Infrastructure in the News: April 21, 2010

American City and County wrote that water infrastructure needs repair and Rutland Herald reported about the record budget for roads and bridges. Read more in this Infrastructure in the News.

National News

Poll: America Moving Toward More Sustainable Infrastructure Solutions
New HNTB America THINKS survey shows majority of Americans feel large-scale sustainable infrastructure developments are an important investment for future generations.

American City and County: Water infrastructure needs repair, report says
A growing number of urban areas throughout the United States — in both dry and rainy locales — are facing pressures on their water infrastructure systems, necessitating greater investments for overhaul and a change in development patterns that are more conducive to conservation, according to a new publication released by the Washington-based Urban Land Institute (ULI). "Infrastructure 2010: An Investment Imperative" summarizes the water infrastructure issues — accessibility and availability, treatment and delivery — communities are facing, and highlights specific water issues in 14 U.S. cities.

Before It's News: America’s Crumbling Infrastructure
One of the key signs that we are in the early stages of an economic collapse and that we are heading towards another Great Depression is America's crumbling infrastructure.  The truth is that our infrastructure is literally falling apart all around us.  Thousands of bridges are structurally deficient and there have already been some very high profile collapses.  Over 30 percent of the highways and roads in the United States are in very poor shape.  Aging sewer systems are leaking raw sewage all over the place.  The power grid is straining to keep up with the ever-increasing thirst of the American people for electricity.  There have already been some regional blackouts, and unless something is done quickly things promise to get even worse.  The truth is that a nation's infrastructure says a lot about who they are.  So what does America's infrastructure say about us?  It says that we are a rusting, crumbling, decaying leftover from a better, more prosperous time.

State News

Detroit News: Michigan, U.S. need massive transit plan
U.S.-need-massive-transit-planI just returned from China and see two futures for Michigan and America: one where we rush to play catch-up and the other where we fall behind even further.

WKOW: Gov. Doyle talks high speed rail
Gov. Doyle is talking about high speed rail in Chicago. Doyle testified before the U.S. House Committee on Transportation. Wisconsin is expected to receive $823 million to build high speed passenger rail between Milwaukee and Madison; to improve service between Chicago and Milwaukee; and to make final determinations on a route between Wisconsin and the Twin Cities.

Rutland Herald: A record budget for roads, bridges
With little debate and almost no controversy, the Senate on Tuesday approved the largest transportation budget in state history. The $595 million bill, up by $40 million over this year and $165 million over fiscal year 2009, includes substantial increases to the state's rail and bridge programs.

Taunton Daily Gazette: Infrastructure should top communities’ priority list
Like the sun that has been breaking through the clouds in recent days, our national and state economies are showing signs of recovery. We’re grateful for the days of rain behind us, particularly because of the stress many of us felt on our basements and our water systems. But as the economy recovers, communities face decisions about the priorities they make to best position themselves for the future. Local infrastructure projects must be at the top of that list if we are to put our best foot forward.