Biden’s Infrastructure Plan Would Be a Boon for California

When President Joe Biden unveiled his $2.2 trillion infrastructure plan last week, you could practically smell the anticipation in Sacramento. That’s because the eight-year plan would be of enormous benefit to the Golden State and its infrastructure needs — from road and dam repair to clean water efforts, high-speed internet, green energy, and more.

“This is a game changer,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a news conference. “We are very, very enthusiastic.”

Vice President Kamala Harris visited the state this week to tout the plan. She was sure to lavish praise on the governor, who’s facing a recall effort. Together, they toured a water treatment plant. It was just the kind of facility that would benefit from the proposal, Harris said.

The New York Times has a list of some of the improvements California could expect from such a package. These include new clean shipping trucks and heavy-duty charging stations between the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles and their warehouses.

Biden’s plan also calls for replacing 50,000 diesel-run public transit vehicles and 20% of school buses with more green-friendly vehicles. It earmarks $80 billion for rail projects, which could be used to expand Bay Area transit. $66 billion would go toward water systems nationwide, while $100 billion would be spent on high-speed broadband.

Sacramento city leaders say they would use the funds to construct a new $200 million bridge, replacing the 100-year-old I Street Railroad Bridge over the Sacramento River.

The infrastructure plan also calls for an Amtrak link between Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

Read more about the proposal here.