Posted on 03/09/2005 4:03:03 PM PST by Coastal
Crowded schools, traffic-choked roads and transit cutbacks are eroding the quality of American life, according to an analysis by civil engineers that gave the nation's infrastructure an overall grade of D.
A report by the American Society of Civil Engineers released Wednesday assessed the four-year trend in the condition of 12 categories of infrastructure, including roadways, bridges, drinking water systems, public parks, railroads and the power grid.
The overall grade slipped from the D-plus given to the infrastructure in 2001 and 2003.
"Americans are spending more time stuck in traffic and less time at home with their families," William Henry, the group's president, said in a statement.
The report said $1.6 trillion should be spent over the next five years to alleviate potential problems with the nation's infrastructure. Transportation alone requires $94 billion in annual spending, the report said.
(Excerpt) Read more at story.news.yahoo.com ...
American Society of Civil Engineers (Surveyors looking for work)
Kinda like the Fox demanding the farmer get more chickens
With all due respect to the vaunted 'society', and what may be their worthless report, but did they AT ALL consider the cost of corruption and doing business with mob or union contractors? Did they? How much does the system of contract kickbacks take away from money that could be spent on what is now termed - infrastructure? How much do fees and taxes, workplace rules from the government and not even the unions, detract from time and money that could be more productively spent to benefit all citizens? How much have bribes destroyed the taxpayer-funded nesteggs set aside specifically in many cases for improvement of just railroads, roads and bridges? How much does paying $500 for a hammering a 'two-penny' nail take away from the amount 'budgeted'? What percentage of work is ever held to a budget, without any further incentive to do so? or done on time, similarly without further incentive? Would the situation improve with a fixed-price estimate, a set budget? and perhaps third-party pay limits such as that often even criticized in our present system of quasi-socialized medicine? That's all, taken together - a LOT - of money that could quite easily be 'found'.
Get on it, oh prestigious 'society'. Let me know when your revised report is completed.
More union piggies demanding more milk from the old sow (your wallet)
... who stand to benefit mightily if they can convince the public that the nation's infrastructure is crumbling.
Why is infrastructure always "crumbling"? Didn't those Civil Engineers build it correctly? If they are the ones building infrastructure that crumbles, we ought to find someone else to build it than them.
Oh no...it's another insta-crisis!
This completely ignores the trend toward telecommuting. Strikes me as self-serving twaddle.
Let me guess ... It's the blue sections on my map, right?
Bingo. You should see all of the 'temporary' bridges that have installed in Vermont because the old concrete ones were crumbling right before their eyes...quite possibly the most "third world" of the fifty states.
What? Infrastructure is decaying in a Marxist state? Fascinating! Have you tried raising taxes and creating more social programs?
I'm retired from N.Jersey, and over 25 years ago the bridges on the major roads were falling down in Jersey, N.York, and Conn..
Guess what party was running thing in those states and in Congress?
They were, and are, giving billions in tax money to non producers to take drugs, play midnight basketball and wash car windows at traffic lights.
Unlike some on this thread, I have absolutely no sympathy for their "falling infrastructure". None, zilch, nada.
As far as I am concerned they can all start smoking (and I say this being a roll your own smoker) and pay for the new "infrastructure" rebuilding with their smoking taxes.
Marxists? That's so 20th Century. Can't you find another totally inappropriate label?
What is it with you guys, don't you ever discuss the issues?
Beam me up Scotty!
Hey ... you asked for it. ;)
Engineering projects have a planned lifetime of 20 years. It has been a hundred years on some of this stuff, and a fresh coat of paint will help only so much. So find some different civil engineers, Republican civil engineers. All these decaying things were built by Democrat civil engineers. Or by Herbert Hoover himself, who sort of was a Republican.
Perhaps you should have lurked longer?
There are certain phrases that indicate the responder could care less about your percieved problem.
Though earth shaking to you, he, or she may have other things far more serious occupying them than your particular pet peeve.
However, with that said, there is no earthly reason why you should not enumerate your vision of the topic and how it best be handled.
Who knows, someone may even respond in a manner of which you find rewarding.
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