This is a post that is similar to what I write for my series “When Politicians Do Good Things”.  What is different in this case is that instead of highlighting the positive contribution of an individual politician, I am showcasing something that a public institution, in this case, the Federal Government is doing to improve our society, by implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Infrastructure Law that was enacted in November of 2021, has been covered in the press extensively as the Biden administration has been making an effort to promote the law.  Much has been written about the number of jobs that are being created due to a construction project in a city, the cost of a project, and so forth.  But behind all that are real efforts that are trying to improve people’s lives. I am going to highlight three such efforts here.

1. The Walk Railroad Bridge in Norwalk, Connecticut.

This is a swing bridge that over 100 Amtrak and commuter trains cross each day.  Due to the fact that it is on the Northeast Corridor, the train route that connects Washington, Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, it is a vital cog in rail travel.  But it is 127 years old and has malfunctioned many times in the last several years.  During the worst breakdowns, train traffic is hampered because the swing bridge is stuck in the open position. That causes big problems in the form of delayed passenger service, and messes with the regional economy.  There have been calls to replace this bridge for years. The infrastructure law has provided the necessary funding in order to greenlight the construction of a new bridge. The groundbreaking happened a few weeks ago, and while the project will take 5-6 years to complete, the new bridge will be a massive improvement over the current bridge, and will help the region over the next few decades.

2.  Route 52 in Pelham Alabama.

On Shelby County road Route 52 in Alabama, there is a rail crossing that intersects with the route.  This has become a problem because there is a hospital close to the rail crossing.  Due to the crossing trains, ambulances have a difficult time responding to emergencies as fast as possible. The crossing trains also prevent the fire department from responding to calls.  The Federal Railway Administration has provided 80 percent of the funding for a bridge to be built over the rail crossing.  The bridge, in addition to helping emergency vehicles respond to calls faster, will prevent collisions between trains and vehicles.  While the groundbreaking date is to be determined, the fact that there is a solid plan to improve things, and the fact that there is money that will be invested in implementing this plan is a big deal.

3.  Broadband internet being extended to Rural Areas.

When most people hear about infrastructure, they think about roads, railways, and bridges.  That is all infrastructure. However, infrastructure is also digital in the form of broadband internet.  Broadband is the regular high speed internet that comes with any wireless plan such as Comcast, or Xfinity.  While most people have Broadband, and do not think much about their internet connection, other than the bill they have to pay, there are households, mostly in rural areas all over the country which don’t have that high speed internet.  That makes it very difficult to access resources for education and to use software which is critical for many businesses to succeed.  The Infrastructure Law is providing 42 billion dollars dedicated to tackling such digital deserts in all 50 States.

Like I have written before, the reason I write this series is because the ratio between positive and negative coverage of politicians/Federal Government is lopsided in the negative direction.  I want to do my small part to help people see the positive things that the Federal Government does to help people.  I hope this piece will cause people to think a little more positively of the Federal Government that we all pay taxes to.