KNX News Radio 1070 AM
November 14, 2021
Announcer: Officials here in Southern California are hoping that funds from the huge federal infrastructure bill can start flowing right quickly so that goods can start moving again at the Ports of LA and Long Beach.
Reporter: Modernizing the Ports is a long term thing and officials say it will impact consumers all across the country. Senator Alex Padilla.
Senator Padilla: The Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are critical nerve centers in the global supply chain.
Reporter: But the ports have been backed up with the goods barely flowing out and so much of the focus now is short term: getting the merchandise off the ships, and onto trucks in time for the holidays.Robert Garcia is the mayor of Long Beach.
Mayor Garcia:We’re waking up every single day with that mission in mind.
Reporter: Senator Padilla believes the log jam is finally breaking loose.
Senator Padilla: The ships aren’t waiting as long as they were just a handful of weeks ago to come into port.
Reporter: Congresswoman Nanette Barragán though, says it’s no wonder the ports have been bottled up, especially during the COVID shut down.
Congresswoman Barragán: Our infrastructure has been broken. We haven’t invested in infrastructure in a very long time.
Reporter: She says it’s crucial that when the money from the infrastructure bill is finally released, that the LA ports complex is right at the front of the line. John Baird, KNX 1070 News Radio.