America's Failing Infrastructure

For everyone that thinks they know exactly what the problem is, I rarely hear anyone mention the things in this video. I think it deserves some consideration when identifying the problems. Not only from a perspective of the mechanical state of these things, but how they were designed to begin with. America was not designed for safe use by alternate transportation such as bicycles and motorcycles, which are popular overseas for people that can't afford cars.

The video blames politics and budget, but we the people are an extension of those politics, and we need to start considering the idea of changing the way we live and think.

reply to post by Evolutionsend



On BBC News here in the UK last night, there was a report on the snow storms in the US North East. One of the things that was pointed out was the ageing infrastructure, and in paticular the power cables that had been bought down by the snow and falling trees. I didn't realise that in the US power goes into the homes by overhead cable. Here in the UK all power goes into homes by underground cable.

reply to post by alldaylong


I think we're in the process of putting it underground or something. Which really means, no way we're just kidding, we're not going to employ the domestic manpower to do that. We have to go give the money to another country again because we're nice guys.

Infrastructure are local and state issues not that of the Government so yeah politics play a huge role in that what also plays a huge role is the amount of other things people just can't seem to live without social programs.

Far too long All Federal taxation do is rob peter to pay paul who will get no benefit from any spending or "reconstruction" that does nothing more that pay off unions.

The areas with the most population will always reap the most benefits and will always cost more and that is paid for off the sweat of other state while those states with the fewest will always be left blowing in the wind.

Make a choice Social Security,Medicare,Medicaid,Education and roads and bridges and power Generation can't have it all.

Here in Louisville,Kentucky,they have closed the bridge on Interstate 64,1 of three bridges going from Kentucky to Indiana going over the Ohio River due to cracks.
Traffic is a mess right now and they say it will be closed for at least 6 months.
You will see more of this happening soon and it will only get worst.
Sooner or later ,it will cripple the US and it needs to be addresses as soon as possible.

The longer they wait to fix this stuff, the more it's going to cost. Not just from the cost of the materials going up, but also from further damage that could happen as a result. If a bridge falls down, if a damn breaks......

They're clearly not doing the steady maintenance that infrastructure needs.

reply to post by neo96


They could just hire these people rather than give them free money. Kill two birds with one stone.

I hear about this all of the time, all across the nation. But here in NE Ohio, they cant stop beefing everything up. Freeways are being rebuilt, and widened, with walls along the edge. There was never an issue with too much traffic, so it seems a bit odd that they are doing all of this in such a hurry. I suppose the population is increasing in these areas, so maybe theyre adjusting accordingly?

Im not denying the fact that the infrastructure is crumbling in this country, but Im also aware of so many upgrades being made all over the nation, not just where I live.
Perhaps this is all about rebuilding areas that are experiencing a growth in population and wealth. For instance, it wouldnt make sense to rebuild Detroit right now. But it would make sense to build up infrastructure in West Palm Beach as they have been doing at a ridiculous rate for years now.
The face of the nation is changing, once booming areas become ghost towns, and the smaller towns of yesteryear are our next growing cities.
Just follow the populations, demographics, and the money, thats where the sound infrastructure will be.

I don't think we need much federal infrastructure other than interstates.

reply to post by EliThebrave


If that's the case then why did engineers give us a D? Wouldn't it be in everyone's best interest to be honest about that grade?

Let it crumble.

Alternative transport will take over. A road or bridge unsafe for an automobile is still safe for a bicycle.

People will change how they live when they can no longer hop on the highway from suburbia to their city job an hour away.

Density will break up. Sparsely populated areas will see new life as those in between come in and set up local commerce and agriculture. Cities will thin out as commuters cease their daily rituals.

When a massive store dies the smaller stores find new life. When the national infrastructure dies Americans will rediscover their communities.

The demise of the highways, bridges, and artificial aqueducts would be a wonderful thing for us all in the long run.

The problem lies within.
As it always has, and until we change it...it always will.

When your government spends more on wars than its own infrastructure, it will collapse.
The past few decades have been the worst on our nation and it has been ignored.
Ignored and replaced with an ever-expanding budget to give money to other countries.
$30 billion here, $50 billion there....it add up quick.
And the "social" services, at about $500 billion.
And the construction of government bases across the globe.
Here's an example.

SO instead of building up what has been crumbling, we've spent more money spreading around.
Have a look at the Embassy in Iraq...
Wikipedia Link
MSNBC Link with pictures...
Does anyone still think we will pull out of Iraq now?



SO...where do you think all of our money is going?



CERTAINLY NOT HERE!
(although you may see some patchwork being done, you can't use a band-aid for a rotten corpse)

reply to post by havok


My prediction for pulling out of Iraq was, only in an election year. Meaning we would go right back after Obama got reelected.

reply to post by Evolutionsend


Given a D rating because on a national scale the infrastructure appears to be pretty bad, when you view it on a percentage basis. But given how densely certain parts of the infrastructure are used, it could actually be a lot higher of a grade. In other words, one old bridge thats about to crumble that has 50 people using it daily, versus one new bridge the same size that has 50k people using it daily, gives a very poor percentage of bridges in bad shape. But when you look at how much its being used, its really not that bad at all. I dont think this report card is figuring those factors in, because if they did, there would not only be a higher grade, but less desire to fix such useless/outdate/obsolete infrastructure.

I also wonder how accurate the spending amount on our infrastructure truly is, given the fact that many companies building our infrastructure are foreign. I dont know if that matters though.

Let it come undone. The places that matter are being supported and built up, the other places, like Detroit, let it crumble, as it would be a waste of taxpayer money. I suppose its places like Detroit that are hurting the infrastructure grade. The grading scale needs to be based upon other factors in order to be more accurate.

Originally posted by neo96
Make a choice Social Security,Medicare,Medicaid,Education and roads and bridges and power Generation can't have it all.

edit on 1-11-2011 by neo96 because: (no reason given)

Your partly right, its true, at this time, we can't have it all. It doesn't mean we can't strive to get there.
Nothing is impossible, but only not possible, at the moment.

reply to post by EliThebrave


NE Ohio Highways are being expanded to accommodate the urban sprawl, going on. As people move further and further out of Cleveland they expand the highway while the inner city itself crumbles.

In many cases, the funds have been and are there to do what needs done. The real problem is that there have to be 10 different agencies, each with their own requirements, and several dozen assbrained environmental issues all appraised, appeased, and mitigated before so much as a shovelfull of earth can be turned over. This goes way beyond our infrastructure. As hipster kumbaya-ish as it is to sit around and bitch about how the banks wrecked the American dream, it was the regulators who started the process. The vast majority of American jobs that fled this nation didn't do it out of payroll greed (quite the oposite, in fact... look at the average wages many of the companies pay skilled laborers). They fled because the idiots in the greed Earth society bought the Democrat party via board positions on companies whose sole existance is intended to absorb money for make believe "Feel good" environmental impact offset credits. Laws were passed and treaties signed which handcuffed the USA.

If you want to see America's infrstructure improved (and jobs return), occupy the freaking EPA, park the TEA Party express outside Al Gore's mansion in Tennessee, and strengthen your pimp hand at the polls by actually voying for candidates who put PEOPLE and JOBS above the ridiculous notion that the government should force greenness down America's throat regardless of the economic and sociatal impacts.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


precisely,This is we need to destroy the big business and their stranglehold.If logistics of big predatory corporates like Walmart fail,smaller businesses will thrive.More employment is generated by small businesses than big business.Texas will highly benefit as those CIA supported mexican druglords will have difficulties in transporting their coc aine and local ranchers will make short work of those cartels who our fascist govt loves so much.

The federal govt and big business ruined me long ago and this will be payback. Freedom to Texas.

Originally posted by neo96
Infrastructure are local and state issues not that of the Government so yeah politics play a huge role in that what also plays a huge role is the amount of other things people just can't seem to live without social programs.

There is no conflict between social programs and infrastructure upkeep. The problem are retards and blowhards who can't grow the hell up and pay their taxes without messing their diapers and having a big cry about the unfairness of being an adult and paying your dues. People like these who elect dribbling, coprophagrous imbeciles like Michelle Bachman and Rand Paul who expressly state their goals being to destroy everything that stands out about our nation, because they say doing so will save the slobbering, chimp-brained man-children a couple cents annually.

Far too long All Federal taxation do is rob peter to pay paul who will get no benefit from any spending or "reconstruction" that does nothing more that pay off unions.

Speak of the devil.. .and he shall spout random nonsense. I prescribe lithium.

The areas with the most population will always reap the most benefits and will always cost more and that is paid for off the sweat of other state while those states with the fewest will always be left blowing in the wind.

Actually, the flow of federal dollars goes in exactly the opposite direction .

Make a choice Social Security,Medicare,Medicaid,Education and roads and bridges and power Generation can't have it all.

Actually, yes, you can. it's called "funding."