I guess the criminal Bush was too busy fightin' terra the last four years to pay attention to America. -- WASHINGTON – America's roads, public transit and aviation have gotten worse in the past four years. Water and sewage systems are dreadful. The basic physical backbone of American society is barely above failing, a report by top engineers says. It'll cost $2.2 trillion to fix America's ailing infrastructure, according to highlights of a report being released early, just as the House of Representatives readies its first vote on President Barack Obama's call for a massive economic stimulus spending package. The country's roads, dumps, dams, bridges, schools and rail systems need lots of that money, say the engineers, who would get a piece of the pie in working on the repairs. Government officials are already aiming billions of dollars at those physical needs as part of what at the moment is a $825 billion economic stimulus package. But the engineers say that's not enough. Overall, the American Society of Civil Engineers gives the U.S. physical backbone for everything from schools and parks to dams and levees a D. That's the same overall grade as the last time the group gave a report, in 2005, but it really is slipping from a "high D" to a "low D," said report chairman Andrew Herrmann. Herrmann, an engineer with the New York firm Hardesty & Hanover, said his group is issuing the highlights of the report — the full document won't be out until late March — "to be relevant ... investing in our infrastructure will create jobs." Of the 15 areas the engineers looked at, three got worse and only one got better. The three that worsened were all transportation oriented: aviation dropped from a D+ to a D; so did public transit; and America's intricate roadway system potholed from a D to a D-. Only the energy system improved, from a D to a D+. In 2005, the engineers said it would cost what would be $1.7 trillion in current dollars to fix what's broken. Now the pricetag is up to $2.2 trillion. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FAILING_BACKBONE?SITE=TXDAM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
It looks like someone wants some money. I have been to bunch of countries in Asia and Europe and I don't think the us infrastructure is worse than those places.
Just because someone else has a turd of a system, doesn't mean we should judge ours based upon how bad theirs is.... DD
BS. How could you compare some other countries infrastructure to our own? We are developed country which has had the resources to maintain our infrastructure, yet America has not fixed what needs to be fixed. I'm sure fixing leaking pipes would be useful (would save lot of water). I'm sure our storm drainage systems could be improved to further prevent flooding (although when mother nature is on to us, we have nothing to do). Levees in New Orleans and Sacramento need to be repaired. There are numerous dams that need maintenance. There are numerous bridges that need to be checked and fixed. Public transportation sucks in this country. We have congestions all over the place. Look at LA, traffic up the ass. We cannot hold our standards of our infrastructure to other countries. Just because some country has some piece of **** water system doesn't mean we should be satisfied. We are a rich country (although struggling in this economy) and we should be able to fix what me made and instead of focusing on making more roads we should instead turn to fixing those roads that need to be fixed.
Given that my subjective opinion of the roads and other stuff is that they are in decent but by no means outstanding condition, I read the report's grade as meaning that if we don't fix those problems now we'll be totally fubar'ed in a few years. It's not as if the bridges are teetering on the brink of disintegration, but a few more years with no repairs or improvements could see of public works stuff become effectively broken.
Same story different pricetag. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=92573&page=1&pp=20&highlight=infrastructure
Well looks like Indiana just jumped over 1% in unemployment in one month. Things are really getting bad, we are now 8.2%.
So, that's $2.2 trillion to go from a D to an A? I'd rather not have D-grade infrastructure (though I'm skeptical of the motivations of the Society issuing the grades), but an A-grade is probably not necessary. What would it cost to get a high C?
I thought the US was going to hit a recession in 06 and that it would've made Bush cut more checks for everyone until the next guy came in office, but Wall Street and real estate shenanigans supercharged a boom that defied all expectations. A broken clock is wrong twice.
Can someone explain to me why the Federal Goverment is responsible for roads and bridges? We pay high property taxes and high sales taxes in TX. That is the coffers that should fix TX roads. My federal taxes should not be used to build roads in Wyoming of anywhere else. I don't drive in Wyoming!!! The Federal Goverment is already tooooo big. This will just make it worse. And what in the track record of the Federal Goverment has proven you any of us that they will handle this "project" correctly. They screw everything up, that's par for the course.
That's a decent point. Most infrastructure is built and cared for locally. Much of the obsolescence is due to a lack of will at the local/state level. But, the Feds have been providing money to state governments for infrastructure for a long time now. Doing that as part of a stimulus won't be new. I disagree that your Federal taxes shouldn't be used to build things out of your state. I think it is good for the US (and even Texas) for Wyoming to have good infrastructure and its economic benefit. Wyoming can take delivery of Texan goods and won't be a destabilizing influence due to poverty. It's subjective to argue if the Fed is too big. I think a better way to look at these public works projects is whether they will create more wealth than they cost to produce -- and more wealth than other projects that compete for that same money could.
Well our roads beat the crap out of Sri Lanka and Indonesia but Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan are far superior to what we got. Malaysia's roads aren't that far behind the US in terms of quality. The highway I was on in North Eastern China was as good as a US highway.
Bottom line is that most states and municipalities can't afford to build major new roads or bridges. The states have to balance their budgets, the Fed doesn't. As I said in another thread your taxes pay for a lot of things that you don't approve same with anyone else but the nature of the republican democracy is that those who win the elections get to decide where your tax dollars go. There are though two reasons why the Fed should be involved in road building. The first is commerce since having a consistent nationwide highway system makes it easier to conduct business across state lines. The second is national defense since a consistent highway system also makes it easier to move troops and supplies. If I recall both of those reasons were cited in teh 1950's to justify the creation of the Interstate highway system. I somewhat agree and have reservations about giant spending programs by the Fed but at the moment with a recession and crumbling infrastructure this seems like a problem made for the Fed..
No better time to build than during a recession - cheaper materials/labor. If you know you need roads (duh!), then you might as well build em now...the trick is to keep the bridges to nowhere (and that includes WV!) off the list of projects. I'm not a big fan of big govt, but this one to me seems like a no brainer vs so many other things that are proposed...
I don't like that either. States only ask because they get. If the Fed wouldn't dish out earmarks, etc.. the States would stop asking. Let's clarify here, I also want goods from Texas and Wyoming or anywhere else for that matter to move. But since when can't Texas and Wyoming STATE GOVERMENTS not work together along with private industry. Or for that matter Texas and everystate in between? The States have gotten lazy because the FED is handing out. Stop the handouts and make the States go to work. For God sakes we vote for those people in Austin to do some damn work. So to make my point again, my FEDERAL TAXES SHOULD NOT pay for roads in Wyoming. My State taxes working with other States like Wyoming and the private sector (people who make the goods), can work on infrastructure that would help MY local economy grow. Not if you let the FED manage the projects. I work very closely with certain goverment orginizations in D.C. Always delayed and over budget. In fact they will outsource to Private/Commercial consulting firms because they admit they cannot manage a project on time and under budget. None of this really matters anyway because the FEDERAL GOV has pretty muched convinced the majority of the country that the FEDERAL GOV is more important than it really is. And everyone has fallen for the ruse. I mean open your eyes people. Who wouldn't want to convince everyone that their job is so important. Not until the country gets there collective heads out of you know wheres will the issues we face year after year after year after year go away.
You mean problem caused by the Fed, right? Or did Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the SEC all do their jobs we pay them to do? So let's give a blank check to the people who got us in this mess, that will GIT 'ER DONE!!! WHOO-HOOO I love AMERICA!!! See my previous post regarding your other points.
I have a feeling that public works projects on fixing/building infrastructure will be a good way for Obama to get unemployed back to work and is a fairly legit way to pump billions into the economy.
I understand your preference for a stronger regional government, but it is easier said than done. The federal goverment really is a lot more powerful than state governments and don't allow state governments to fill these functions you want them to fill. You can argue that you'd rather it was not like that, but at least recognize that it is the reality and that we will be working in the actual political environment, and not some ideal. It isn't a matter of marketing. The Federal Government has the real power.
