Given the most recent bridge collapse and the general state of disrepair of the American infrastructure I have a simple idea that harkens back to the Liberty ships that were mass fabricated during WWII.
Why can't we design a range of standardized bridges that fits a significant cross section of the crumbling national inventory. These bridges would be engineered and constructed in several regional centers (jobs) in modular fashion and then transported to the bridge site and erected IKEA style by local workers (jobs) supervised by a growing cadre of engineers versed in Liberty bridge construction (jobs).
I've got to believe thousands of the failing structures, simple bridges over simple spans, could be remedied by this kind of national program. Designed with the latest technology, steel, anti-corrosion, concrete, lighting and environmental knowledge they'd benefit from mass production, quality control and standardized site prep.
Rather than build custom spans for every failing structure the Liberty Bridges would instead rely on making the site fit the bridge rather than vice versa. A range of discreet sizes and extensions (far better engineered) would answer the common need.
By all accounts the scale of the problem merits a rapid, efficient, dare I say national response but of course in these times when Republicans turn down healthcare dollars there's no guarantee sense will prevail. Anyway for what it's worth I wanted to throw this out.