Recently, various infrastructure-related events have occurred in the United States, from the collapse of the Baltimore, MD bridge to the crumbling of a section of Interstate 95 and the collapse of buildings in various cities across the country. What is going on with America’s infrastructure?
According to the US Army Corps of Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers, the average life of a significant piece of infrastructure is 50 years. The average age of a US bridge is 44 years, 45 for significant pipes and 57 for dams.
There is a significant backlog of underfunded projects in the US. In 2023 alone, almost $45 billion was spent by the federal government, and another $82 billion was spent by individual states for infrastructure updates. Over the next 5 to 10 years, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is supposed to invest $1.25 trillion into the US infrastructure system, but is it enough? Civil construction, engineers, builders and heavy machinery workers will see an influx of steady work from governments and the Department of Transportation in the coming years.
How much is out of date is at the forefront of many minds, especially with the recent tragedy in Baltimore and the close call at the Verrazano Bridge. The recent collapse of the Baltimore bridge is going to change the way governments, engineers, and construction professionals think about bridges. Bridge structure protection will surely be on the agenda for this current and next administration. Innovation spurs change from events of significance. There are an estimated 42,000 bridges in poor condition in the US. Bridges should be one of many forms of infrastructure thought about; America consists of airports, bridges, highways, rail systems, buildings, ports, and bridges.
A primary contributor to America’s infrastructure was President Dwight Eisenhower. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander during World War II, realized how vital a robust highway system is to a country’s productivity and national defense from seeing America’s original shortfalls during the war. So, the 34th President signed the Federal Aid Highway Act in 1956. This was made for more accessible transportation and travel throughout the country. This not only provided accessibility to millions of people, but it also produced thousands and thousands of jobs. However, as the year of the bill shows, 1956 was 68 years ago.
Transportation has improved a lot more than our old infrastructure. It will cost billions, even trillions, to update America’s bridges, highways, ports, airports, and buildings. Given the combination of aging, costly infrastructure and a growing national deficit, the question of the best course of action arises. Should we print more money, divert funds from other programs, or raise taxes? While there may not be a correct answer, it is clear that some heavy spending may be necessary to guarantee the safety and efficiency of America’s infrastructure system.
If you had the power to decide, what would you do?
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