About the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

On August 10, 2021, the US Senate voted to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (HR 3684), to invest in the nation's infrastructure, including funding for roads and bridges, rail, transit, ports, airports, electric grid, water systems, broadband, and other priorities. The legislation will provide $1.2 trillion in total spending over five years, totaling $550 billion in new spending. It represents the largest investment in our nation’s infrastructure in nearly a century.  

 

 

The following is a summary of some of the ways the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Act) will impact Massachusetts. This information is from the fact sheet provided on The White House web site, located at the following address: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/MASSACHUSETTS_Infrastructure-Investment-and-Jobs-Act-State-Fact-Sheet.pdf.

 

Repair and rebuild roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all users, including cyclists and pedestrians. In Massachusetts, there are 472 bridges and over 1,194 miles of highway in poor condition. Since 2011, commute times have increased by 10.9% and on average, each driver pays $620 per year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair. The Act is the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system.

 

Based on formula funding alone, Massachusetts would expect to receive $4.2 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $1.1 billion for bridge replacement and repairs over five years.

 

Massachusetts can also compete for the $12.5 billion Bridge Investment Program for economically significant bridges and nearly $16 billion of national funding in the bill dedicated for major projects that will deliver substantial economic benefits to communities.

 

Improve healthy, sustainable transportation options for millions of Americans. Bay Staters who take public transportation spend an extra 52.9% of their time commuting and non-white households are two times more likely to commute via public transportation. Twenty-three percent of transit vehicles in the state are past useful life.

 

Based on formula funding alone, Massachusetts would expect to receive $2.5 billion over five years to improve public transportation options across the state.

 

Deliver clean drinking water and eliminate lead service lines and pipes. Currently, up to 10 million American households and 400,000 schools and childcare centers lack safe drinking water.

 

Based on the traditional state revolving fund formula, Massachusetts will expect to receive $1.1 billion over five years to improve water infrastructure across the state and ensure that clean, safe drinking water is a right in all communities.

 

Prepare more of our infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, cyberattacks, and extreme weather events. From 2010 to 2020, Massachusetts has experienced 14 extreme weather events, costing the state up to $5 billion in damages.

 

Based on historical formula funding levels, Massachusetts will expect to receive $5.8 million over five years to protect against wildfires and $15.7 million to protect against cyberattacks. Massachusetts will also benefit from the bill’s historic $3.5 billion national investment in weatherization which will reduce energy costs for families.

 

Improve our nation’s airports. Under the Act, airports in Massachusetts would receive approximately $244 million for infrastructure development for airports over five years.

 

Based on the fact sheet, Massachusetts can expect the following funding over the next 5 years based on formula funding alone: