(RightWing.org) – The 2024 presidential campaign is now in full swing, with Joe Biden running unopposed and Donald Trump holding a nearly 60-point lead over his sole remaining rival, Nikki Haley. Biden is scurrying about the country, presenting his so-called economic successes, frequently in front of skeptical audiences.
The president recently traveled to Wisconsin to beat an all-too-familiar drum, projects related to the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (HR 3684). He always touts the measure as bipartisan, and technically, he’s correct — but not by much. Two hundred House Republicans voted against the measure (informally known as the IIJA), and only 13 aligned with Democrats. A mere 17 of 47 Republicans voted to approve the bill.
Biden Announces Massive New Infrastructure Project in Wisconsin
On January 25, Biden traveled to Wisconsin to announce the allocation of roughly $5 billion from the IIJA for the Department of Transportation to finance various infrastructure projects, including work on the John Blatnik Memorial Bridge. To his credit, the event wasn’t billed as a campaign event, and only a few reporters accompanied the president and first lady during their visit.
However, Biden did take advantage of the presence of a cadre of reporters to brag about economic policies. He confirmed earlier reports that about $1 billion from the IIJA had been earmarked to build a new span to replace the existing Blatnik Bridge.
The nearly 8,000-foot cantilever truss bridge connects Superior, Wisconsin, with neighboring Duluth, Minnesota. An estimated 33,000 vehicles travel across the bridge daily. Additionally, almost a million light trucks use it to transport roughly 3.4 billion tons of goods. However, heavy trucks are prohibited from traveling across the span due to gradual deterioration since its 1961 dedication.
Construction of a New Bridge Is Long Overdue
Biden discussed various issues necessitating the construction of a replacement bridge. For instance, they talked about the existing one’s outdated design, rife with “tight curves” that have led to congestion and “higher-than-average” accident rates. He also spoke about the expenses involved with detouring oversized trucks and the resulting costs and increased delays in the passage of essential goods.
The president explained that the new bridge would use a modern design, providing increased capacity for large trucks transporting oversized loads. He also discussed its wider shoulders, improved on and off ramps, and shared lanes for cyclists and pedestrians.
Biden also praised the governors of Wisconsin and Minnesota, along with their respective legislatures, for approving matching funds for the project.
As a side note, Fox News recently pointed out the importance of Wisconsin in securing an electoral victory in the upcoming presidential election. Biden has visited the state eight times already since assuming office in 2021, and the GOP decided to hold its 2024 national convention in Milwaukee later this year. Democrats will hold theirs the following month in neighboring Chicago.
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