Transportation Complications: Top Issues to Consider When Drafting an Infrastructure Bill
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According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the state of U.S. infrastructure earned a score of a D+ based on its physical condition and needed investments for improvement. In what will come as a surprise to few, the ASCE found U.S. infrastructure overall is in poor to fair condition and mostly below standard, with many elements, specifically those in the transportation industry, approaching the end of their service life. In fact, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that over $800 billion is required just to shore up the nation’s roads and bridges.
As Congress mulls over how to draft a bipartisan bill that meaningfully improves the country’s dire infrastructure, what specific transportation challenges should they take into consideration? What areas are in most need of improvement?
- 50% speed of U.S. commuter trains compared to Europe3
- 48 minutes per day average commuting time in the U.S. due to congestion and poor public transit 3
- Only 4 of U.S. airports rank in the top 50 worldwide, with the top-ranked coming in at number thirty 4
- $35.7 billion lost because of the poor condition of U.S. airports causing delays and avoided trips from international travelers 5
- $1.5 trillion “infrastructure gap” expected by 2025 6
- 1/5 of all passenger rail lines are in "poor condition" 6
- D+ Rating for the condition of U.S. infrastructure, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers 6
- $150 billion per year until 2030 to keep abreast of all the country’s infrastructure needs 7
- 20% of all U.S. air arrivals and departures are delayed 8
- ¼ of all U.S.’s 600,000-plus bridges are structurally deficient or not designed for the traffic they now support 8
- 20% of the nation's 900,000 miles of interstates and major roads need resurfacing or reconstruction 9
- $124 billion annual cost to the U.S. economy due to delays caused by traffic congestion alone 10
Learn more about our insights on Trump’s Infrastructure Plan at BIPC.com.
- https://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/
- https://www.transportation.gov/grow-america/fact-sheets/roadways
- https://www.economist.com/node/18620944
- http://businessroundtable.org/sites/default/files/2015.09.16%20Infrastructure%20Report%20-%20Final.pdf
- https://www.ustravel.org/news/fix-america%E2%80%99s-infrastructure-start-airports
- https://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/
- https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/capital-projects-and-infrastructure/our-insights/bridging-global-infrastructure-gaps
- https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/state-us-infrastructure
- https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2016-09-19/why-it-matters-infrastructure
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/federicoguerrini/2014/10/14/traffic-congestion-costs-americans-124-billion-a-year-report-says/#7798cd67c107