Crumbling nation? U.S. infrastructure gets a 'D'

[Snowden]

Crumbling nation? U.S. infrastructure gets a 'D'
Engineers' report card covers 12 categories, sees decline vs. 2001

MSNBC staff and news service reports
Updated: 11:07 a.m. ET March 9, 2005

WASHINGTON - Crowded schools, traffic-choked roads and transit cutbacks are eroding the quality of American life, according to an analysis by civil engineers that gave the nation’s infrastructure an overall grade of D.

A report by the American Society of Civil Engineers released Wednesday assessed the four-year trend in the condition of 12 categories of infrastructure.

The overall grade slipped from the D+ given in 2001 and 2003. Overall conditions remained the same for bridges, dams and solid waste, the group said, and worsened in roads, drinking water, transit, wastewater, hazard waste, navigable waterways and energy.

"The condition of our nation’s roads, bridges, drinking water systems and other public works have shown little to no improvement since they were graded an overall D+ in 2001, with some areas sliding toward failing grades," the society said.



'Patch and pray' criticized
“Americans are spending more time stuck in traffic and less time at home with their families,” William Henry, the group’s president, said in a statement. “We need to establish a comprehensive, long-term infrastructure plan as opposed to our current ‘patch and pray’ method to ensure a better quality of life for everyone”

The report said $1.6 trillion should be spent over the next five years to alleviate potential problems with the nation’s infrastructure.

Transportation alone requires $94 billion in annual spending, the report said, yet gets only $59 billion.

The House is to begin debate Wednesday on a six-year, $284 billion highway and mass transit bill, which stalled last year in a money dispute between the White House and Congress.

C+ the highest grade
The report concluded that airports will face the challenge of accommodating more regional jets and super-jumbo jets. Grade: D+.

It’s uncertain, the report said, whether schools can handle growing enrollment and smaller class sizes required by the No Child Left Behind Act. Grade: D.

The report also noted that many transit systems are borrowing money to maintain operations as they’re raising fees and cutting back service. Grade: D+.

The highest grade? A C+ for solid waste. The lowest? D- for drinking water, navigable waterways and wastewater.

Three new categories — public parks and recreation, rail, and security — were added to the previous 12. Each received a C-.

The full report card, which was assessed by 24 civil engineers, will be online at www.asce.org.


The Associated Press contributed to this report.


URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7137552/

[Uncle_Sam]

Yes... But to repair those roads, You have to stop the traffic.... And I don't think that's easy, especially in the big towns....


Sam

[kruser79]

What kind of grade curve did they use to reach this conclusion? I think about countries like Afghanistan (which is on the way back, but let's face it, the Soviets and the Taliban decimated that country's infrastructure), and just about any of the countries of Africa, and wonder. If a country with the space and modernization of ours scores a D-, what do the countries with no paved roads score?

Our facilities may not be completely up to date, nor our roads smooth as glass, but a D-? At least we have roads, water and waste treatment facilities, schools, public parks, and recreation areas. I don't get it.

Are they just sounding alarmist to make people stand up and cry about it?

[Bluehawk]

International adventurism and strategic hegemony, have always deprived the people who pay, for projects of sovereignly immune governments, of their basic requirements.

No less so today in America than during the decline of the Roman Republic or the dissolution of the French Monarchy, etc.

When WILL we ever learn?

[Snowden]

Originally Posted by kruser79

What kind of grade curve did they use to reach this conclusion? I think about countries like Afghanistan (which is on the way back, but let's face it, the Soviets and the Taliban decimated that country's infrastructure), and just about any of the countries of Africa, and wonder. If a country with the space and modernization of ours scores a D-, what do the countries with no paved roads score?

Our facilities may not be completely up to date, nor our roads smooth as glass, but a D-? At least we have roads, water and waste treatment facilities, schools, public parks, and recreation areas. I don't get it.

Are they just sounding alarmist to make people stand up and cry about it?

Dane, I think it's probably well covered in your final sentence...

[Bluehawk]

Yup... a "D-" does seem to be a bit extreme... maybe they're just counting certain nations that HAVE roads, or bridges or whatever.

[BrianK]

As I read this I thought about when roads were built, bridges and other parts of our infrastructure. Best guess for roads & bridges is about 40 to 60 years ago. Sure new interstates have been built more recently but I think the engineers are more concerned with major metropolitan areas.

Drag out a road atlas and look at the difference between the northeast, the midwest then the west coast. Then think about where manufacturing takes place and concentration of people. Now look at rail decline and truck transportation as a method of bulk delivery. Add to that commutes to work from the suburbs and the massive amount of time spent in bumper to bumper traffic during rush hour. Much of the road system was built when the population was 1/3 of what it is now. That was the hayday of big steel and plentiful jobs with good wages. For the congested metro areas people can relate to the problems. Just as the red/blue states map shows concentration of population will help if my theory about the why of this report begins to get more coverage in the press.

If anything I'd say this is a preliminary report to get attention. As Wingwiper & I were discussing in the soc. sec. thread about bond issues and the effect bonds would have on rebuilding. What better way to get attention than to begin now to set the stage for why private accounts would be good for America. All the areas that the engineers cited could easily be funded by bond issues. Starting now to plant the seeds of need to rebuild has to be subtle.

Of course politicians will put up some resistance or at least make it sound like resistance but when it comes right down to it jobs in their area would spring up. Nothing immediate will take place. 1st. politicians have to look at their careers and if change will give them an edge in re-election. Whats good for the country comes in 2nd. to what is good for them. Meanwhle a D- for infrastructure is a good start for pointing to need.