Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), a member of the bipartisan Senate group that successfully negotiated and drafted the bipartisan infrastructure bill, outlined some of the legislation’s benefits to North Carolina’s construction industry in a statement.
“This bipartisan infrastructure bill is a big win for all North Carolinians, funding infrastructure projects and creating good-paying jobs without raising taxes,” he said on Aug. 10. “As a member of the bipartisan infrastructure group, I have been working hard to ensure this package improves North Carolina’s roads, highways, and bridges, as well as major funding for clean water.
“Additionally, this bill will include funding for broadband services for the nearly 400,000 North Carolinians who do not have access to high-speed internet. I am proud to have worked on this important legislation with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and I urge Speaker Pelosi to vote on this legislation and send it to the President’s desk without delay.”
Specifically, the package includes funding for:
- $7.2 billion for North Carolina roads and highways over the next five years. North Carolina currently has more than 3,000 miles of highway in “poor” condition.
- $911 million for North Carolina public transportation over the next five years.
- $457 million for North Carolina bridge construction and repair over the next five years. Currently, North Carolina has nearly 1,500 bridges considered in “poor” condition.
- $440 million for clean water in North Carolina through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) over the next five years.
- $100 million for broadband in the first year for North Carolina to provide broadband services to the 424,000 North Carolinians who currently do not have access to them, with the state eligible for additional funding in subsequent years.
Additional funding for North Carolina:
- Coastal Resiliency: North Carolina will be eligible for its fair share of funding for U.S. Army Corps to ensure the state is protected from hurricane and storm damage. The nationwide allocation is $7 billion, with priority for states like North Carolina impacted by multiple recent natural disasters.
- Flood Mitigation: North Carolina will be eligible for its fair share of funding for flood mitigation activities through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The nationwide allocation is $4.5 billion.
- Airports: North Carolina will be eligible for its fair share for airport improvement projects. The nationwide allocation is $25 billion.