U.S. Agency Warns of Urgent Need for Spending on Roads, Bridges.

[elleng]

Source: nyt/reuters

More funding is needed to address a growing "infrastructure deficit" in the United States, as aging bridges, roads and highways crumble, putting drivers at risk, the U.S. Department of Transportation said in a report on Friday.

In the report to Congress, the agency said all levels of the U.S. government would need to spend between $123.7 billion and $145.9 billion per year to maintain and improve the condition of roads and bridges alone.

In 2010, the latest year for which figures are available, about $100 billion was spent, including almost $12 billion in funds provided by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the stimulus package crafted to pump money into the economy during the severe recession.

The preventative maintenance backlog for transit reached $86 billion and was expanding at about $2.5 billion per year, according to the report. The shortfall affects individual commuters as well freight movement around the country.




Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2014/02/28/us/28reuters-usa-transportation.html?hp

[titaniumsalute]

1. I'll say here in FL

We certainly seem to be working on every road and bridge. There's a ton of road work happening all over this Red State.

[Purveyor]

2. Our mid-michigan roads are horrid and are going to get worse with the

frostline down as far as 6-7 feet.

In the city of Jackson, one can only drive about 15-20 mph dodging the potholes.

[leftyohiolib]

3. then they need to talk to mcturtle

[elleng]

4. Right.

Definitely not holding my breath, expecting anything real to happen.

[leftyohiolib]

5. mcturtle's sticking to his " just say no" policy

[Igel]

9. He's not "all levels of the US government."

Although I'll add I find it disturbing to think of local county government or even the state government as being a "level" of the "US government."

Don't know if I like the liberties that the reporter reporting on a report is taking.

[leftyohiolib]

10. damit dont rain on my outrage!.. jk

I took u.s. government to mean the u.s. gov alone and there the turtle is the gatekeeper

[BumRushDaShow]

6. This current winter in the NE & MA is going to escalate the problem

with the effects of road salt and freeze/thaw.

[jwirr]

7. Anyone who is paying attention to their local communities can see this need first hand. From roads

to sewer lines to new energy efficiency projects the need is obvious.

[awoke_in_2003]

8. I was thinking of infrastructure...

while driving to lunch with the wife. It was probably after the 200th pothole in a five mile span. I know, at one time in our past, we had better roads. Even in Ohio, which has to deal with the freeze and thaw, we had better roads than we have here in DFW today. Do I have concrete proof that I can point to? No. Sometimes I feel like Winston Smith, he can feel it in his gut that things today are just not right- much more screwed up- but have no way to prove it. And I am not just talking about infrastructure, I am talking about everything.

[IVoted4Obama]

11. There is no money to spend on repairing roads & bridges

The Gov't needs the money to fund the really important things..... Like the good ol military Industrial complex!