The United States in recent years has been facing the reality of their aging infrastructure. This can have a severe impact on their economy.
Used to be the envy of other countries in terms of their advanced technology and infrastructure today, America’s infrastructure looks like an old, choking, and groaning Cadillac, which used to be a large impressive car.
Majority of the US interstate highways were built between 1950’s to 1960s. It was considered a pioneering and innovative project at that time, designed to connect people and drive the economy.
Other countries in Europe and Asia like China and Singapore have invested and now enjoying the benefits of the improved transport system which results in increased productivity. Take for example Germany’s Intercity-Express, a system of high-speed trains mainly running in Germany and her surrounding countries.
In the US today, they are still being used despite nearing (some surpassing) their infrastructure life.
These aging are slowly crumbling to the sheer weight of maintenance and renewal demands and the needs of this new era. Renewals and renovations are being called for.
Our blog post “What Are the Risks of the US Aging Infrastructure” describes the status and risks of the old infrastructure assets.
Road accidents have been on increase since 2012 according to the US Department of Transportation compared with 2005, which has seen a decline of road fatalities. These growing statistics are disturbing and a major issue on road safety.
The government is spending a whopping $230 billion on these road crashes each year. There is an urgency in making road and highway improvements like reducing obstructions, widening lanes and shoulders, and improving median barriers. This can significantly reduce road fatalities and make roads safer.
The big question is, who will pay for all these infrastructure improvements, repairs, and rebuild?
The interstate highway was created in 1956 and Highway Trust Fund was formed as a funding body of the US transportation system spending on surface transportation and mass-transit projects. It gathers revenue from road users and from federal gas tax.
However, with the use of more fuel-efficient cars, there’s a significant drop in revenue. What happened was the Highway Trust Fund is depleted, spending more than it is earning. It has failed to meet its financial obligation since 2008.
While it is crucial for the Highway Trust Fund to raise enough fund to cover all highway infrastructure cost, it is also important that future demands in terms of infrastructure renewals and construction and funding should be plotted through a long-term infrastructure asset management plan.
Definitely, the US being the hub of democracy, the people shall bear the financial demands of infrastructure asset improvement, renewal, and construction.
However, it is just a matter for the government to create a comprehensive asset management plan that considers all aspects, particularly the economic factors such as the capability of citizens to pay.
In whatever circumstances the US states, cities and towns are in, it is always an advantage to start implementing an infrastructure asset management program now.
Waiting for the country’s aging infrastructure to break and implement repairs would be the more expensive process and has costly implication in the lifestyle and economy activity of the people.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ross Waugh