- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Thompson, Lake County leaders discuss infrastructure bill
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Congressman Mike Thompson and Lake County government and education leaders gathered on Monday to discuss the anticipated benefits on the local level of the federal infrastructure bill, which will devote billions to upgrades of roads and bridges, and expansion of broadband.
Thompson and Congressman John Garamendi — who both represent portions of Lake County — voted for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on Nov. 5, calling it a “once-in-a-generation investment” in America’s infrastructure and economy.
President Joe Biden signed the $1 trillion bill into law on Nov. 15.
The bill includes $550 billion in new spending and $450 billion for existing surface transportation programs.
California is expected to receive $25.3 billion for highways, $4.2 billion for bridges, $9.45 billion for transit, $3.5 billion for clean drinking water, $1.5 billion for airports, $384 million for electric vehicle charging stations and $100 million for broadband.
Officials have not yet given a timeline for when the funding will start to roll out.
On Monday afternoon, Thompson gathered with supervisors Bruno Sabatier and Tina Scott, County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson, Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg and Lake County Public Works Director Scott De Leon at the Ackley bridge over Manning Creek at 3828 Ackley Road to discuss the infrastructure bill and its anticipated benefits for Lake County.
Thompson said the bill will be important for the country, the state and Lake County.
He pointed out that infrastructure doesn’t just improve facilities but stimulates the economy and puts money into jobs.
Thompson highlighted the $4.2 billion for bridge funding included in the bill, something he’s heard about from all of the counties in his district. He emphasized the importance of bridges in the overall infrastructure plan and the fact that every county in the district has bridges that need to be updated.
He also noted the $100 million to go to broadband. During the pandemic, broadband has been crucial to offering better access to health care and to helping students. One of the original COVID-19 relief bills was a Thompson bill that expanded telemedicine to those on Medicare.
“The infrastructure bill is exciting,” said Sabatier. “There are so many needs here in Lake County.”
One of those he highlighted is broadband. Lake County is the first county in California to have a master broadband plan and so is ready to move forward with projects and seek the necessary funding, he said.
Sabatier said broadband energizes the economy, and he also highlighted its impact on education and public safety. “Broadband is the key to all of these things.”
Also on Monday, State Sen. Mike McGuire and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry announced details of the “Middle-Mile Project” that will deploy 80 miles of high speed internet fiber in Lake County along Highways 20, 175 and 29 in Lake County.
Scott said she was excited about broadband’s expansion as well as the Full Circle Project. Thompson succeeded in getting $320,000 for that effluent pipeline’s preliminary design report update included in a federal funding package earlier this year.
“It’s truly a time of extraordinary opportunity for Lake County,” said Huchingson. “I’ve never seen anything like what we’re about to undertake in all of my years with the county.”
Huchingson praised Thompson for his work on behalf of Lake County.
She noted the value of the infrastructure bill as well as the help the county received from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Falkenberg said the promise in the bill is that everyone in the United States should have access to broadband. “Broadband really has become a basic utility.”
He added, “We knew well before COVID that broadband or the lack of broadband was impacting our children’s education.”
Falkenberg said the pandemic has highlighted the extreme need and discrimination against rural areas when it comes to getting that service due to cost.
Lake County Public Works Director Scott De Leon showed a picture of the Ackley bridge before it was replaced. It had collapsing railings and the road asphalt was in disrepair.
The original bridge was constructed of timber in 1961. De Leon said it wasn’t designed to be used for 55 years.
By the time it was rebuilt in 2015, De Leon said the bridge had rotted at its outer edges and had been reduced to one lane because it couldn’t carry traffic loads.
The bridge replacement’s total cost was about $1 million and came from the federal Highway Bridge Program, De Leon said.
He said there is no local-level funding available for such projects and that the bridge wouldn’t have been replaced without the federal funds.
The infrastructure bill devotes $450 billion for existing surface transportation programs. It’s so far not been reported how the Highway Bridge Program may be funded through the bill.
The road and bridge on Monday looked far different from they did in the picture De Leon showed. In addition to the new bridge, he said his crews chip sealed the road this summer. He’s hopeful there will be more money available for other chip seal projects, as there was an earmark for chip sealing in the bill.
De Leon said there are 122 bridges in Lake County. Because the Highway Bridge Program has certain requirements, the county had just under two dozen of the local bridges going through that program at one time.
He said about half a dozen bridges in Lake County have been rebuilt due to the Highway Bridge Program, with the others in various phases of design.
As for shovel-ready projects, De Leon said the county has a pedestrian project in Kelseyville and two bridges ready to go and waiting on funding. They also have plans ready to reconstruct the intersection of the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff with Highway 29 and Lakeshore Boulevard.
Looking over the bridge after the event, De Leon said it was built to the high standards set by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, which is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing highway and transportation departments in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
“This bridge isn’t going anywhere,” he said.
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