President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit New Hampshire for the second time in six months Tuesday, where he’s planning to tout his administration’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure law in Portsmouth.
“The President will highlight how these investments will strengthen supply chains, keep goods moving to help lower prices for working families, and enable the U.S. to compete globally,” the White House said in a Monday release ahead of the visit.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, officially the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, was signed into law by Biden on Nov. 15.
The act includes over $500 billion for roads and bridges, $72 billion for clean water, $65 billion for broadband access, and over $100 billion for rail, airport, and seaport improvements.
New Hampshire, where Biden was met in Woodstock with jeers in November, is in dire need of the funds, according to the Department of Transportation.
“For decades, infrastructure in New Hampshire has suffered from a systemic lack of investment. In fact, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave New Hampshire a C- on its infrastructure report card,” the DOT said in a release.
According to the DOT, 215 New Hampshire bridges and nearly 700 miles of state highway are in poor condition. The results, the department says, are longer commutes and costly repairs.
“Since 2011, commute times have increased by 5.9% in New Hampshire, and on average, each driver pays $476 per year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair,” the DOT said in a release.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is expected to send nearly $1.6 billion to the Granite State for road and bridge repairs and an additional $126 million over the next five years for public transportation improvements, according to the DOT.
The law would also send $17 million to the state for development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
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