Earlier this month, U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D-Iowa) and U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) introduced the bipartisan Fixing America’s Bridges Act, which would re-establish a federal funding program to help repair and replace structurally deficient local bridges, many of which are owned by municipalities that have trouble affording necessary maintenance.
Funds would be set aside to help locally-owned bridges that aren’t part of the federal aid highway system, and the federal cost-share for local bridges would increase to 90 percent.
“Having visited many of our local structurally deficient bridges, I know first-hand how big of an impact we can make by securing much-needed help for our communities,” Finkenauer said in a press release announcing the bill. “Our local engineers and communities are sending us a clear message they need help, and we can do that while making our infrastructure safer and supporting good-paying American jobs. I thank Congressman Higgins for partnering with me as we deliver critical aid to our communities that desperately need their bridges to be fixed.”
“Investing in safe and reliable infrastructure promotes economic growth and benefits our communities,” Higgins said in the press release. “This certainly includes America’s bridges. Our legislation expands federal infrastructure resources and prioritizes bridge replacement based on structural integrity. Reestablishing the Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program would greatly benefit many bridges in Louisiana, including the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge.”