President Biden’s Infrastructure Plan NC Will Benefit

The U.S. House passed a key part of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda Friday, delivering an infrastructure package that is estimated to bring nearly $9 billion in federal funds to North Carolina over the next five years. The bipartisan infrastructure plan includes money for highway programs, bridge replacement, public transportation, electric vehicles, and broadband internet. It also seeks to address generations of racist infrastructure design and impact, including the practice of carving up predominantly black neighborhoods with highways, cutting them off from resources and devaluing property.

All five Democrats in NC’s congressional delegation voted for the measure, while all eight Republicans representing our state voted against it.

“This wouldn’t have been possible without representatives and senators, labor members, climate activists, safety advocates, business leaders, civil rights groups, health advocates, and US Department of Transportation staff,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, tweeting that the deal is a “chance to do right by future generations.”

“The vast majority of the jobs created by my Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal don’t require a college degree,” tweeted President Biden. “This is a blue-collar blueprint for our country.”

At least 1.1 million North Carolina households currently lack access to high-speed internet, can’t afford it, or don’t have the skills needed to take advantage of the digital economy, according to the North Carolina Department of Information Technology. The majority of counties in our state have less than 65% broadband availability.

Under Biden’s Infrastructure Deal, NC is estimated to receive:

• At least $100 million to provide broadband coverage. That figure could help at least 424,000 NC residents who lack internet access receive it. More than 30% of people in the state would be eligible for a benefit that helps low-income families afford internet access

• $7.2 billion for highway programs and another $457 million for bridge replacement and repairs through congressional funding formula

• $911 million to improve public transit options

• $109 million over the next five years to expand an electric vehicle (EV) charging network. NC could also apply for some of the $2.5 billion in grant funding for EV charging that is currently included in the bill