Welcome to our first Airport Area newsletter for 2022 and I must say that there is plenty of news to report on here in the most significant growth corridor in Western Pennsylvania. As I look out our offices and see the streamlined cranes working feverishly over at PIT International on the TMP project I need to remind myself that we do have an infrastructure bill passed by the House of Representatives and Senate or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs ACT (IIJA). America will begin a building spree larger than what happened during the New Deal.
Federal agencies now have the gigantic responsibilities to implement the law, standing-up new programs and finding a safe way to quickly get the money out the door. State and local officials carry an even heavier burden as they own and operate most of the infrastructure, build new assets, hire more workers, and mobilize their own financial resources.
IIJA is enormous! The roughly $1.2 trillion bill contains an estimated $550 billion in new spending above all baselines. So, what and how will this impact our Airport Community and surrounding areas? This spending touches every sector of infrastructure, from transportation (PIT International’s TMP project), waterways (Upper Ohio River Navigation project), broadband (5G networks throughout local municipalities) and the resilience and rehabilitation of our nations natural resources (power/grid/natural gas/clean water).
Our time is now as the work is just starting. Our country needs to invest in itself, to stay competitive today and into the future. This is why infrastructure advocates like me, economists, business leaders, community-based organizations like Chambers of Commerce and others have continued to call on Congress to pass such a significant comprehensive infrastructure package. Congress has now done their part and America is ready to invest in itself again. The legacy of this bill, of our legacy to work hard and to get the job done will mark this moment in history.
