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Photo courtesy DepositPhotos.
In today’s polarized political climate, few issues in Washington receive bipartisan support. Investment in the nation’s infrastructure, however, is a notable exception – and with good reason. A 2021 report from the American Society of Civil Engineers assigned U.S. public infrastructure an average letter grade of “C-” based on performance in 17 major categories, including roads, drinking water, transit, dams, and bridges. According to the report, the U.S. needs to invest an additional $2.6 trillion in infrastructure over the next 10 years.
To help address this shortfall, President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law in November 2021. The bill authorizes $1.2 trillion in federal spending over a five-year period, including $550 billion in new spending to rebuild public works and transportation infrastructure. (Here is a look at Biden’s approval rating in every state.)
Much of this money will be distributed to state governments and has already been earmarked for certain projects, including bridge and highway repair, electric vehicle charging station construction, broadband internet expansion, airport improvements, cybersecurity, and wildfire protection. While the largest states by population are the ones receiving the most federal dollars, they are not necessarily the states where federal infrastructure spending will have the largest impact.
Louisiana is expected to receive $7.3 billion federal infrastructure investment. Adjusting for population, this comes out to about $1,557 per capita, the 17th highest among the 50 states.
Federal highway aid will account for 66.2% of infrastructure investment in the state, more than any other category, followed by bridge replacements and repairs, which will account for 14.0% of federal spending, and water infrastructure, at 8.0%.
All data in this story was compiled by U.S. News & World Report in its article, The States Benefiting the Most From the Infrastructure Deal.
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