By Brock Bosack, P.E., NTH Project Engineer
| On Friday, November 5th, 2021, Congress voted to pass a $1.2 trillion-dollar infrastructure bill and President Biden signed it into law on Monday, November 15th, 2021. The bill, officially referred to as House Resolution 3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, has been labeled “monumental” and called a “once-in-a-generation” investment by individuals from both sides of the political aisle. (Footnote 1) This investment in our nation’s roads, bridges, and other infrastructure items is long overdue, and it presents an opportunity to improve the built environment around us all. Michiganders understand that our state would benefit from this level of investment. According to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, 40% of Michigan’s major roads are in poor condition, along with about 1,000 bridges throughout the state. Similarly, according to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), about 33% of Southeast Michigan’s stormwater and drinking water infrastructure is in poor condition.(Footnote 2) But how will this new law actually work? Let’s dig a little deeper and see what this legislation could mean for the State of Michigan. A recent article in the Detroit Free Press says that the State of Michigan can expect about $10 billion dollars in funding for infrastructure projects as outlined in the adjacent graphic.(Footnote 3) Now that the bill has been signed into law, the next step will be for individual federal departments to prepare and share “detailed spend plans”, with a due date usually set as a few months after the bill is signed into law. (Footnote 4) Depending on the department, the bill specifies that detailed spend plans shall be sent to the appropriate department head 60 to 90 days from the passage of the legislation, depending on the section and the department that is receiving funding. |  |
The funding amount associated with the new law ($1.2 trillion dollars nationally) technically refers to the amount of funding that the federal government will be providing to individual States over the next five fiscal years, up through the end of FY 2026. Each year during this time, the federal government will distribute funds to individual States, which can then fund State-level projects or distribute to local municipalities for their use. States, municipalities, and tribes are also eligible to apply for a wide variety of federal grants to help fund infrastructure improvement projects paid for by this legislation.
While there are myriad different programs and grants within this bill, there are a few notable line items that relate to NTH’s field of expertise. These include:
While there are myriad different programs and grants within this bill, there are a few notable line items that relate to NTH’s field of expertise. These include:
| PFAS mitigation The new law includes $4 billion to address PFAS and drinking water contaminants, awarded as loans with 100 percent forgiveness or loans alone. An additional $1 billion would be allocated to address emerging contaminants provided as loans with 100 percent forgiveness or as grants. NTH recently offered a webinar on this emerging issue that can be found here. |  Richard Burns, Senior Vice President at NTH, presents findings at the EREF Summit on PFAS in Landfill Leachate |
 Livernois Ave Complete Streets project in Detroit, MI. | "Complete Streets” streetscape design The law includes $5 billion for a new “Safe Streets and Roads for All” grant. States and municipalities can apply for funds to implement road safety measures for all users, including automobiles, bicyclists, and pedestrians of all mobility levels. In 2021, NTH received a Merit Award for Engineering from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan (ACEC/M) for the Livernois Streetscape project in Detroit, Michigan. This project consisted of upgrading a three-lane roadway in each direction from Right-of-Way to Right-of-Way. The new design featured separated bike lanes, bioretention areas, larger sidewalks, and updated pedestrian crossing signals. |
Great Lakes shoreline issues
As mentioned above, this new law includes $1 billion each year for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).
NTH has completed many seawall and shoreline engineering and design projects, and recently offered a webinar on this issue that can be found here.
As mentioned above, this new law includes $1 billion each year for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).
NTH has completed many seawall and shoreline engineering and design projects, and recently offered a webinar on this issue that can be found here.
This infrastructure plan is one of the largest investments in the health, safety, and public welfare in US history (Footnote 5), and local Michigan communities stand to benefit from these investments for years to come. If you want to find out more about how NTH’s experience can position your local communities to help leverage the use of these transformational dollars for infrastructure and community upgrades, please contact:
 Brock Bosack, P.E. bbosack@nthconsultants.com 248.662.2039 |  David Lutz, P.E dlutz@nthconsultants.com 248.662.2750 |
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