Roads, public transport, the Internet, etc.: What's in the infrastructure bill?

Roads, public transport, the Internet, etc.: What's in the infrastructure bill?

 The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan $1 trillion plan to rebuild roads and bridges, boost broadband Internet, among other significant improvements to the country's infrastructure. The legislation will go to President Joe Biden for his signature.

Once Biden signs it, the new law will reach virtually every corner of the country — a landmark investment the president has compared to building a transcontinental railroad and the interstate highway system. The White House expects the acquisitions to add, on average, about two million jobs annually over the next decade.

The House late Friday approved a vote of 228-206, ending weeks of intra-party. The Senate passed the legislation 69-30 in August after rare bipartisan negotiations, and the House of Representatives has kept that compromise intact. 

Here's a breakdown of the bill Biden is expected to sign soon into law:

roads and bridges

The bill provides $110 billion to repair old highways, bridges, and roads. According to the White House, 173,000 miles of roads and major roads and 45,000 bridges are poor. According to President Joe Biden's administration, nearly $40 billion for bridges is the most significant investment made for the bridge since creating the Interstate Highway System.

public transport

The $39 billion for public transportation in legislation would expand transportation systems, improve accessibility for people with disabilities and save dollars for state and local governments to purchase zero-emissions, low-emissions buses. The current repair cost is more than 24,000 buses, 5,000 railcars, 200 stations.

Passengers and freight train

To reduce Amtrak's maintenance backlog, which has worsened since Superstorm Sandy nine years ago, the bill will provide $66 billion to improve rail service the 457-mile Northeast Corridor as well as other routes. It's less than the $80 billion Biden — best known for riding Amtrak from Delaware to the capital during his time in the Senate — that was initially requested. Still, it would be the most significant federal investment in passenger rail service since Amtrak was founded 50 years ago.

electric car

The bill will spend $7.5 billion on electric vehicle charging stations, which the administration says are needed to accelerate the use of electric cars to curb climate change. It will also save $5 billion to purchase electric and hybrid school buses, reducing dependence on diesel-powered school buses.

Internet service

The $65 billion broadband access legislation aims to improve rural areas, low-income families, and tribal communities. Most of the money will be provided by grants to states.

Upgrading the electrical network

To guard against the widespread power outages that have become more frequent in recent years, the bill will spend $65 billion to improve the reliability and resilience of the nation's power grid. It will also promote carbon capture technologies and more environmentally friendly sources of electricity such as clean hydrogen.

Airports

The bill would spend $25 billion to improve taxiways, gates, and walkways at airports and improve terminals. It will also improve the aging infrastructure in air traffic control towers.

water and sanitation

To improve the nation's drinking water safety, the legislation will spend $55 billion on water and sanitation infrastructure. The bill will include $15 billion to replace lead pipes and $10 billion to treat water pollution from poly-fluoroalkyl materials, or PFAS - chemicals used in Teflon production and used in firefighting waterproof clothing and many other items.

Pay for it

 The package will be paid by tapping into $210 billion in COVID-19 relief aid and $53 billion in unemployment aid that some states have put on hold, along with a host of other small funds, such as sales Petroleum reserves and spectrum. Auctions for 5G services