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WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Shomari C. Figures (AL-02), Vice Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, announced that he secured several legislative victories, particularly for Mobile, to improve local bridge conditions, strengthen port infrastructure, enhance bus driver safety, and more through the Build America 250 Act, a bipartisan, five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill. The bill advances to the House Floor for a vote.
"Ensuring that our roads, bridges, ports, and rail are up to date and get the investment they need is essential to our public safety and economy," said Figures. "I'm proud to have fought to secure real, concrete wins for the Second Congressional District that will strengthen our infrastructure and set the foundation for future growth and success."
Congressman Figures' persistent advocacy on behalf of Alabama resulted in the following initiatives and priorities, among others, being included in the Build America 250 Act:
Bridges
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Figures successfully pushed to increase annual bridge funding for projects in the state of Alabama, such as the I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project. Under this new bridge formula, Alabama could receive up to $142 million per year for bridge projects, an increase of nearly $100 million annually.
Ports
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Figures' "Maritime Action Plan" amendment was also included in the bill, which would ensure that projects supporting the Administration's Maritime Action Plan are prioritized under the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program. It clarifies that road access projects that support shipyards and maritime facilities are eligible for funding, including facilities such as the Mobile Naval Yard.
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Figures also secured a change to the bill that allows funding for bridge projects across the country to include the removal or modification of tunnels and related highway structures that restrict ship operations. Currently, large container ships are unable to use the entire Port of Mobile-the deepest container port in the Gulf-because of the tunnel that runs through the river. This amendment opens the door for federal funding for the removal of the tunnel in order to maximize the capacity and impact of the Port of Mobile.
Rail
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Figures successfully pushed for a change in the bill to the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program, which establishes the Alabama Port Authority as an eligible entity to receive CRISI grant funding. This will streamline the Port of Mobile's ability to modernize dockside rail and enhance regional economic competitiveness.
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Figures successfully pushed to reauthorize the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program, which funds freight and intercity passenger rail projects with the overarching goal of improving railroad safety in Alabama and across the nation.
Transportation
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Figures' bipartisan bill, H.R. 6635, the Bus Operator Safety and Security Act, is included in the surface bill. His bill requires new federally funded buses to include protective barriers around operator workstations in a direct response to an alarming rise in reported assaults on bus operators across the country.
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He also ensured that funding is authorized to establish the Federal Transit Administration's Transit Workforce Center to improve access to effective on-the-job training, coordinate workforce development initiatives, and build awareness of internship programs. He successfully secured a provision along with his colleagues that creates a rural Transportation Demand Management pilot program to expand access and mobility in rural communities.
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