Infrastructure Bill: Where’s the Money Going?
This Bill will provide roughly $1.2 trillion to states and local governments to upgrade outdated roads, bridges, transit systems, provide high-speed broadband internet to rural areas, and more. About $550 billion of the total Bill amount will go toward new spending above baseline levels. The following breakdown represents the program provisions corresponding to industries affected by the Bill.
Roads, Bridges, and Major Projects—$110 Billion
A whopping $110 Billion dollars is being allocated to revamp roads, bridges, and other major projects. This is good news because 43% of public roadways in the U.S. are in poor or mediocre condition, a number that has unfortunately remained stagnant in recent years.
A portion of the $110 Billion dollars will go toward reauthorizing surface transportation programs. Plus, some will be invested in additional funding to repair roads and bridges and support major transformational projects. All the money in this portion of the Bill is huge for contractors looking for roadwork projects and project owners looking for proposals. These types of projects can be posted and found here: https://questcdn.com/.
Public Transportation—$39 Billion
$39 Billion from the Infrastructure Bill will be used to repair public transit infrastructure (buses, railcars, stations, tracks, signals, and power systems). Some of the money will be used to replace deficient transit vehicles, including buses with clean, zero-emission vehicles. The government is also investing in modernizing transit systems to reduce greenhouse emissions.
Plenty of projects will be created with these funds. Contractors searching for repair projects on public transit infrastructure will have a ton of work they can find. Plus, project owners won’t have to look far to find the right bidders.
Passenger and Freight Rail—$66 Billion
With this money, the government is hoping to eliminate the Amtrak maintenance backlog. The Northeast Corridor will be modernized. These funds will bring reliable rail services to areas outside the northeast and mid-Atlantic. The number of railway projects will increase as the government looks to bolster the nation’s railroads.
Airports—$25 Billion
$25 Billion is going to repair airports throughout the country and reduce maintenance backlogs. Efforts will be made to reduce congestion and emissions near airports and drive electrification along with other low carbon technologies.
QuestCDN hosts airport construction projects on its digital bidding platform. With the money allocated toward airport repairs, the number of projects on the platform should increase. Find projects here: https://questcdn.com/.
Ports and Waterways—$16 Billion
Projects to upgrade port infrastructure and waterways will be funded with this money. Additionally, projects to reduce congestion and emissions near ports and waterways will be created. Just like with airport projects, efforts will be made to drive electrification and other low carbon technologies.
With all this money going toward ports and waterways, it’s important to track and get involved with these projects. BuildCentral makes it easy to track down and keep an eye on projects like these. Find out more here: https://www.buildcentral.com/.
Water—$62 Billion
Important water projects will be executed with the money from the Bill. Funds will go toward expanding access to clean drinking water for U.S. citizens. Investments made in water quality infrastructure and replacing lead service pipes will be made. The government will address evolving contaminants in drinking water.
Clean Energy and Power—$73 Billion
Clean energy transmissions and grids will be delivered. Projects to build miles of new resilient transmission lines will be created while expanding renewables and clean energy. This chunk of cash will fund new programs to deploy clean energy technologies to reach zero-emissions.
BuildCentral has information on many clean energy projects. There is also a ton of data available on clean energy initiatives and jobs ranging from solar and wind farm projects to hydropower plant work available through BuildCentral. Find out more here: https://www.buildcentral.com/renewable-energy-oil-gas-mining-leads/.
Electric Vehicles, Buses, and Ferries—$15 Billion
As vehicle manufacturers turn to electric-powered forms of transportation, the government is doing its part to fight climate change. A portion of this money will be used to build and expand a national network of EV charging stations. Highway corridors will have EV chargers installed along them. Emissions will be reduced, improving air quality.
Broadband—$65 Billion
This money will ensure that every American has reliable access to high-speed internet. Money will be invested in broadband infrastructure deployment. Broadband projects are also projected to lower prices for internet services, making internet access a reality for every U.S. resident.
Resiliency—$47 Billion
It is inevitable for infrastructure to break down over time. To strengthen the foundation of the U.S., the government is investing $47 Billion to make infrastructure resilient against climate change, cyber-attacks, and hazardous weather conditions.
Environmental Remediation—$21 Billion
Efforts to clean up Superfund and Brownfield sites (areas designated by the EPA as environmentally hazardous due to pollution, contaminants, or similar issues) will be made. Abandoned mine lands will be reclaimed. Orphaned oil and gas wells will be capped. Orphaned oil and gas wells are unmanaged nonproducing wells with no solvent owner to plug and mitigate them, which shifts the responsibility of managing these wells to government agencies and the public. Unplugged wells pose risks to the environment, climate, and human health.
Once again, BuildCentral has important information about oil and gas projects. Complete project lifecycles are also available on the website. Find out more here: https://www.buildcentral.com/renewable-energy-oil-gas-mining-leads/.
Safety—$11 Billion
Investments will be made in the safety of transit systems, including highways, pedestrian walkways, vehicles, and trucks. The government will enhance crash avoidance and drunk driving prevention technologies.
QuestCDN has safety projects like these and should have more with the influx of government funds. Quest’s platform is the premiere place for project owners to post their projects and for contractors to submit digital bids effortlessly. Post or find safety projects here: https://questcdn.com/.
Impact on Various Industries
The Federal government is preparing to disburse more than $1.2 trillion in program funds. States will apply for funding through a competitive process requiring proposals and plans for the projects’ scope, anticipated improvements, and benefits. Elected and appointed leaders of the successful recipients will need to determine the processes and procedures their organizations will implement to properly administer the grants they receive.
There will be a substantial impact on various industries, including industrial manufacturing, construction, professional services, education, technology, media and telecom, government, government contractors, real estate, and more. This will enable thousands of companies in many different industries the opportunity to benefit by providing goods and services on these projects, but for those new to working on federally funded projects, additional compliance requirements will require attention.
Summary
The Infrastructure Bill will provide roughly $1.2 trillion to strengthen the United State’s infrastructure. The industries benefiting from the $550 billion in new spending above baseline levels are listed above. Here’s a table summarizing the information regarding what the money in the Bill will be spent on:
| Industry Category | Dollar Amount |
| Roads, Bridges, and Major Projects | $110 Billion |
| Public Transportation | $39 Billion |
| Passenger and Freight Rail | $66 Billion |
| Airports | $25 Billion |
| Ports and Waterways | $16 Billion |
| Water | $62 Billion |
| Clean Energy and Power | $73 Billion |
| Electric Vehicles, Buses, and Ferries | $15 Billion |
| Broadband | $65 Billion |
| Resiliency | $47 Billion |
| Environmental Remediation | $21 Billion |
| Safety | $11 Billion |
| Other Construction Projects | $550 Billion—at or below baseline levels |
| Total for All Industries | $1.2 Trillion |
The Infrastructure Bill is a massive, once-in-a-generation government investment in the country’s infrastructure. Funds from the Bill will provide America’s infrastructure with the continuity and stability crucial to the development of communities. Now is the time for project owners and contractors to take advantage of the huge amount of money and number of projects that will be created from the Bill.
Sources:
https://infrastructurereportcard.org/
https://www.cbh.com/guide/articles/infrastructure-bill-2021-breakdown-analysis/