LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer attended the signing of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill by President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C. on Monday.
Fischer, who joined members of Congress, governors and mayors around the country, said it's a once-in-a-generation investment for the city. According to a news release, the Louisville-Jefferson County area should receive an more than $100 million, and the state "will receive an estimated share of $4.5 billion for highways, roads, bridges, and goods movement."
"A billion is a lot of money, and it's nothing to be sniffed at, and we've never had it before, but compared to the total need it's small because what you've got to remember now is America is 13th in the world in relation to our infrastructure," Fischer said. "The bill passed today is the biggest bill for infrastructure since President Dwight D. Eisenhower."
Fischer says the money will fund major construction in Metro Louisville for the next five or six years.
One project he's eyeing already is to redesign 9th Street to better connect downtown with west Louisville.
Fischer did express concern about finding enough workers for jobs in Louisville.
"We got to have people to fill the jobs right now so we are going to have more attention with JCPS, the academies program, advanced manufacturing programs, construction programs," Fischer said. "If we can successfully sync up the demand for where the job is to kids who want to go right to work or have a credential, then they'll go right to work with $20 an hour jobs starting off the bat."
The bill will also allow Louisville to make investments in high-speed internet, which will allow broadband coverage to be provided to Louisvillians who don't have access to it.
Gov. Andy Beshear tweeted Kentucky is expected to receive $5 billion from the infrastructure bill.
Copyright 2021 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
