The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is the largest long-term investment in
our infrastructure and competitiveness in nearly a century. The need for action in
Alabama is clear and recently released state-level data demonstrates that the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will deliver for Alabama. For decades,
infrastructure in Alabama has suffered from a systemic lack of investment. In fact,
the American Society of Civil Engineers gave Alabama a C- grade on its
infrastructure report card. The historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will
make life better for millions of Alabama residents, create a generation of good-paying union jobs and economic growth, and position the United States to win
the 21st century.
To date, $2.9 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced
and is headed to Alabama with over 107 specific projects identified for funding.
Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, Alabama will receive
approximately $2.5 billion for transportation to invest in roads, bridges, public
transit, ports and airports and roughly $137 million for clean water. And, as of
today, more than 304,000 households across the state are receiving affordable
high-speed internet due to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Many more projects
will be added in the coming months, as funding opportunities become grant
awards and as formula funds become specific projects. By reaching communities
all across Alabama – including rural communities and historically underserved
populations – the law makes critical investments that will improve lives for
Alabamians and position the state for success.
Specifically, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will make the following investments:
- Roads and Bridges. In Alabama there are 620 bridges and over 2,950 miles of
highway in poor condition. More than 4% of Alabama’s bridges are in poor
condition and considered structurally deficient. In 2015, there was an
estimated funding shortfall between $6.5 billion and $10 billion to support
Alabama’s roads by the year 2035. Since 2011, commute times have
increased by 8.9% in Alabama and on average, each driver pays $434 per
year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair.
- Based on formula funding alone, Alabama would expect to receive $5.2 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act over five (5)
years.
- Alabama 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.
- Rail and Transit. Alabama’s public transit systems serve a vital role in
connecting the state’s residents to jobs, health care, and other critical
services. In 2019, public transit provided approximately 6.8 million trips, of
which an estimated 86% were made in urban areas, consistent with the
distribution of the state’s population. Currently, more than 75% of Alabama’s
counties are served by a transit system translating into access for more than
4.1 million people, or over 80% of the state’s total population. Residents of
Alabama who take public transportation spend an extra 66.2% of their time
commuting. In addition, 25% of transit vehicles in the state are past useful life
- Based on formula funding alone, Alabama would expect to receive $400 million over five years under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to improve public transportation options across the state.
- Electric Vehicle Infrastructure. The IIJA invests $7.5 billion to build out the first-ever national network of EV chargers in the United States.
- Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Alabama would expect to receive $79 million over five years to support the expansion of an EV charging network in the state.
- Alabama will also have the opportunity to apply for the $2.5 billion in grant funding dedicated to EV charging in the bill.
- Broadband. Broadband internet is necessary for Americans to do their jobs,
to participate equally in school learning, health care, and to stay connected.
Yet 18% of Alabama households do not have an internet subscription, and
11.5% of Alabama residents live in areas where, under the FCC’s benchmark,
there is no broadband infrastructure.
- Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Alabama will receive a
minimum allocation of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage
across the state, including providing access to the at least 565,000
residents who currently lack it. And, under the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act, 1,518,000 or 31% of people in Alabama will be eligible for
the Affordability Connectivity Benefit, which will help low-income families
afford internet access.
- Clean Water/Wastewater. The law contains nearly $44 billion to strengthen the
nation’s drinking water and wastewater systems, remove lead pipes and
service lines, and eliminate harmful contaminants through the EPA’s State
Revolving Funds programs. These programs, administered by the states, make
grants and loans eligible to communities for drinking water and wastewater
infrastructure investments. In Alabama, 576 permitted public water systems
provide safe and reliable drinking water. Alabama reports a $11.3 billion drinking water
investment gap.
- Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, based on the traditional state revolving fund formula, Alabama will expect to receive $782 million over five (5) years to improve water infrastructure across the state and ensure that clean, safe drinking water is a right in all communities.
- Airports. Alabama is home to nine (9) major airports that will benefit from the $25 billion in increased airport infrastructure funding provided over five (5) years from the IIJA. The Alabama Statewide Airport System Plan (AL SASP)
shows a systemwide, 10 year development need of 1.34 billion is needed to
grow and sustain the entirety of Alabama's 80 public airports.
- Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, airports in Alabama would receive approximately $140 million for infrastructure development for airports over five (5) years.
- Ports and Inland Waterways. Alabama is home two (2) major water ports and 1,270 miles of inland waterways that will benefit from $17 billion in new infrastructure funding over 5 years from the IIJA.
- Grid and Clean Energy Infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),
through the Office of the Under Secretary for Infrastructure, is focused on
working across the public and private sectors to help the U.S. transition to the
clean energy economy. With more than $75 billion in investments through the
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Alabama will benefit from multiple opportunities
focused on the rapid commercialization, demonstration, and deployment of
clean energy technologies. DOE is playing a critical role in efforts to rapidly
lower energy costs, slash carbon emissions, and create new industries with
the high-quality union jobs that are guaranteed to boost domestic
manufacturing capabilities while strengthening U.S. global competitiveness.
