Can Congress fix Highway 99? How Biden’s infrastructure plan could impact Stanislaus County
Can Joe Biden and Congress actually make the ride on Briggsmore Avenue/North Carpenter Road in Modesto smoother? Or make it less bumpy on Interstate 5 as you pass Monte Diablo Avenue in Stockton?
Could be. Biden on Wednesday unveiled a massive infrastructure plan that aims to help repair America’s roads and bridges.
California needs the help. About 6% of the state’s 25,763 bridges, or 1,536, are considered “structurally deficient,” according to the nonpartisan American Road and Transportation Builders Association. That’s down from 2019’s 1,797.
While that doesn’t mean those structures are in danger of imminent collapse, it does mean repairs are needed.
Saying a bridge is deficient “doesn’t mean the bridge is about to fall down. That kind of thing is very rare. Things that engineers do make sure the bridges are safe,” said Paul Lewis, vice president for policy at the Eno Center for Transportation, a research group..
The designation means a bridge cannot handle or has exceeded its design life or capacity. The danger is that it could be shut down if an inspector does find more serious problems.
“A state or local government may close a bridge if there are immediate concerns, but people need to be aware there are issues and additional resources are needed,” said Alison Black, the organization’s chief economist.
California has been aggressively trying to repair highway damage. In addition to receiving federal money for repairs and replacement, the state transportation department funds road work through the state general fund and new taxes and fees adopted in the 2017 Road Repair and Accountability Act.
The state transportation department explained to The Bee that California has one of the most congested transportation systems in the nation, including the two busiest ports for freight movement in the United States.
“The sheer number of vehicles and trucks using our roads and bridges causes deterioration over time. Bridge decks are specifically susceptible to wear and tear from traffic and account for more than 80% of bridges classified as poor in California,” the department said.
Bridges in California are inspected once every two years by qualified bridge inspectors. Any inspection findings that require critical maintenance are immediately addressed or the bridge is restricted or closed to traffic until necessary work is completed.
Bridges are repaired or replaced throughout California by the state, city and county owners. Typically, between 300 and 500 bridges would likely be repaired or replaced in California. The projects are funded by federal, state and local sources.
Critics say the potential bridge danger is overblown. Chris Edwards, director of tax policy studies and a fiscal policy expert at the libertarian Cato Institute, said data often showed improvements over time.
“Understandably, civil engineers want every asset to be 100% new and perfect,” he said. But “every household or private business has assets, each of which has some level of optimal wear and tear before it is scrapped and replaced. It would be economically and environmentally unsound to replace every asset with a new one every year.”
Local bridges
In the 10th congressional district, which covers much of Stanislaus County and parts of San Joaquin County, there were 119 structurally deficient bridges, up from 113 in 2019. An estimated $423.2 million in repairs are needed.
Most traveled deficient bridges
San Joaquin County, Interstate 5 southbound over Fremont Street, Weber and Pershing Avenues in Stockton
San Joaquin County, Interstate 5 over Monte Diablo Avenue in Stockton
Stanislaus County, State Route 99 over 2nd Street and State Route 99 on ramp in Ceres
Stanislaus County, State Route 99 over State Route 99-North Street off ramp in Ceres
Stanislaus County, Briggsmore Avenue/North Carpenter Road over Union Pacific railroad tracks and Brink Avenue
Will Congress agree?
Just how much of this money would wind up in the Modesto area is unclear.
Last year, the state Transportation Commission committed $22 billion over multiple years for over 1,200 projects in five programs funded in large part from the state’s 2017 law.
The projects are expected to help the state reach its goal of having 98% of its highway pavement in good or fair condition and to fix 500 additional bridges by 2027.
Commission Chair Hilary Norton said she was “excited” about the Biden initiative, saying “This will help California continue to fix its roads and bridges, protecting them and making them safer and more multi-modal.”
Significant hurdles remain before Biden can get his infrastructure plan to become law. He proposed higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy to help for it, which Republicans are warning won’t go far.
“I don’t think there’s going to be any enthusiasm on our side for a tax increase,” Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, told a news conference last week.
Biden and Democrats, though, are determined to move fast. House Transportation Committee Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, told reporters he hopes to have legislation pass the House this spring.
And in the Senate, there’s talk that Democrats could use a parliamentary maneuver that would allow the plan to pass with 51 votes. Fifty senators caucus with the Democrats, meaning if they all stuck together, Vice President Kamala Harris would break the tie.
“He wants to move quickly,” said DeFazio of Biden’s eagerness for an infrastructure plan.
This story was originally published March 30, 2021 at 1:22 PM.
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