The Biden Administration has a new plan to expedite infrastructure projects. It includes a new “dig once” policy to support broadband, transportation and electrification, according to the White House. A fact sheet describes federal actions to address challenges and speed up the planning, design and construction of infrastructure projects across broadband and transportation.
“American ingenuity and government creativity can be used to build our infrastructure to a higher standard of ‘On Time, On Task, and On Budget,’” says the administration. “As we approach the one-year milestone of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the White House is determined to accelerate our progress.”
Federal agencies will do their part, focused as never before on accelerating the pace of design, construction and permitting. But with over 90 percent of bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding being delivered by non-federal agencies – state, Tribal, regional, territorial, local and industry partners must also find ways to accelerate the delivery of infrastructure, says the administration.
“Dig Once” policies allow local or state government agencies to coordinate with utility companies to build broadband through the installation of conduit. This broadband deployment policy is implemented in transportation infrastructure plans to avoid digging in the highways more than once, lowering the cost of building new infrastructure, notes Broadband Breakfast.
In May, the administration released a new permitting action plan focused on transparent infrastructure projects guided by science and “complete environmental effects analysis,” including public input into infrastructure.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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