November 7th, 2021 by WCBC Radio

Congressman David Trone (MD-06) invited President Biden to sign the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in Cumberland, Maryland, located in Maryland’s Sixth Congressional District. Cumberland is the site of the National Road, also known as the Cumberland Road, which was America’s first federally funded, designed, and constructed infrastructure project. 

 

Trone voted to send the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to the President’s desk last night. The bill will be transformational for Maryland, injecting billions of dollars of new federal funding to rebuild our infrastructure, create millions of jobs, and leave behind a cleaner environment for generations to come.

 

In the letter, Trone wrote, “Cumberland is the perfect backdrop for the signing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework. Not simply because of its unparalleled importance in the history of our nation, but also because this legislation will be transformational for the city, county, and region.” 

 

The full text of the letter is below and attached: 

 

Dear President Biden:

 

Congratulations on the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act! As we look forward to making the largest long-term investment in our country’s infrastructure and workforce in nearly a century, I invite you to sign this transformational legislation in Cumberland, Maryland, the site of America’s first-ever federally funded infrastructure project. 

 

The National Road, also known as the Cumberland Road, was America’s first federally funded, designed, and constructed infrastructure project. Authorized in 1806, the purpose of the road was to connect the populated East Coast of our nation to the Ohio River and the navigable waters inland. Though only 132 miles in its initial design, the National Road proved so critical to the development and settlement of our country that by 1839, it spanned 750 miles — connecting Washington, D.C. to the heartland of our country.

 

Cumberland’s role in the history of American infrastructure is not merely limited to the National Road, however. The Queen City was also the terminus of the historic Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, and nearby Mount Savage was the birthplace of the iron rail. In many ways, the story of our country’s transportation history is rooted in Allegany County, Maryland.

 

For these reasons, Cumberland is the perfect backdrop for the signing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework. Not simply because of its unparalleled importance in the history of our nation, but also because this legislation will be transformational for the city, county, and region. Since 2017, three bridges that connect the historic Washington Street and West Side community to Cumberland’s city center have been inoperable due to a lack of infrastructure investment. Roads, tunnels, and rails throughout Allegany County are in desperate need of renovation and investment. With this legislation, the future of communities like Cumberland are brighter.

 

Thank you for your consideration of this request. I look forward to continuing to serve under your leadership as we work to solve our nation’s most pressing issues. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time.

 

Sincerely,