WASHINGTON TO SEE HOW BUILDING
INFRASTRUCTURE AND KBROUFG THEIM
QUALITY OF LIFE, THEY DONT
ALWAYS GO HAND IN HAND.
AFTER DECADES OF TALK AND WITH
OUR INFRASTRUCTURE STILL IN
PERIL, THIS SPRING PRESIDENT
BIDEN PROPOSED A GIGANTIC
SPENDING BILL THAT RADICALLY
REDEFINED THE TERM BEYOND
BRIDGES AND ROADS.
YOURE LOOKING AT ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECTS IN THE CITY OF LOS
ANGELES.
FROM 40 FEET UP IT OCCURRED TO
ME THAT IF YOURE SCARED OF
HEIGHTS WORKING IN CONSTRUCTION,
THIS TYPE OF INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECT MIGHT NOT BE FOR YOU.
AS AMAZING AS ALL THIS IS,
TRADITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE
THIS BRIDGE ONLY ACCOUNTS FOR
ABOUT 5% OF THE SPENDING.
95% IS LEFT FOR EVERYTHING ELSE.
THAT EVERYTHING ELSE INCLUDES
21st CENTURY IMPROVEMENTS YOU
MIGHT NOT EXPECT, LIKE I-SPEED
INTERNET CONNECTIONS AND
CHARGING STATIONS FOR ELECTRIC
CARS.
BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES CREATING
MILLIONS OF GOOD-PAYING JOBS AND
COMBATTING SYSTEMIC RACISM.
THATS BECAUSE TRADITIONAL
INFRASTRUCTURE HASNT ALWAYS
HELPED EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY
THOSE LIVING IN ITS SHADOWS.
AS SOME WORRY ABOUT THIS NEW
BRIDGE IN LOS ANGELES.
>> THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ICONIC
BRIDGE.
>> Reporter: CITY ENGINEER GARY
LEE MOORE INVITED US HERE TO THE
TOP OF L.A.S NEW SIXTH STREET
VIADUCT WHICH COSTS MORE THAN
HALF A BILLION DOLLARS AND WAS
PAID FOR BEFORE PRESIDENT BIDEN
PROPOSED HIS PLAN.
THE BRIDGE WILL CONNECT THE
UPSCALE ARCH DISTRICT IN
DOWNTOWN L.A. WITH A WORKING
CLASS AND LATINO NEIGHBORHOOD
CALLED BOYLE HEIGHTS, ALREADY
UNDER PRESSURE FROM
GENTRIFICATION.
HIGH UP ON THE BRIDGE WE MET
CARLOS, AN IRONWORKER.
>> YOU GUYS MAKING A GOOD
LIVING?
>> YEAH, WE DO.
WE DO.
I LIVE DOWN THE STREET.
>> WHERE AT?
>> BOYLE HEIGHTS.
>> IN BOYLE HEIGHTS?
>> I LIVE 78 MILES FROM HERE.
>> HOW COME?
>> CHEAPER RENTING.
>> Reporter: CARLOS ISNT THE
ONLY ONE GETTING SQUEEZED BY
DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING TO A
REALTOR WHO SITS ON A LOCAL
NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL.
>> THIS COMMUNITY, THE IDEA THAT
YOU MIGHT SEE A BUNCH OF CONDOS
OR HIGH-PRICED RENTAL UNITS GO
UP, WHOS GOING TO LIVE IN THEM?
IS IT THE PEOPLE ALREADY LIVING
IN THIS COMMUNITY?
>> MOST LIKELY NOT, NO.
>> Reporter: THATS BECAUSE NEW
MARKET RATE HOUSING WOULD COST
PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE MORE THAN
HALF OF WHAT THEY MAKE IN A
YEAR.
>> WHEN THAT BRIDGE OPENS, THE
SITUATION GETS MORE DIRE?
>> YES, 100%.
100% MORE DIRE BECAUSE THIS
WHOLE REGION, IF NOT THIS POCKET
OF BOYLE HEIGHTS, WILL BE ON THE
MAP FOR BECOMING RIPE FOR
DEVELOPMENT.
♪
>> Reporter: HERE IN BOYLE
HEIGHTS, PROTESTS AGAINST
DEVELOPMENT ARE COMMON.
WE MET THESE RESIDENTS WHO ARE
PROTESTING A VERIZON CELL TOWER
BEING BUILT IN A COMMUNITY
GARDEN WHICH THE COMPANY SAYS IS
BEING PRESERVED.
>> I MET A GUY WORKING ON THE
BRIDGE.
HE MAKES A GOOD SALARY AND HE
SAYS HE CANT AFFORD TO LIVE
HERE ANYMORE.
>> EXACTLY.
WERE DEFINITELY SEEING AN
UNFAIR AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT.
DISPLACEMENT OF COMMUNITIES,
DISPLACEMENT OF NEIGHBORS.
PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN
BOYLE HEIGHTS ANYMORE.
ITS WAY TOO EXPENSIVE.
>> I MEAN THATS THE STORY
ACROSS SO MUCH OF THIS COUNTRY,
RIGHT?
>> WAY, WAY TOO EXPENSIVE.
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS
SAID THE PLAN WILL MITIGATE
FALLOUT FROM INFRASTRUCTURE BUT
THATS NOT ENOUGH TO OVERCOME
DISTRUST IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY LIKE THE ONE AT THE
VERY END OF THAT BRIDGE IN L.A.
GREAT PEOPLE, BUT THEYRE
DEALING WITH CHALLENGES THERE.
>> THE GENTRIFICATION HAS
UNFORTUNATELY BECOME SO COMMON
PLACE.
YOU MENTIONED AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
HOW WOULD THAT HELP IN SOME OF
THESE COMMUNITIES?
>> WELL, YOU HEARD IT FROM
DAVID, THE REALTOR.
BASICALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS
REALLY NO LONGER AFFORDABLE FOR
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE
COMMUNITIES.
YOU TALK TO CARLOS WHO WORKS 40
FEET UP ON BRIDGE AND HE SAID I
USED TO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY
AND NOW I COMMUTE 150 MILES
ROUND TRIP JUST TO GET HERE TO
WORK ON THIS PROJECT.
SO IT IS A CHALLENGE THAT THEY
HAVE GOT TO FIGURE OUT.
>> ITS AN EXCELLENT SERIES.
YOU CAN SEE MORE OF JACOBS
REPORTING ON INFRASTRUCTURE IN
THE SERIES CALLED "STREET LEVEL
USA."
ITS STREAMING THIS FRIDAY NIGHT
ON PEACOCK AND AIRING SUNDAY AT
10:00 P.M.
>> CAN WE TALK -- CAN WE BRING
UP THE FULL SCREEN AGAIN?
LOOK HOW BAD HE LOOKS IN THAT
PICTURE.
YOURE PRETTY INTENSE.