Iowa agencies are working in order to identify infrastructure projects that are worth over $2 billion in funding. According to the White House, Iowa has been allocated $2.2 billion in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for infrastructure projects encompassing road maintenance, airports, water quality and more, with more funding to be allocated over the next five years of the law.
The largest amount of funding goes for road and bridge infrastructure. Thus far, Iowa has been allocated $1.5 billion in funding, and is set to receive an additional $3.9 billion over five years.
While some of that money was a continuation of previous federal funding bills, it resulted in a 30 percent increase in the Iowa Department of Transportation's (Iowa DOT) construction program over the next five years, Iowa DOT Transportation Development Division Director Stuart Anderson said.
The five-year program was approved in June by the Iowa Transportation Commission. The program now includes a reconfigured interchange at Interstate 380 and Wright Brothers Boulevard in Cedar Rapids.
The increase in funds is “pretty impactful,” Anderson said, but it’s less than the increase the department saw under a 10-cent increase in the state’s gas tax in 2015.
Anderson said the infrastructure money will make some impact on improving Iowa’s bridge problem. But as some bridges are fixed, others will fall into poor condition and he doesn’t expect the number to improve significantly.
“It’s always that balance of how much progress you can make, but certainly this additional funding will help for sure, especially with that dedicated bridge funding,” Anderson said.
Another area that is getting funding is electric vehicles, buses, and charging stations.
Iowa has been allocated $18.5 million to install electric vehicle chargers across the state. Over the total five-year span, Iowa is set to receive over $50 million. As of 2021, Iowa had more than 5,880 electric vehicles registered in the state, according to the Iowa DOT.
Iowa received more than $15 million to purchase low- and no-emission buses for local transit programs.
Thirteen rural Iowa school districts also were selected for rebates to purchase electric and low-emission school buses through an EPA program. The schools will purchase a combined 28 electric buses and two propane-powered buses.
In other areas, Iowa has been allocated $68 million for infrastructure resilience, $360 million for ports and waterways, $5.9 million for pollution cleanup and $57 million for energy efficiency and power.
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Source: TheGazette.com
