ASCE confirms US infrastructure deteriorating
 

The American Society of Civil Engineers released its 2005 Report Card on American Infrastructure. Well folks, we recieved a D, down from a D+ in 2001. This type of validation is really cogent given the expenses that are now going into building Iraq's infrastructure, much of which is being blown up once it's completed. This report, albeit a bit picky, confirms many of the claims made by the Democrats during the presidential election. I didn't need a report to tell me how bad the roads are, but it certainly hammers home the point that our country is crumbling before our eyes. It's time to start worrying about America.

-Walrus

It's been time for a long time now.

Don’t forget collapsing bridges and bursting dams are what keeps the media wealthy and justifies the expense of the news choppers.
Police chases and traffic patrol hardly pays for the fuel in those babies. :biggrin:

It's all the highway funds being diverted into mass transit, where instead of building infrastructure they are used to placate public sector unions who already have better salaries and benefits than any similar positions in the private sector.

Isn't having the ASCD tell us to increase spending on bridges a little like having the NEA tell us to increase spending on schools?

ASCE report still makes a good point
 

Sure there is an issue of bias concerning ASCE, but not to the degree the NEA would. ASCE is hardly that politicized, and civil engineers are not in a lurch for work. Taking even the mildest bias into consideration, the US rates a C- at best. Accordingly, there are public officials that make comments in the report, most noteably the mayor of Cleveland. With this type of report, and the future of Urban renewal block grants in jeapordy due to GW's proposed tax cuts and flimsy budget, one has to wonder, how the hell can America keep moving.

-Walrus

Sort of except that broken bridges can be fixed.

And russoto's point is graphically illustrated in Northern VA where instead of fixing some severe traffic choke points that would alleviate a lot of rush hour backups (simple ones like widening various exit ramps), they can't piss enough money away on Metro. Its so messed up you just couldn't believe someone isn't making it up.