Biden administration details state of Pacific Northwest’s infrastructure as part of American Jobs Plan push

(The Center Square) – President Joe Biden has promised to keep Americans moving as part of his $2.3 trillion American Jobs Plan to reinvigorate failing infrastructure Oregon and Washington know all too well.

The plan, a part of Biden’s “Build Back Better” agenda, includes $2.25 trillion in spending and $400 billion in tax credits over an eight-year timespan. It devotes that money to expanding and repairing infrastructure, manufacturing, research, and long-term health care services.

There’s no telling how much money Oregon and Washington could receive should the plan pass Congress. But the Biden administration this week broke down how dire the two states’ infrastructure woes are.

Overall, the quality of Oregon and Washington’s infrastructure is average per the American Society of Civil Engineers last report cards, which gave them a C- and C, respectively.

Roads and bridges

In Oregon, roadway repairs cost each Oregon driver about $256 a year where Biden administration officials estimate there are some 1,287 miles of roadway in “poor condition.” In Washington, the cost is $659 a year per driver who travel on 5,469 miles of low-grade asphalt.

Up to $115 billion of the American Jobs Plan would go towards repairing and upgrading roads and bridges nationwide. Those federal dollars could make or break one of Washington’s most pressing repair projects—the West Seattle Bridge—which has a $125 million price tag that’s yet to be covered by more than $25 million in state money. Bridge repairs are a looming threat for cities like Seattle, where 22 out of 77 bridges are in good condition.

Public Transit

The American Jobs Plan is intended to cut commute times and places a special emphasis on upgrading public vehicles, 19% of which are “past useful life” in Oregon and 17% in Washington. The White House estimates $85 billion would go towards this endeavor.

Infrastructure

Over the past decade, White House officials report natural disasters have cost Oregon and Washington about $5 billion each in damages. Both states would get an undetermined slice of a $50 billion pie Biden wants to devote to community recovery and weatherproofing state infrastructure.

Housing

Another $200 billion of Biden’s American Jobs Plan would go towards bolstering the country’s tight housing supply. According to White House findings, Oregon is home to some 296,000 “rent-burdened” tenants who spend more than 30% of their income on rent. In Washington, that number is 487,000 tenants.

Internet

Biden is also pitching a $100 billion investment to get more Americans online. In Oregon, about 462,000 out of 4.2 million people lack broadband, according to White House findings. By comparison, 668,000 out of 7.6 million Washingtonians also lack internet access. This part of Biden’s plan also aims at boosting internet speeds for the 45% of Oregonians and 54% of Washingtonians who go without high-speed internet in regions with just one service provider.

Energy

There are no hard dollar amounts for the “clean energy” jobs and investments outlined in the American Jobs Plan. It does mention of expanding tax credits for clean energy generation, carbon capture, and home energy upgrades.

Things to come

Biden is expected to reveal the next part of his “Build Back Better” agenda in May, including investments in the health care system and child care, two issues Oregon and Washington lawmakers consider top priorities this year.

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