Infrastructure paves way to Arizona's better future

16th Nov 2021

President Joe Biden signed into law the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, which was supported and enhanced by both of Arizona’s U.S. Senators, Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly. Arizona will be a big winner in terms of jobs, repairing our bridges and roads, building major highway projects, being more competitive by closing the Digital Divide, securing clean water and protecting the environment.

The list of positive investment goes on. In his remarks, the President singled out Senator Sinema for helping frame the package in a way it could pass with bipartisan support, calling her “the most determined woman I know.”

The “human infrastructure” component of the Build Back Better Agenda is still being debated, with the second part of the package setting up to be an uphill battle worth every inch of the fight to get it passed, with Americas families hanging in the balance. But this first major new investment in decades in our nation’s infrastructure should be celebrated by all Americans, regardless of their political party.

Highlights, as noted by Senator Kelly, include:

• $110 billion to repair bridges and roads and build major highway projects, including unsafe rural roads, $5 billion is expected to go to Arizona for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $225 million for bridge replacement and repair;
• $65 billion to expand affordable, high-speed internet access, with at least $100 million expected to go to Arizona;
• $55 billion for drinking and wastewater infrastructure, with key funding for Arizona programs and projects;
• $8.3 billion for western water infrastructure, with specific funds going towards repairing aging dams in Arizona and funding the Drought Contingency Plan, among other things;
• $65 billion to improve grid reliability and resiliency and allow for the increased use of renewables, as well as a Kelly-authored bill to expand the use of energy management initiatives;
• $39.2 billion for public transit and $66 billion for passenger and freight rail, $884.3 million of which will go to Arizona transit systems;  
• $25 billion for airports;
• $8.25 billion for wildfire management, including increasing firefighter pay and a Kelly-authored bill to study and recommend wildland fire prevention, suppression, management, and rehabilitation policies; and
• $3.85 billion for land ports of entry, including $147 million for the San Luis Port of Entry, $216 million for the new Douglas Port of Entry, and $184 million for rehabilitation at the current Douglas Port of Entry.