America's infrastructure is collapsing. Tens of thousands of bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. A third of the nation's highways are in poor or mediocre shape. Massively leaking water and sewage systems are creating health hazards and contaminating rivers and streams. Weakened and under-maintained levees and dams tower over communities and schools. And the power grid is increasingly maxed out, disrupting millions of lives and putting entire cities in the dark. The Crumbling of America explores these problems using expert interviews, on location shooting and computer generated animation to illustrate the kinds of infrastructure disasters that could be just around the bend.
The Crumbling of America
In reality, little of the $850 billion American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 proposed by congressional Democrats will actually be spent on actual road and bridge projects the sort of things most people think of when they hear infrastructure spending, according to the office of Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.
The recent proposal distributed by congressional Democrats will provide only an additional $15 billion in 2009 and 2010 for road construction and repair. And of that $30 billion total provided, some funds are earmarked for narrow uses such as technology training or construction of roads on Indian reservations and in national parks.
According to those calculations, thats just a little more than 3 percent meant to be spent on actual road and bridge construction. Compare that $30 billion allocated in this bill to the most expensive road project in U.S. history the infamous Big Dig of Massachusetts. The final tally puts the cost of this road project to $15 billion and estimates say it will end up costing $22 billion by the year 2038. The $30 billion in this package would just be enough to cover the costs of that one project and a few smaller plans.
Debunking Stimulus Myth: Only 3% Allotted for Road, Bridge Infrastructure Spending
While many of you may agree or disagree on the Stimulus and those of you who have read my postings on the subject know where I stand. There is no doubt that many of this nations highways, and bridges are falling apart due to decades of neglect. It would seem that to focus on projects that are both long term and short term is a good thing, in terms of jobs and actually stimulating construction and transportation. In my opinion roads and bridges are for the most part other than those that are part of the interstate system an issue for states to resolve. Many of these states are soon going to be faced with massive unfunded mandates from a healthcare bill and almost all of them are facing a budget crisis. Faced with the prospect of cutting in order to meet these mandates it does not bode well for these road projects. It makes much more sense, at least in real terms to actually reform healthcare and the PRIVATE marketplace, rather than to place a burden on the states and continue to watch the infrasctucture crumble.
The Crumbling of America
In reality, little of the $850 billion American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 proposed by congressional Democrats will actually be spent on actual road and bridge projects the sort of things most people think of when they hear infrastructure spending, according to the office of Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.
The recent proposal distributed by congressional Democrats will provide only an additional $15 billion in 2009 and 2010 for road construction and repair. And of that $30 billion total provided, some funds are earmarked for narrow uses such as technology training or construction of roads on Indian reservations and in national parks.
According to those calculations, thats just a little more than 3 percent meant to be spent on actual road and bridge construction. Compare that $30 billion allocated in this bill to the most expensive road project in U.S. history the infamous Big Dig of Massachusetts. The final tally puts the cost of this road project to $15 billion and estimates say it will end up costing $22 billion by the year 2038. The $30 billion in this package would just be enough to cover the costs of that one project and a few smaller plans.
Debunking Stimulus Myth: Only 3% Allotted for Road, Bridge Infrastructure Spending
While many of you may agree or disagree on the Stimulus and those of you who have read my postings on the subject know where I stand. There is no doubt that many of this nations highways, and bridges are falling apart due to decades of neglect. It would seem that to focus on projects that are both long term and short term is a good thing, in terms of jobs and actually stimulating construction and transportation. In my opinion roads and bridges are for the most part other than those that are part of the interstate system an issue for states to resolve. Many of these states are soon going to be faced with massive unfunded mandates from a healthcare bill and almost all of them are facing a budget crisis. Faced with the prospect of cutting in order to meet these mandates it does not bode well for these road projects. It makes much more sense, at least in real terms to actually reform healthcare and the PRIVATE marketplace, rather than to place a burden on the states and continue to watch the infrasctucture crumble.