After Three Years, Historic Infrastructure Law Delivers Nearly $10B for WA Roads, Bridges, Ports & Airports

Cantwell: "These historic infrastructure investments are making our economy stronger and more resilient, and should be continued regardless of the change in Administration"

Nov. 15 marks the third anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), a once-in-a-generation investment in America's infrastructure. Since 2021, the investments included in the law have delivered $9.89 billion to transportation infrastructure projects across Washington state. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) authored many of the provisions in the law to meet the needs of the country. Additionally, much of the funding has gone out under grant programs authorized by the Commerce Committee.

"Washingtonians are seeing many benefits from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, from a new passenger terminal at Spokane International Airport, to helping replace the outdated I-5 bridge, to billions in new energy grid upgrades, to restoring salmon habitat, to major new port investments that will boost exports and local jobs. All these historic infrastructure investments are making our economy stronger and more resilient, and should be continued regardless of the change in Administration," said Sen. Cantwell.

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This year, major projects funded through the BIL included:

• $2.1 billion for the Interstate 5 Bridge Replacement Program: In June 2024, the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Program received $1.499 billion from the BIL-funded Bridge Investment Program - making the I-5 bridge replacement the recipient of the largest-ever federal investment in a Washington state transportation project. Previously, in December 2023, the senator announced the IBR program received a $600 million grant from the National Infrastructure Project Assistance program, or Mega program. Sen. Cantwell authored the Mega program in order to dedicate federal funds for projects that are critical for the U.S. economy, but too large or complex for existing funding programs. The Mega program was enacted in BIL and appropriated $5 billion to award over five years.
• $200 million to replace the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge: In January 2024, the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge received $200 million for a replacement project that will prevent the 100-year-old bridge from closing to trucks by 2030 and all traffic by 2040. The funds came from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant Program, which Sen. Cantwell authored in 2015 and secured a 78% funding increase for in the BIL.
• $51 million to repair the Hood Canal Bridge: In October 2024, the Washington State Department of Transportation received $51,125,917 in federal funds to repair the Hood Canal Bridge, which allows more than 30,000 daily commuters and freight vehicles to avoid a 100-mile detour around Puget Sound. The grant came from the INFRA program.
• $115 million worth of investments in rail systems across Washington state: In October 2024, the Federal Railroad Administration announced nine major investments in the state's rail infrastructure totaling $115,577,598, helping move our freight and agricultural products to market more quickly and safely. Funding came from the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, which had its annual funding tripled by Sen. Cantwell as part of BIL negotiations.
• $65.5 million to upgrade the state's airports: In the first six months of 2024 alone, airports across Washington state received $40.9 million in Airport Improvement Grants (AIG) and Airport Terminal Program (ATP) grants, both established by the BIL. In October 2024, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Tri-Cities Airport, Spokane International Airport and Yakima Air Terminal received $24.5 million in additional ATP funds.
• $44.5 million to modernize the state's port infrastructure: Just this week, ports in Tacoma, Bellingham, Port Angeles, Anacortes and Neah Bay received $44.5 million for infrastructure upgrades to reduce costs and carbon emissions. The funding came from the Port Infrastructure Improvement Program (PIDP), established in 2019 and received $2.25 billion in BIL funding.

Sen. Cantwell authored several of the programs used to disburse BIL grants over the past three years. In addition to INFRA, Mega and PIDP, she also helped create and fund:

• National Culvert Removal, Replacement and Restoration: Helps remove or redesign culverts and weirs that create barriers to salmon migration. Sen. Cantwell authored the program and helped secure its inclusion in the BIL with $1 billion in funding.
• Air Traffic Control Facility Funds: In addition to the AIG and ATP grant programs, Sen. Cantwell also secured $5 billion in the BIL to upgrade Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control facilities nationwide.
• Railroad Crossings Elimination: At-grade railroad crossings are safety hazards and a major cause of traffic congestion. This grant program helps local communities fund costly separation projects such as bridges or overpasses. The BIL provided $3 billion over 5 years for this program.
• Safe Streets For All Program: Safe Streets For All grants help local governments carry out Vision Zero plans and other improvements to reduce crashes and fatalities, including for cyclists and pedestrians. Sen. Cantwell created the program, steered its authorization of the program through the Commerce Committee, and ensured that the program was among the transportation investments included in the BIL.
• PacNW Transmission Upgrades: Utilizing a $10 billion increase in borrowing authority included in the BIL, the Bonneville Power Administration has announced $5 billion in electricity grid improvement projects that will significantly increase the capacity and reliability of the Pacific Northwest grid and its ability to integrate new energy sources.
• Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP): The Department of Energy's GRIP program, aimed at making our nation's electricity grid more resilient, is a $10.5 billion dollar program authored in part by Sen. Cantwell in 2007 and subsequently expanded and funded in the BIL. In October, the Department of Energy announced three federal grants totaling $208.4 million to help Puget Sound Energy, Avista Utilities, and E Source modernize their electricity grids and ensure homes and businesses in Washington state can count on affordable and reliable electricity service, particularly during natural disasters.