Schumer Calls for Doubling of Bridge Maintenance Funding

New York, NY —

Senator Charles Schumer says the federal government should spend billions more on bridge and highway maintenance, following last week's collapse of an interstate highway bridge in Minneapolis.

SCHUMER: For too long, we have not done what we should be doing in Washington to help maintain our bridges as well as our highways.

REPORTER: Standing at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge yesterday, he said attention and money should shift from building new highways and bridges to maintaining old ones. This fall, the Senate is expected to consider a transportation bill that includes five billion dollars for bridge upgrades and maintenance. Schumer says he will introduce legislation to double that figure.