BRENT SPENCE BRIDGE PKG

$2-point-3- trillion dollar infrastructure plan is right here in kentucky.

It's upgrading the brent spence bridge...which you might remember for a month long closure after a fiery wreck this winter.

Abc 36's bobbi mcswine spoke to the head of the northern kentucky chamber of commerce...who says he hopes politics doesn't win again in the long fight to improve infrastructure.

##### "we think this issue is the biggest issue in our country at the moment, especially coming out of the pandemic."

It's hard to find a solution when it comes to improving aging infrastructure.

Northern kentucky chamber of commerce president brent cooper says that's particularly true when it comes to the brent spence bridge.

"i often joke that i'm the charlie brown of the brent spence bridge.

I've been talking about this for so long, and every time we think we got it done, lucy pulls the football out from under us and we fall on our backs."

Cooper says it's an uphill...decades- long battle...adding that in his nearly 4 years as president...the bridge has either been closed completely...or reduced to only two lanes more than 25- percent of the time.

"that has huge economic impact and a whole slew of negative consequences for our region and the state."

Cooper says now...he hopes the bridge can get the facelift it needs within president joe biden's infrastructure plan...but says unless the details are agreed on down the aisle...he can see that dream slipping away.

"the infrastructure piece that refers to broadband and that talks about high speed for our country, i think that's important."

He also says rail and mass transit should be a part of the bill...but disagrees with items like removing all lead pipes that carry drinking water.

"focus on the stuff that is bipartisan and we can get a broad agreemnt on."

On that same note...cooper says it should be paid for by users...all things that would inch republican lawmakers...like senator mitch mcconell...closer to an agreement.

Mcconnell: "if you break it up and have an infrastructure package and not a big tax increase and pay for it in a credible."

Cooper says if a solution can't be reached...he's worried about the future of infrastructure in the entire country.

"if you can't get something that's so obvious resolved, then the system's broken."

Bobbi mcswine...abc 36 news.

########## ideas