Fix the Infrastructure

Here's an Opinion that old Red Neck agrees with..
OPINION
Let's Rebuild America Together
By HAROLD FORD, JR. and JIM HALL
August 17, 2007
"The collapse of the I-35 Bridge in Minneapolis is the most recent tragic development in a series of events highlighting the decrepit status of our nation's vital infrastructure. This is a problem that concerns every single American and is one that not only affects safety but also our national security and economic prosperity. This is also an opportunity for Republicans and Democrats to come together in a time of need to address an issue of national importance

Our road and highway network becomes increasingly congested with each passing year. Congestion costs Americans more than $1 billion annually in lost wages and added gasoline costs. This rapid growth further encumbers our already overburdened road, highway and bridge capacity, thereby jeopardizing public safety as these structures are not properly maintained.

But the problems are not unique to ground transportation. Airline delays this summer have reached a record high in the 13 years since the FAA first began collecting these statistics Many of the country's largest airports including, but not limited to, Los Angeles, New York Kennedy and Washington Dulles are projected to see increases in passengers upwards of 50% by 2020. Runway, terminal, air traffic control and navigation systems are already operating at capacity.

A 2005 report card on America's infrastructure conducted by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave the nation an overall mark of a D. ASCE forecasts that $1.6 trillion over a five-year period is necessary to bring our crumbling infrastructure up to standard and to enable our system to function with the forecast expansion in the following decade.

Most of America's essential highway network dates back to the Eisenhower administration's interstate project, which required a tremendous capital investment by the federal government. This prudent expenditure contributed to the post-War economic boom. Looking abroad, other countries have surpassed the U.S. in their investments in preserving and improving their transportation systems.

Although total spending on transportation by the federal government has steadily increased over the past four decades, such expenditure as a total percentage of outlays has declined from nearly 4% in the 1960s to slightly above 2% in recent years. Federal funds have been inappropriately used, widely earmarked into flashy headline-grabbing projects while disregarding imperative but unglamorous maintenance and upkeep work. Many of these earmarks are for new projects in specific constituencies; a general overhaul of our road and rail network has long been neglected.

In today's environment of highly polarized partisan politics, Democrats and Republicans need common ground on which to agree, and the status of our nation's infrastructure provides a perfect opportunity. Creating a bipartisan America's Build Initiative similar to Gov. Ed Rendell's plan for Pennsylvania will create job opportunities for Americans, strengthen our infrastructure for the 21st century, and make this country greener and more efficient using cutting-edge, environmentally friendly technologies.

All options should be on the table and explored, including private as well as public financing. We need to put aside partisan politics and pork-barrel spending, and allocate our limited resources on need rather than congressional seniority. Lavish spending by the current administration on other priorities, and inefficient use of appropriated transportation funds, have resulted in dilapidating roads, dams, bridges, highways, pipelines and airports. Hurricane Katrina was the first warning sign of America's decaying infrastructure, and this recent tragedy only further accentuates the current crisis. How many more bridges and levees will collapse, and how many more lives will be needlessly lost, before the president and Congress realize the strategic importance of investing in sound infrastructure for America's future?"