Report: 34 Percent of Major Roads Are in Poor, Mediocre Condition

[underpants]

Source: ABC News

46,000 Miles of Highway Are Half a Century Old

Infrastructure Woes
Highway engineers say the neglect of America's infrastructure costs lives every day. More than 40,000 people die in highway accidents each year.

Road conditions, the engineers say, are a factor in almost one-third of those deaths.

The civil engineers say the number of unsafe dams has risen by more than 33 percent in the past two years, and in that time, there have been 29 dam failures.

Power capacity isn't keeping pace with demand, and the power grid needs $10 billion a year invested over the next five years.

And, according to civil engineers, 27 percent of U.S. bridges are structurally deficient.



Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3438248&page=1

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I remember in '92 hearing about how much work and money the infrastructure needed.....seems like everyone forgot about it since then.

[dkofos]

1. Isn't the gasoline tax that we pay on every gallon of gas supposed

to pay for building and maintenance of the transportation infrastructure??
Is there no money left after the fat cat politicians skim off what they want??

Could we please bring competence back to government!!

[Warpy]

2. This is where our national security spending should go, folks

and not to that five sided building housing the welfare office for big arms dealers.

This country has been allowed to fall apart for many years, thanks to conservatives and their idiotic "small government" drumbeat.

It's time to drive a stake into that little raisin a conservative calls the heart of his ideology.

[Vogon_Glory]

3. Some Of Us Didn't--BUT

Some of us didn't forget about our decaying infrastructure, but we were either ignored or shouted down by right-wing Koolaid(tm)-drinkers who were more interested in talking about the Whitewater "scandal," Monica Lewinsky, and "The War on Terror."

Also, building highways is sexy and makes politicians look good. REPAIRING roads and REPLACING decayed or deteriorated bridges isn't so sexy, and politicos, especially right-wingers, aren't willing to pay for it.

Many pre-Roman Middle Eastern cultures used to toss human sacrifices into red-hot ovens alive in order to please the gods and bring about universal prosperity. These days, right-wingers ignore infrastructure repair and think little of sacrificing highway accident victims to the false god of "No Tax Increases."

[underpants]

6. Well apparently these engineers were readily available all the time

because it sure did take ABC long to find them now did it?

[truthisfreedom]

4. bush admin has diverted US funds to their cronies and to change the world to suit their plans

None of their plans include keeping the US highways in top condition. That wouldn't profit their cronies.

[underpants]

5. Raid the Treasury

Raid the public trusts
Raid Iraq

That has been the only policy/agenda from the getgo with this crowd.

[Benhurst]

7. Who cares about the roads and bridges? The World's Only Superpower

is leading a Crusade in the Middle East. We must not be tempted to divert needed funds from the military/industrial complex.

[donkeyotay]

8. Back before 9-11 changed everything

this used to be a hot topic. The peace dividend is long spent. There won't be money for this or any other domestic priority. Meanwhile these neocons will creep off to live in places like Dubai, and Murca will become a third world backwater until our wages and quality of life get low enough to "compete."