How to Repair the Key Bridge Without Breaking the Bank

Fortunately, it’s possible for Washington to help Maryland rebuild the bridge without driving the nation deeper into debt. - David Ditch / @davidaditch 

• First, all officials must be clear that the cost of rebuilding should mostly or entirely fall on the owners and operators of the ship...
• Second, there’s no need for Congress to authorize new funding to begin the process of clearing the channel and rebuilding the bridge. In 2021, Congress passed a five-year, $1.2 trillion infrastructure package, the largest portion of which is devoted to roads and bridges. 

Rather than simply adding to the long-term debt, Congress has many options to repurpose funds from the 2021 bill, including:

• Canceling the administration’s $3.1 billion grant to California’s wildly dysfunctional high-speed rail project.
• Reducing federal spending on programs for low-priority, local-only infrastructure such as hiking trails, bike paths, and sidewalks.
• Pulling forward highway and bridge funds from allocations for 2025 and 2026 so they are available for the project starting in 2024...