The agreement includes a total of US$40 billion of new funding for bridge repair, replacement and rehabilitation. It is being heralded as the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system.
Approximately 45,000 US bridges are in poor condition. These are seen as posing particularly heightened challenges in rural communities, which often may rely on a single bridge for access.
The bill also includes a total of US$17.5 billion for major projects that are regarded as too large or complex for traditional funding programmes but that would deliver significant economic benefits to communities.
