Modernizing America’s infrastructure

Infrastructure legislation to benefit a myriad of industrial players, bolster national competitiveness

Roughly half of the approximately $550 billion of new spending in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ("the Act") is allocated to improving and expanding the nation’s passenger and freight transportation networks. The funding spans virtually all transportation infrastructures: roads, bridges, airports, rail, marine ports and public transport.

One third of the new spending is earmarked to modernize and make more resilient the country’s power grid, support renewable power, safeguard the nation’s water supply and distribution system and “climate-proof” critical infrastructure. The Act also includes money aimed at narrowing the digital divide by supporting expansion of connectivity to underserved parts of the country.

The legislation is aimed at strengthening national infrastructure, as the demand to harden infrastructure against climate-change events and cyber attacks escalates. Industries that rely on these networks, such as logistics firms, airlines, railroads, solar and wind power operators, and online commerce, should stand to benefit. Improvements in transportation networks and a more reliable power grid will likely benefit virtually all industries through the promotion of greater efficiencies in supply-chain networks. The efforts also include money to help decarbonize power and energy.