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
Arkansas is clear and recently released state-level data demonstrates that the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will deliver for Arkansas. For decades,
infrastructure in Arkansas has suffered from a systemic lack of investment. In fact,
the American Society of Civil Engineers gave Arkansas a C grade on its
infrastructure report card. The historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will
make life better for millions of Arkansas residents, create a generation of good-paying union jobs and economic growth, and position the United States to win
the 21st century.
To date, $2.7 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced
and is headed to Arkansas with over 141 specific projects identified for funding.
Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, Arkansas will receive
approximately $2.3 billion for transportation to invest in roads, bridges, public
transit, ports and airports and roughly $93 million for clean water. And, as of today,
more than 147,000 households across the state are receiving affordable highspeed 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 Arkansas – including rural communities and historically underserved
populations – the law makes critical investments that will improve lives for
Arkansans and position the state for success.
Specifically, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will make the following investments:
- Roads and Bridges. In Arkansas there are 663 bridges and over 6,700 miles of
highway in poor condition. More than 5% of Arkansas’s bridges are in poor
condition and considered structurally deficient. Arkansas has made
significant progress in improving its roads and highway capacities through
the $1.8 billion Connecting Arkansas Program. Since 2011, commute times
have increased by 3% in Arkansas and on average, each driver pays $671
per year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair.
- Based on formula funding alone, Arkansas would expect to receive $3.6 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $278 million for bridge replacement and repairs under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act over five (5)
years.
- Arkansas 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. Arkansas' public transit systems serve a vital role in
connecting the state’s residents to jobs, health care, and other critical
services. Residents of Arkansas who take public transportation spend an extra
31.7% of their time commuting. In addition, 27% of transit vehicles in the state
are past useful life.
- Based on formula funding alone, Arkansas would expect to receive $246 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, Arkansas would expect to receive $54 million over five years to support the expansion of an EV charging network in the state.
- Arkansas 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 20% of Arkansas households do not have an internet subscription, and
15% of Arkansas residents live in areas where, under the FCC’s benchmark,
there is no broadband infrastructure.
- Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Arkansas will receive a
minimum allocation of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage
across the state, including providing access to the at least 461,000
residents who currently lack it. And, under the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act, 980,000 or 34% of people in Arkansas 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. Arkansas reports a $7.4 billion drinking water
investment gap.
- Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, based on the traditional state revolving fund formula, Arkansas will expect to receive $528 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. Arkansas is home to six (6) major airports that will benefit from the $25 billion in increased airport infrastructure funding provided over five (5) years from the IIJA.
- Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, airports in Arkansas would receive approximately $117 million for infrastructure development for airports over five (5) years.
- Ports and Inland Waterways. Arkansas is home to three (3) major ports and 1,860 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, Arkansas 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.
