000 square feet of refrigerated warehouse space topped by solar panels or a green roof, according to Schumer’s office. The 112-acre, half-century-old produce market is a key cog in New York’s food supply chain that offers work for thousands of employees. It provides about an estimated 25% of New York City’s produce, according to Schumer’s office. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), a Bronx progressive, celebrated the procurement of the cash, presenting it as a major moment in the modernization of New York’s northernmost borough. ‘These funds will help increase food security, meet growing food demands, maintain and produce new good-paying jobs, reduce diesel emissions, and so much more,’ Schumer said in a statement.” [NY Daily News, 9/9/22]

Long Island Business News: MacArthur gets $14M in federal funding. “Long Island MacArthur Airport is receiving $14 million in federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Allocated by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Terminal Program, the funding will be used for terminal and energy-efficiency upgrades. The airport serves more than 1.5 million passengers each year and supports more than 6,000 local jobs. The airport ‘needs to be safe, modern, and efficient in order to facilitate tourism and spur local economic growth,’ Sen. Kristen Gillibrand said in a statement after her recent visit to the airport. The funding will upgrade the Main Terminal Building utilities as well as the fire and life safety systems to comply with current building codes and provide greater energy efficiency. The project includes the installation of a new generator to ensure continuous and efficient operation of the Main Terminal Building and Maintenance Building.” [Long Island Business News, 9/19/22]

OHIO

Mansfield News Journal: Mansfield awarded nearly $7.5M in federal Department of Transportation grant. “U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, D-OH, announced Tuesday that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded a nearly $7.5 million grant to the city of Mansfield through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Transportation Discretionary Grants program, which was scaled up in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that Brown helped write and pass last year.” … “The Mansfield project will renovate the downtown area from First Street to Fifth Street by updating LED street lighting, installing new curbs and curb ramps that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, concrete sidewalks, brick pavers, delineated crosswalks, lighted plazas with seating, reestablishing two-way traffic to support local business, and providing on-street parking. Aging water and sewer infrastructure will also be replaced.” [Mansfield News Journal, 8/9/22]

Cleveland.com: Sandusky lands $24.5 million federal grant to improve U.S. 6 into Cedar Point, expand bikeway. “Traveling to Cedar Point and the rest of Sandusky from the Cleveland area should get easier in a few years, thanks to the rebuilding of U.S. 6 east of the city, which was awarded a major $24.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The funding, announced last week, will also make it easier to bike into and around town. The grant, part of the competitive Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program, will fund improvements along a six-mile stretch of U.S. 6 (Cleveland Road) from U.S. 250 to Rye Beach Road and Ohio 2, east of town.” [Cleveland.com, 8/15/22]

WSAZ: Ironton to receive $2 million for infrastructure upgrades. “The city of Ironton will soon receive a $2 million grant to make necessary roadway and water infrastructure upgrades to help attract new businesses to the area. U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) made the announcement Tuesday morning, along with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. The grant money is being awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) $300 million Coal Communities Commitment, included in the American Rescue Plan, legislation that Sen. Brown helped write and pass. According to a news release, the grant will provide for reliable water service and the redevelopment of South Third Street, supporting industrial growth in the South Ironton Industrial Park. The grant money will be matched with $734,374 in local funds and is expected to create 360 jobs, retain 30 jobs and generate $22 million in private investment.” [WSAZ, 8/16/22]

WFMJ: East Palestine awarded $250,000 for waterline replacement project. “U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown announced on Thursday that the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded a grant of $250,000 to the village of East Palestine for a waterline replacement project. The project will replace 18,800 feet of waterlines to fix the original lines that experience breakages, leaks, and other issues, including a health hazard posed by parts of the lines containing lead. The improvements will support the economic activity of 155 businesses and help improve the area’s quality of life for 1,892 households. Local resources will provide $4,971,317, and state resources will provide $1,000,000, bringing the total project funding to $6,221,317. Funding for this project was made possible through the bipartisan Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Senator Brown helped write and pass.” [WFMJ, 8/19/22]

OREGON

The Corvallis Advocate: EPA Administrator Visits Oregon Communities Impacted By Climate Chaos. “At Oregon U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley’s invitation, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan visited Oregon on Thursday, Aug. 11, to see first-hand how communities in the state are handling climate chaos. Along with Oregon’s U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Senator Merkley and Administrator Regan visited a community farm in Gresham to discuss the impacts of extreme heat, and announced new investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will support toxics reduction in the Columbia River.” [The Corvallis Advocate, 8/15/22]

PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Philly gets $25M federal grant to fix its most dangerous streets. “Philadelphia has received $25 million to fix some of the city’s most dangerous streets in underserved areas by upgrading traffic signals, adding new paving, signage, speed bumps and by fixing potholes. The funding is for the “Great Streets PHL,” project to make safety improvements on dangerous roads in historically underserved communities suffering from persistent poverty. The money comes from a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability & Equity Grant (RAISE), funded by the Infrastructure and Jobs Act. ‘We are here to talk about safety. This is a huge investment for the city of Philadelphia, especially communities that have historically been left out of the infrastructure investments,’ U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., said during a Friday news conference in the city. ‘By making these roads safer for drivers and pedestrians alike, we are making neighborhoods across Philadelphia safer places to live work and play,’ Casey said.” [Pennsylvania Capital-Star, 8/22/22]

90.5 WESA: Federal officials hail Pennsylvania dam renovation as a boost to local, national economy. “Federal officials gathered at Beaver County’s Montgomery Dam Tuesday, hailing a nearly $860 million rehabilitation project as an investment in the local and national economy — one that will pay dividends for years after the work is finished next decade. ‘We cannot move commerce, we cannot move commodities unless these locks and dams are repaired,’ said U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Penn., at a press conference after touring the Ohio River lock and dam. Ensuring the facility’s future ‘affects the entire country,’ he said. ‘But obviously, and especially, it affects the men and women who live in this county and in this region.’” … “‘As someone who voted for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, because not everybody in our delegation did,’ Casey stressed, ‘there wouldn’t have been a bill if it weren’t for one person. The President of the United States, President Joseph R. Biden, led the effort to get the infrastructure bill on the table. Presidents for generations in my lifetime have talked about it, but one president got it done.’” [90.5 WESA, 8/24/22]

RHODE ISLAND

The Center Square: Electric vehicle charging plan gains federal approval. “A Rhode Island plan to install electric vehicle charging stations throughout the state has gained federal approval. The Biden administration green-lighted the state’s plan to build electric vehicle infrastructure that was filed by the state’s Department of Transportation, Gov. Dan McKee said. ‘Electric vehicle charging station infrastructure is a critical component of our plan to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector to achieve the objectives of the Act on Climate,’ McKee said in a release. ‘This federal funding will help us expand our existing network of electric vehicle charging stations, making it easier than ever for electric vehicle drivers to find a place to charge.’ Rhode Island will receive $3.8 million in federal dollars through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in fiscal year 2023, and is set to receive an additional $22.9 million over the next five years to support the program through the Federal Highway’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program.” [The Center Square, 9/19/22]

VIRGINIA

WAVY.com: Millions of federal aid coming to Portsmouth to revitalize High St., combat gun violence. “City leaders and congressional reps visited Downtown Portsmouth to announce a wave of aid coming from the federal government. Over $19 million has been awarded to the city for the Complete High Street Innovation Corridor as part of funding allocated from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in the fall of 2021. Almost $200,000 has been awarded to the Friends of Portsmouth Juvenile Court to develop ways to invest in communities and combat gun violence. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine and Congressman Bobby Scott joined Portsmouth leaders for a press conference to announce the funding. Sen. Kaine said the push for support from Congress to help revitalize the High Street corridor started with an idea. ‘Can we extend this really kind of pleasant High Street all the way to the MLK, create bike lanes, create better pedestrian access for everyday folks?’ [WAVY.com, 8/30/22]

WASHINGTON

The Spokesman-Review: Washington Sen. Patty Murray tours Longview port after influx of federal grants for green projects. “The Port of Longview’s ongoing rail expansion efforts and continued worldwide supply chain issues took the forefront at a roundtable discussion U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., hosted Wednesday afternoon in Longview. Murray toured the Longview port during a series of roundtable discussions with agency leaders across the state about how they are using their federal dollars for projects benefiting infrastructure and port capacity. ‘I just think there are amazing opportunities here and I love that you’re thinking about them and planning for them,’ Murray told port leaders. ‘And I want to do my part.’ The visit came after President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed into law a bill dubbed the Inflation Reduction Act to, in part, fight climate change and likely direct billions of dollars nationally into green transportation and infrastructure. Murray earlier this year also supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which invested $450 million across the state in port infrastructure projects that would focus on cutting greenhouse gas emissions and reducing environmental impacts on the community.” … “The Industrial Rail Corridor Expansion, which port officials say will eventually triple rail capacity by building new tracks that connect the main line to the terminals, is one project boosted by those federal grants. Last year, lawmakers helped secure $2.5 million toward the project. The expansion last year also got a $16 million grant through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity package.” [The Spokesman-Review, 8/19/22]

Transportation Today: Federal dollars led to completion of West Seattle bridge repair, Cantwell says. “U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined Seattle leaders on Friday to celebrate the reopening of the West Seattle Bridge. Repairs to the bridge will eliminate detours and long commutes, said Cantwell, chair of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, noting that federal funds were instrumental in completing the $66.94 million project. More than half the funds, $37.65 million, came from federal sources. ‘Come this Sunday, the nightmare of this congestion is coming to an end,’ Cantwell said. ‘We heard from people on (the) Vashon Island and Southworth ferries about how hard it was to get to their jobs and get to their medical appointments. Without the bridge, drivers lost their direct route and they had to really jam through the freight traffic of East Marginal Way… West Seattle felt the worst of the pain with its residents, but it also slowed down a supply chain that was critical to moving goods in the Northwest.’ Of the funding, more than $11 million came from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program – a program that helps local communities pay for nationally and regionally significant projects – created by Cantwell in 2015.” [Transportation Today, 9/20/22]

WISCONSIN

Wisconsin Examiner: Baldwin spotlights infrastructure law, climate bill on visit to Madison factory. “Fresh from a marathon weekend in which Senate Democrats moved long-awaited budget legislation to address climate change across the finish line, Sen. Tammy Baldwin paid a visit Tuesday to the place where the rubber meets the road.  Or the electrons meet the vehicle. At Franklin Electric, a manufacturing plant on the far southeastern edge of Madison that makes a key component for electric vehicle charging stations, Baldwin highlighted the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law’s investment in national capacity to charge electric cars along with the new budget bill’s incentives to encourage more people to buy electric vehicles. ‘Not only are we making long-overdue investments in our roads, bridges, rail and broadband and water infrastructure,’ Baldwin said, ‘we’re also making a historic investment in expanding our green infrastructure.’” [Wisconsin Examiner, 8/10/22]

WAOW: Sen. Baldwin visits Antigo to promote women in trucking initiative. “Senator Tammy Baldwin made a trip to Antigo Wednesday, aiming to get more women behind the wheels of a big rig. According to the American Trucking Associations, the industry hit a record high shortage of 80,000 drivers last year, which has not helped supply chain issues. Tim Kordula, the administrator of Karl’s Transport’s CDL school in Antigo believes women could be the answer. ‘Women have taken a backseat in this industry, and there’s no reason to,’ he said. ‘They make just as good of drivers as men.’ Some in Washington agree. Baldwin hopping in the cab herself, discussing the launch of a new Women in Trucking advisory board. It’s part of legislation she introduced in 2019 that was passed as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law last year. ‘We hope that that will inform transportation policy but that it will also be a very useful product for private trucking companies and local governments,’ Baldwin said.” [WAOW, 8/17/22]

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