How the American Job Plan could impact Alabama infrastructure

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - Costly, but a commonsense investment, that’s what the Biden Administration is calling the newly revealed American Job Plan.

The president called his proposed bill a “once in a generation” investment in America’s future. $2 trillion is expected to be invested into repairing and rebuilding bridges, highways and roads.

Infrastructure in Alabama is ranked one of the lowest in the country.

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the state earned an overall grade of C- and it’s a D+ when it comes to Alabama roads.

“We want to get the share Alabama deserves because we have 2,000 bridges that are condemned,” said Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville. “Our roads need a lot of work. So, our state needs some infrastructure help.”

Tuberville believes Alabama needs serious improvements when it comes to our roads, bridges, and dams.

The plan President Biden outlined Wednesday includes roughly $2 trillion in spending over eight years and would raise the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% to fund it.

While the senator doesn’t disagree infrastructure in Alabama needs work, he doesn’t necessarily agree with the president’s plan to increase taxes.

“Infrastructure is a lot of money. I wish we would have spent the money from instead of COVID on infrastructure.”

The proposal would put $621 billion into transportation infrastructure such as bridges, roads and public transit. It aims to revamp 20,000 miles of roads and highways and repair 10,000 bridges nationwide.

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, 11% of Alabama roads are in poor conditions. Each driver pays more than $400 per year in cost associated with driving on roads in need of repair.

Across the state, more than 220 dams are considered “high hazard” and more than 16,000 bridges in Alabama have been deemed structurally deficient.

“We will have to do as much as we possibly can, if it passes, to get as much as we can for Alabama.”

“This is a moment for the United States to decide,” said Pete Buttigieg the United States Transportation Secretary. “Are we, in fact, going to continue to lead the world, or are we going to be just another country. If we want to lead the world, we have to have world class infrastructure for the American people.”

A spokesperson for Governor Kay Ivey’s office told 48 News “we are still closely reviewing the plan and working with appropriate state and federal partners to determine what this means for Alabama.”

The president said he will unveil a second part of his recovery package, in a few weeks.

Democrats hopes to have this bill passed by early July. If approved, the Biden Administration said this bill could create million of new jobs throughout the country.

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