Rep. Axne’s Vote for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Delivers $86,400,000 for Iowa Bridge Repairs

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On Jan. 14, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) announced the first round of investments in repairing Iowa bridges from the bipartisan infrastructure law she helped pass last year.

Rep. Axne helped deliver $86.4 million to Iowa for this current fiscal year to repair local bridges through her vote for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation also confirmed that Iowa will receive close to $432 million over the next five years to fund repairs to structural deficient bridges.

“Iowa leads the nation in structurally deficient bridges – but with this new funding from our bipartisan infrastructure law reaching Iowa, we have the opportunity to instead lead the nation in revitalized bridges and restored confidence in our commutes and commerce,” said Rep. Axne. “These funds will not only create jobs in our communities by funding long-overdue repairs, but they will also support our local economies by ensuring our goods can get to market and our workers can get to their jobs and families.”

Iowa has 4,571 bridges that are classified as structurally deficient, the most of any state in the nation according to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association. Of Iowa’s 23,982 bridges, nearly one fifth are in poor condition or worse.

The investment announced yesterday is designed to help Iowa repair local bridges that are critical for getting to school and work, moving commerce, and connecting communities. The infrastructure law also includes a separate program designed to support larger bridges through a competitive grant program. Details on that program will be announced at a later date.

Iowa has already received more than $784 million from the IIJA since it was signed into law in November 2021. Rep. Axne previously announced $650 million in the first round of new funding for Iowa’s roads and bridges, $110 million to upgrade Iowa’s aging water infrastructure, and over $24 million for Iowa’s airports from the bipartisan infrastructure law.

IIJA will provide at least $5.082 billion in various investments for Iowa, which received a “C” infrastructure grade as a state from the American Society of Civil Engineers.

The law is projected by Moody’s Analytics to create more than 770,000 jobs by 2025.

Author: Press Release