ICYMI: Mayors in Tennessee and North Carolina Urge Congress to Pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework: A 'Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity'

Mayors in Tennessee and North Carolina are calling on Congress to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework. Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly wrote in a new Times Free Press op-ed that the agreement was a "once-in-a-generation opportunity to overhaul our aging infrastructure" – and Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan, Chair of the North Carolina Metropolitan Mayors Coalition, said during a press call that, "[infrastructure] is not a partisan issue…It allows commerce to flourish, and it connects us to one another."

See below for Mayor Kelly's op-ed, as well as coverage of the N.C. Metropolitan Mayors Coalition press call:

Chattanooga Times Free Press: Opinion: Columns: Kelly: Chattanooga, residents will benefit from infrastructure deal
[Mayor Tim Kelly, 7/27/21]

I learned on the campaign trail that when it comes to potholes, everyone in Chattanooga has a story. Ask any Chattanooga resident and they can name at least one road that is long overdue for repairs.

There are potholes in turning lanes, ruts on exit ramps, cracks at intersections and sinkholes on back roads. Residents are fed up with the civic neglect that plays havoc with our vehicles and tries our patience.

But beyond ruts and potholes, the problem runs much deeper. There are crumbling shoulders, aging bridges, overloaded sewer systems and leaky tunnels that will require hundreds of millions of dollars to repair, not to mention the additional improvement needed to allow our community to grow and thrive.

Chattanooga's roads, bridges and tunnels need a new lease on life — not just for our safety and sanity, but to propel us into the next century and allow us to grow the economy, strengthen our neighborhoods and expand access to good-paying jobs.

That's one reason why I'm excited about the bipartisan infrastructure framework plan that is working its way through Congress. This plan is the single largest long-term infrastructure investment that this country has seen in nearly a century, and Chattanooga needs it.

If passed, the infrastructure package would invest tens of millions of dollars in Chattanooga's roads and bridges. These funds would offer support to our administration's existing road repair plan and allow our team to add more roads to the schedule, meaning Chattanooga residents will see significant and timely repairs.

And we could put money back in the pockets of Chattanoogans by investing in water infrastructure, reducing sewer fees, helping commuters move more efficiently, and speeding the construction of quality workforce housing.

But there's more to infrastructure than asphalt and concrete. These dollars can ensure that Chattanooga is prepared for the green economy of the future, by allowing us to invest in electric vehicle infrastructure, from charging stations to new, efficient transit options.

Within the proposed framework, over $15 billion in funds is allocated to electric vehicle infrastructure and electric transit. This investment will build a network of 500,000 chargers along highways and in rural and disadvantaged communities, ensuring that Chattanooga is prepared for the green economy of the future, and giving our residents better access to education and jobs training opportunities. And these investments will also support the momentum of our local economic trajectory with Volkswagen's investment in electric mobility and the recent expansion of a key battery component supplier, PUREGraphite.

These dollars will also allow us to continue to lead the nation in equitable internet access by leveraging our portion of the plan's $65 billion broadband investment, an investment that for Chattanooga would double down on the success of EPB and allow us to continue leading the nation in this area.

And finally, this package will bring hundreds of good paying jobs to our city, helping working families to move up the economic ladder.

During my campaign, I talked about how we needed our leaders to put solutions over party politics. Investing in our nation's infrastructure shouldn't be a Republican or Democratic issue. In our own city, we've seen what's possible when we put aside our differences and choose localism over partisanship. I firmly believe that Washington can take those lessons to heart and, by adopting this framework, meet this moment in history with common sense for our common purpose.

Chattanooga has the capacity to be the best city in the country, and this once-in-a-generation opportunity to overhaul our aging infrastructure will propel us toward fulfilling the promise of Chattanooga's potential.

Tim Kelly is mayor of Chattanooga.

WGHP: Coalition of North Carolina mayors throw support behind president's infrastructure bill
[Daniel Pierce, 7/27/21]

GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — Roughly $579 billion in financial help to fund crucial infrastructure projects across the country is being debated in Congress, and a coalition of North Carolina mayors have thrown their support behind the bill.

The bill is just a portion of a larger, nearly $1 trillion spending package proposed by President Joe Biden.

The bill, in its current form, will allot $579 billion for infrastructure projects that will involve transportation, the expansion of broadband access, and major upgrades to city and county pipeline systems that carry drinking water and sewage.

It has bipartisan support, including that from Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis.

If the bill is approved, $312 million is expected to go to infrastructure, with $109 million designated for repairs to roads, bridges, and highways across the country.

What remains will go to broadband expansion and pipeline repairs.

On Monday, a coalition of mayors from across the state, including Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan, voiced their support for the bill.

Vaughan highlighted how metropolitan areas, and rural communities, are seeing a large influx in population, and the current budgets are able to keep up with the stress it has put on current infrastructure.

"Our needs are outpacing our budget," she explained.

Mayor of Salisbury Karen Alexander describes the impact being felt by rural communities, saying, "We have some rural communities that have seen population and job loses and as a result of that have had to defer water and sewer maintenance needs."

To watch the full meeting, click here.

If passed, it's still unknown how much money each state or city will receive.