President Biden has announced a massive investment worth nearly $5 billion for various infrastructure projects across the United States. This substantial funding allocation was declared during his visit to Superior, Wisconsin, on Thursday.
The allocation broadly targets 37 crucial infrastructure projects sprouting across no less than 12 states in the country. A significant portion is devoted to attending to bridge structures, both for repairs and new constructions. Noteworthy investments encompass $600 million for the 1-5 bridge connecting Washington and Oregon, $372 million dedicated to the Sagamore Bridge located in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and a sturdy $1.06 billion for the replacement of the Blatnik Bridge that spans between Wisconsin and Minnesota. Interestingly, the announcement location is close to the said Blatnik Bridge.
Delighted with the development, Olivia Dalton, the Principal Deputy Press Secretary at the White House, referred to this as a "full-circle moment" for the president. Dalton elaborated, "He first visited the Blatnik Bridge about two years ago after the State of the Union in 2022 to talk about the important investments we're making through the bipartisan infrastructure law in America."
As part of this visit, President Biden also has planned meetings with local small business owners, who, according to the White House, stand to gain significantly from the newer Blatnik Bridge. The president will deliver remarks at 2 p.m. ET.
This announcement aligns with the administration’s plan to bolster infrastructure projects across the country, a focus which has been evident since he passed critical legislation like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act earlier in his presidency.
Adding to the preexisting commitment of more than $400 billion to around 40,000 infrastructure projects, this move demonstrates the administration’s support for comprehensive infrastructure development. The majority of the funding, approximately $2.8 billion, will be funneled towards projects in the country's rural areas, according to the White House.
Apart from bridges, the funds are also earmarked for an offshore wind project in California, a new container terminal for shipping vessels in Louisiana, and a rail improvement initiative in Nevada.
President Biden’s momentous visit to Wisconsin followed the endorsement he received from the United Auto Workers on Wednesday. "Joe Biden bet on the American worker while Donald Trump blamed the American worker," stated UAW President Shawn Fain during the UAW's political convention held in Washington, D.C. "We need to know who's gonna sit in the most powerful seat in the world and help us win as a united working class. So if our endorsements must be earned, Joe Biden has earned it."
