Buttigieg Declares Infrastructure Funding | Transport Topics

The Facts -

For the latest in transportation news, subscribe to TTNews.

Secretary Pete Buttigieg has prioritized improved national connectivity and mobility corridors.

This April, the Transportation Secretary announced initiatives to rebuild the Port of Baltimore post-bridge collapse, fund projects reconnecting disenfranchised communities, and bolster weather resilience actions responsive to climate change.

These efforts are supported by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 2021, affirming Buttigieg. The bipartisan infrastructure law, amounting to $1.2 trillion, sanctions funds for developing supply chain programs and expanding emergency response budgets.

Buttigieg on April 15 announced the allocation of nearly $25 million for projects assisting under-resourced and disadvantaged communities, stating, "President Biden’s infrastructure law presents a once-in-a-generation chance for communities to rethink and provide secure, reliable transportation."

We're investing $846 million in projects supporting resilience in our transportation systems against climate change impacts, like sea-level rise and extreme weather. https://t.co/ByVNVzJ03g

Prior to this, the DOT distributed $830 million as part of its Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient and Cost-saving Transportation grants. This aid supports state, regional, and tribal agencies in initiating resilience projects to combat extreme weather events' impacts.

Addressing the situation at the Port of Baltimore, DOT officials met with the White House’s National Economic Council and East Coast port leaders on April 19 to discuss ongoing efforts to ease supply chain disruptions following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.

Officials stated the Army Corps of Engineers plans to restore full access to the site’s waterways by May end, following increased interoperability efforts to improve traffic and supply chain connectivity.

In the aftermath of the collapse, Buttigieg stressed, “The federal government will do all it takes to help rebuild the bridge and reopen the Port of Baltimore."

Senior Maryland officials are calling on federal lawmakers for emergency aid to cover the rebuilding operation costs. The proposed Baltimore BRIDGE Relief Act would mandate the federal government to bear the entire cost of replacing the bridge.

The containership MV Dali hit the bridge on March 26, causing its collapse and the deaths of six road workers. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board is underway.

---
Read More USA Works News