Expensive and Controversial Infrastructure Project Driven by Progressive Policies of President Biden
The Brent Spence Bridge, connecting Covington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio, is a bustling transportation hub, with more than 150,000 vehicles crossing it daily. In January 2023, President Joe Biden stood before this iconic structure and declared that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) would finally get the bridge project done.
The BIL, signed in November 2021, was a historic piece of legislation, but it was also the least bipartisan transportation bill in history, drawing backing from just 19 Senate Republicans and only 13 House Republicans. The law allocated funds for a wide range of projects, from bicycle paths to stormwater diversion projects, and even a bat-conservation fund.
However, less than a third of the BIL's funding went to roads, and only about half supported traditional surface transportation projects. This shift in focus towards non-traditional projects, combined with new regulations, has raised concerns about the cost of infrastructure projects. The Federal Highway Administration estimated that complying with the new rules could raise the bill for highway building by as much as $700 million annually.
One such regulation is the requirement for state and local transportation agencies to demand local hiring preferences when issuing contracts. This could potentially increase expenses. The Biden administration also pushed state and local governments getting BIL funds to sign the Equity in Infrastructure Project Pledge, committing them to expand contracting opportunities for minority-owned firms.
The BIL also significantly expanded Buy America mandates for material used in infrastructure projects, driving up costs substantially. For instance, $3.5 billion from the BIL went to California's high-speed rail program, now reduced to a limited line between Merced and Bakersfield, which has been under construction for a decade and is not expected to be completed for another.
Despite these challenges, the BIL did allocate funds for the Brent Spence Bridge. $1.6 billion was allocated from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to build a companion bridge and reconfigure the existing one, but construction on the new span wasn't scheduled to begin for another year and wasn't projected to finish for another 11 years.
As of when Biden left office, ground had still not been broken on the new Brent Spence Bridge due to environmental lawsuits and debates over how to spend the funds equitably. The leadership of the Federal Highway Administration in the Biden administration is not specified in the provided search results.
The Biden administration, however, has been clear about its goals for the BIL. An executive order outlined progressive goals, including maintaining high labor standards, expanding opportunities for union membership, and combating climate change. The administration also created the Equitable Transportation Community Explorer, an online tool to help the federal government and its grantees allocate more resources to disadvantaged communities.
In conclusion, the BIL represents a significant shift in the approach to infrastructure development in the United States. While it has faced criticism for its focus on non-traditional projects and the potential increase in costs, it also aims to address long-standing issues of inequality and environmental degradation. The impact of the BIL on projects like the Brent Spence Bridge will be closely watched in the coming years.
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