FLORIDA, USA — More than $27 billion in federal funding will be sent to states across the country in order to repair and rehabilitate bridges as part of President Biden's infrastructure bill. Florida is set to receive $245 million of that funding, which isn't sitting well with Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The governor's office is accusing the Biden Administration of "short-changing" Florida with its allotment of federal funds. According to the governor, the funding is based on the number of bridges in disrepair, but DeSantis claims states with fewer bridges received twice as much funding as Florida.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s dashboard, there are 408 bridges in Florida that are in poor condition. The dashboard doesn’t specify which bridges those are. However, DeSantis claims states like Connecticut have 248 bridges in poor condition but are receiving $561.4 million in funding.
“The Biden Administration continues to punish states that are succeeding,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a news release. “Despite obstacles created by the Biden Administration, the State of Florida continues to thrive and foster an environment that draws new residents and tourists every single day. By doing so, Florida has continued to grow, and our infrastructure must be able to keep up the pace. The Biden Administration though is short-changing Florida yet again.”
The American Road & Transportation Builder Association reports a bridge in poor condition means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition. That same report says out of the 408 Florida bridges classified as structurally deficient, seven of them are on the interstate highway system.
The report also adds that Florida itself has identified repairs needed on 1,003 bridges with an estimated cost of $2.7 billion.