INDIANAPOLIS – John Zody, Chairman for the Indiana Democratic Party, released the following statement after the Indiana General Assembly passed a short-term infrastructure plan.
“Let’s be clear on what happened today: without the infrastructure plans offered by Democratic legislators, Indiana would still be without any infrastructure solutions at all. Governor Pence only put forth a plan after a number of infrastructure crises around the state, and Statehouse Republicans pushed a tax increase and only offered to help local governments with money that should already be theirs.”
“Democrats put forth a commonsense plan on infrastructure and should be congratulated for their efforts in crafting a bipartisan, yet short-term, next step for fixing our state’s D+-rated infrastructure system. While Democrats focused on action, the Pence Administration governed by crisis and put Indiana’s ‘Crossroads of America’ reputation in further jeopardy. Hoosiers want long-term solutions, and Mike Pence’s failed leadership on infrastructure has Indiana falling behind the rest of the nation.”
BACKGROUND: Timeline of Mike Pence’s Failure to Address State’s Crumbling Infrastructure
September 2012: No plan from Mike Pence on how to improve and maintain our state’s infrastructure.
August 4, 2015: Northbound lane of Wildcat Creek Bridge – located on I-65 – closes abruptly after structural problems surface.
August 5, 2015: INDOT confirms 21 bridges in Tippecanoe County (along with over 1,800 other bridges in the state) are labeled as “structurally deficient.
August 7, 2015: After briefly reopening, the Wildcat Creek Bridge again closes, after bridge sunk nine inches.
August 12, 2015: Eight days after initial bridge closure, Mike Pence finally holds media availability and said he’s open to using “short-term” opportunities to aid state’s failing infrastructure.
August 13, 2015: Trucking businesses, state economy impacted by the I-65 bridge closure.
August 14, 2015: INDOT announces Wildcat Creek Bridge on I-65 will remain closed until mid-September.
August 20, 2015: Along with delayed travel and an impact to the state’s economy, fatal car accidents are reported along the I-65 detour.
September 21, 2015: Report reveals INDOT invested $71 million in faulty asphalt, leaving 200 road projects across the state in jeopardy of crumbling sooner than expected.
October 15, 2015: Local roads – making up 90% of state’s infrastructure – miss out on Mike Pence’s short-term solution to fix state’s D+ rated infrastructure.
December 10, 2015: To cover for Mike Pence’s failure, Senate Republicans also introduce a short-term, one-time bill aimed at state’s local infrastructure.
March 10, 2016: After letting the state’s infrastructure crumble for 219 additional days, Mike Pence and Statehouse GOP put together a one-time, short-term plan that only does bare minimum to patch up state’s D+ rated roads and bridges.
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