Rebuilding America

World Today

Roads and Bridges: 

The American Society of Civil Engineers says 42 percent of the United State’s 617,000 bridges are at least 50 years old and rates 7.5 percent of them structurally deficient. It gives the U.S. a “C” grade when it comes to these vital overpasses.

CGTN examines Denver, Colorado, where the South Gap Project is the state’s longest construction zone at 29 kilometers. The four-year, $400 million-plus endeavor is widening Interstate 25 south of Denver and adding nine new bridges, five of them for trucks and cars.

 

Passenger Rail: 

Passenger rail, which has long been a source of frustration in the United States, is back in the spotlight. Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill allocates substantial spending for rail service providers. 

The hope is that these investments will lead to fewer people driving, reducing traffic and carbon emissions while boosting jobs and the economy. CGTN’s Karina Huber reports. 

 

Electric Vehicles:

The Biden administration has proposed spending $174 billion to boost the EV market. 

Are those investment numbers enough to shift U.S. drivers to go electric? What speed bumps lie ahead? 

 

America looks to expand its broadband infrastructure

If you’ve been working from home during the pandemic, you’ll already know how vital reliable broadband is for video meetings.

But for many people around the world, that’s a luxury beyond reach, including for millions of people here in the U.S.

The White House wants to plug the gaps with a massive infrastructure plan, but is it spending enough?

CGTN’s Owen Fairclough reports.