The state of the nation's infrastructure took center stage tonight during the President's State of the Union address. Among the proposals President Obama put forward for creating jobs and growing the economy is improving the nation's infrastructure. President Obama wants to "win the future" and we can't do it with a failing infrastructure.
Citing the D ASCE gave the nation's infrastructure in its 2009 Report Card for America's Infrastructure, the President urged Congress to take immediate action to invest in infrastructure.
Our infrastructure used to be the best – but our lead has slipped. South Korean homes now have greater internet access than we do. Countries in Europe and Russia invest more in their roads and railways than we do. China is building faster trains and newer airports. Meanwhile, when our own engineers graded our nation’s infrastructure, they gave us a “D.”
In this tough fiscal environment, there is sure to be a tough fight over funding priorities this year, but it's clear that we we can't afford to wait any longer to improve the nation's infrastructure. Despite the upcoming fight, it's great to hear the cheif executive make infrastructure a priority. Let's get out there and win the future!
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I am a Licensed Surveyor in California and feel the ASCE should spend time and money to educate the public and Congress of the four trillion dollars needed just to catch up on repairs. This is our and the Nations problem that must be remedied and to help the economy.
The ASCE should work to promote the National Infrastructure Development Bank Act. This act was the basis for Obama’s proposal for a National Bank in the 2012 budget. The original act would create an estimated one million jobs over five years from a construction perspective alone to say nothing of the jobs created in related industries. This bill would go far in decreasing our unemployment rate that has yet to drop despite the positive GDP rate in the first quarter of 2011. Not only would the bill create jobs but it would also upgrade America’s infrastructure addressing many of Obama’s concerns in the quote above. The Bank would allow for the laying of a fiber optic network which would increase accessibility to the internet, it would repave our highways and restructure our bridges, and it would allow for private innovation to move into the public sphere.