Feds Give WA 'C' In Infrastructure For Long Commutes, Poor Roads

OLYMPIA — Anyone who spends any time commuting around the Puget Sound probably has a few choice words to share about gridlock, road repairs and other infrastructure issues.

They're right to be frustrated, according to a new report from the White House which gave Washington's infrastructure a C, in a state-by-state breakdown of the nation’s aging infrastructure.

For context, the highest grade issued was a C+, so while Washington is in need of significant repairs and renovations, it is keeping pace with the rest of the country.

As part of their breakdown, the White House is explaining how the American Jobs Plan would address the state's struggling infrastructure. The $2 trillion plan aims to tackle thousands of miles of bridges and roads across the country that are in need of repair, as well as to increase housing affordability and access to broadband internet, ensure clean drinking water for communities and revamp the country's energy grid.

Here are just a few of the things the plan would change to Washington's infrastructure if the plan passes, according to the White House.

Roads And Bridges

The breakdown found that 416 bridges and more than 5,469 miles of road in Washington are in poor condition. And those damaged roads have a real cost: Washington drivers were found to be paying an average of $659 per year for wear and tear on their vehicles as a result of driving on poorly maintained roads. Related to the issue, commute times have also risen by 12.7 percent in Washington over the past decade.

If the plan passes, it would devote more than $600 billion to the country’s infrastructure, including $115 billion for road and bridge repairs.

Public Transportation

The state's public transit, meanwhile, is lacking as an alternative.

Washingtonians who take public transit spent an extra 72.9 percent of their time commuting, and non-white households are 1.7 times more likely to commute via public transportation. 17 percent of public transportation vehicles in the state are out of date, the report said.

The American Jobs plan would invest $85 billion to help modernize the country’s fleet of vehicles like trains and buses.

Housing

A lack of available and affordable housing has led 487,000 renters in Washington to spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent. Part of the American Jobs Plan will involve a $200 billion increase to the nation’s current housing supply to help address the scarcity of affordable options.

Caregiving and Child Care

The plan looks to add $400 billion to help older adults and people with disabilities get better access to care from home and community-based services. The legislation would also work to modernize the nation’s schools and early learning facilities as well as build new ones in so-called “child care deserts.” Around 63 percent of Washington residents live in areas that lack child care.

Drinking Water

The state's drinking water infrastructure will require $11.7 billion in additional funding over the next 20 years. The plan includes $111 billion set aside to help make sure the whole country has clean, safe drinking water in every community.

Broadband

While local lawmakers are debating whether to make broadband a public utility for the Evergreen state, the White House is also weighing in. According to their analysis, 8.49 percent of Washingtonians live in areas without broadband access. Slightly more, 8.8 percent, of Washingtonians have no internet subscription at all.

The White House says the American Jobs Plan will invest $100 billion to create universal high-speed internet coverage.

Although most Republican voters support pieces of Biden's bill, GOP lawmakers have criticized the proposed legislation for including things they don't view as infrastructure.

Not enough of the proposed $2 trillion package goes toward roads, bridges and public transportation, some say.

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) told "This Week" on ABC earlier this month he would support the bill if it was more focused on fixing the country's roads and bridges. He said the narrower scope would gain better bipartisan support among lawmakers.

“And then the other 70 percent or so of the package, which doesn't have very much to do with infrastructure, if you want to force that through in a partisan way, you still could do that,” he said.

CNBC reports moderate Democrats like Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) have also taken issue with a proposed corporate tax hike that would help pay for some of the proposed bill's projects. The take hike would go from 21 percent to 28 percent.

Manchin was quoted as saying "the bill [that] exists today, it needs to be changed."

Notably, Washington billionaire Jeff Bezos has said he and Amazon support the corporate tax hike.

Related: Bezos Weighs In On Biden's Corporate Tax Raise Proposal

Biden hopes to see the legislation pass by the end of summer and is working with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to negotiate a final package that would garner bipartisan support, according to NBC News.

>> Read the White House’s full breakdown of how the American Jobs Plan will affect Washington.