John Hennessy III,
P.E.
Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR) addresses the house floor on issues of transportation infrastructure. “So now I’ve taken to calling us 4th world,” said DeFazio. “We used to be the world’s leader in infrastructure and now we’re vaulting over everybody, including places like Zimbabwe, to the back of the pack.”
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Howard Neukrug is a Senior Fellow at the US Water Alliance. In this capacity he provides strategic guidance on key Alliance initiatives, serves as an official spokesperson for the organization, and leads the development of publications and initiatives to advance a sustainable water future for all.
“We need to get ahead of this in terms of infrastructure—whether it’s water or telecom, streets, bridges, highways, airports—and move forward. What’s more important to the future of our country and our children than the infrastructure that we leave them? The fact that the infrastructure that has been left to us was remarkable and strong, and has served us well as a nation and helped us in our growth. And at some point this investment is going to have to be increased into the future…We’re going to have to find more money, and when we find the money it will never be enough to do everything that we want to do.”
View this complete post...MICHIGAN INFRASTRUCTURE & TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION (MITA)
Currently, about 75 percent of Michigan residents get their drinking water from 1,390 community water systems, and approximately 70 percent are served by 1,080 wastewater treatment systems (MDEQ 10/31/15). Most of these systems were built between 50 and 100 years ago, while some in the state’s oldest cities date back to the 1800s. Many of these systems are fast approaching, or have already exceeded, their expected lifespan. Communities throughout Michigan, therefore, face the challenge of maintaining and updating old infrastructure that was designed and built to meet former, less strict requirements, but now must meet emerging, more stringent state and federal drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater standards.
STATE OF OREGON
GOVERNOR’S TRANSPORTATION VISION PANEL
In order to create the system that will best serve our future needs, one that allows for the efficient movement of people and products in an environmentally responsible way, we must be cognizant of current challenges in today’s transportation system and we must be willing to act.
Howard Jennings is Managing Director of Mobility Lab, a source of research and best practices for advocates to increase awareness and education about more and advanced transportation options for people.
“The basic infrastructure is something that people find pretty easy to take for granted, and it creeps up on them and they don’t realize that it’s getting worse and worse and worse. And so we at Mobility Lab are trying to put the emphasis back on helping people recognize that their quality of life is eroding and their ability to spend time with their family, the stress of their day-to-day lives and all these things are a result of our collective failure to invest in infrastructure…”
ASSOCIATION OF EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS (AEM)
NORTHWESTERN ENGINEERING TRANSPORTATION CENTER
Supported by a grant from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Northwestern University’s Transportation Center undertook an exploration of the factors, needs, and opportunities facing U.S. transportation infrastructure in the next 35 years. The objective of the study was not to forecast the future, but to frame the possibilities and thus to inform the public and policy makers about future needs for transportation infrastructure.
BIPARTISAN POLICY CENTER
We have an extraordinary opportunity in America — to confront the pressure being placed on our nation’s roads, water systems, ports, airports, and energy grid with available private capital. This report establishes the framework to unite projects that need funding with private capital ready to invest in a transparent system that allocates risks and resources to the public’s benefit.
NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES
Most cities are limited in terms of the number and scope of infrastructure funding tools. Cities also face additional implementation hurdles like county administration overlays and voter approval requirements. Of course, cities are marrying the tools explored here with others, but a patchwork of tactics will only take them so far. Cities need a more deliberate approach that recognizes the central role of infrastructure in the success of our nation’s economic engines…This report presents a state-by-state analysis and comparison of the local tools to fund infrastructure, including local option taxes and fees, such as sales taxes, fuel taxes and motor vehicle fees, as well as emerging mechanisms like state infrastructure banks and public-private partnerships.
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS (ASCE)
From 2016 to 2025, each household will lose $3,400 each year in disposable income due to infrastructure deficiencies; and if not addressed, the loss will grow to an average of $5,100 annually from 2026 to 2040, resulting in cumulative losses up to almost $34,000 per household from 2016 to 2025 and almost $111,000 from 2016 to 2040 (all dollars in 2015 value).
To keep parks open, we have to find a sustainable funding source for maintenance and operations. If Congress can’t approve more appropriations for the parks, the NPS will be forced to make systemic changes. The slope is already sliding toward private investment, but it’s up to the American people (and policymakers) to decide what will ultimately happen.
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