COMMENTARY: Bipartisan infrastructure bill will invest in Nevada

For weeks, I worked as part of a bipartisan group of senators committed to investing in our communities and creating jobs through infrastructure. Our goal was to reach a deal on bold, comprehensive legislation that would make a difference in people’s lives — and now, those efforts have finally paid off.

Through the recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we are making a once-in-a-generation investment in our country. With this bill, we can rebuild, revamp and expand America’s infrastructure, create good-paying jobs and improve lives in the Silver State.

Infrastructure impacts everyone in Nevada. From those who call Nevada home to travelers visiting from far and wide — everyone uses our roads, bridges and highways to get around. However, there are more than 1,000 miles of Nevada highway in need of repair and more than two dozen bridges that need restoration.

The wear and tear of roads and highways pose safety concerns, increase commute times and — according to the White House — cost Nevada drivers more than $500 each year as a result of poor driving conditions.

Our bill would provide funding to fix and expand our roads, bridges and highways, further connecting our communities. The bill would also make significant investments in accessible public transit and rail systems. This would create safer, more secure and more efficient transportation in Nevada.

The act would also take a proactive approach to the challenges our state faces, including the current drought. Through investment in Western water systems, we can better meet community needs and develop water recycling and reuse projects that will go a long way toward providing greater access to water.

As one of the bill’s drafters, I focused during the many weeks of negotiations heavily on forward-thinking investments that will uniquely benefit Nevada now and for years to come by increasing access to broadband and upgrading our state’s airports.

Fast, reliable internet access is critical to our daily lives. During COVID-19, many Nevadans went online to conduct business, seek medical care and pursue education. However, the broadband disparity deprives many Nevadans — including our rural communities — of even basic internet services. The time to make broadband investments is now, and our infrastructure bill will do just that, at an unprecedented level.

The legislation would bring broadband to communities that have long gone without access and would also make broadband more affordable for Nevada families.

We can also build Nevada’s economy by investing in our state’s airports. Our airports are major hubs for travel, serving as gateways to our great state for visitors from across the country and all over the world and key tools for our state’s travel and tourism industry. As we continue the pandemic recovery, we must prepare for the future passengers who will come to visit.

Our bill would invest in our nation’s airports, providing money to expand and upgrade terminals and facilities. These investments, which I worked to secure, will allow us to bring in travelers and tourists in larger numbers, who will support our state’s local businesses — boosting our economy and creating jobs. Investments in our airports will help better connect our state, allowing Nevada’s travel and tourism to soar once again.

Through our Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we can take these critically important steps to invest in our states, address the pressing issues we face and set ourselves up for a successful future.

This bill will accomplish something truly meaningful, something that will make a real difference in the day-to-day lives of Nevadans and set us all up for a successful future.

— Jacky Rosen, a Democrat, represents Nevada in the U.S. Senate.