Infrastructure plan will have big impact on Dayton region
Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and his Democratic and Republican colleagues have proposed a historic $542 billion investment in our infrastructure.
The Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act passed the Senate in mid-august with a strong bipartisan vote.
I join Senators Portman and Sherrod Brown in urging the House of
Representatives to pass this bill so that President Biden can sign it into law. This investment would have an enormous impact on our economy and quality of life across our community and our country.
We know we need to repair and upgrade our nation’s infrastructure. The things we rely on every day — the roads, bridges, railroads, airports, broadband networks — require significant investment to avoid deterioration.
Our state’s 123,000 miles of roads and highways help link the East Coast and the Midwest.
And technologically, the hubs of new innovation across Ohio, including here in Montgomery County, rely on broadband to stay connected.
An effort to repair our crumbling roads and bridges, and enhance our broadband infrastructure is a smart investment in our long-term economic health. It will create hundreds of thousands of jobs in a variety of industries, grow our economy and raise wages for workers over the next 10 years and beyond.
Some highlights of the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act that are key for our region include:
■ $10 billion in road and bridge upgrades in Ohio. There are 60 bridges that need repairs right here in Montgomery County.
■ More than $100 million to Ohio to expand broadband access to unserved and underserved communities. High-speed access is vital for remote education and employment, and is lacking in many areas of the county, including rural areas of Brookville, Germantown, Jefferson Twp., New Lebanon, Trotwood and West Dayton.
■ Authorizes $1.2 billion over five years for Ohio through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to address “forever chemical” substances such as Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), and for lead service line replacement, to ensure our communities have access to clean, safe drinking water.
■ $15 million per year for five years for federal grants to help address the recycling knowledge gap among consumers regarding proper recycling practices that contributes to a low nationwide recycling rate.
■ $25 billion in new spending for airports. Ohio’s commercial aviation industry supports 158,094 employees at seven commercial airports and 176 public use airports and heliports.
Our kids and our grandkids will thank us for the investments we make to construct high-quality American infrastructure that will service us today and tomorrow.