New ASCE Report

     American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released a report entitled “Failure to Act; The Economic Impact of Current Investment Trends in Surface Transportation Infrastructure” which examines the costs a decaying infrastructure has on America.  The ASCE makes convincing arguments on how a failing infrastructure will cost Americans money in multiple ways.  Failing to make needed improvements today means that we will be paying for massive repairs in the future.  By 2040 deficient surface transportation infrastructure will cost us nearly $3 trillion dollars due to added business expenses to move goods and more of household budgets spent on transportation.  Infrastructure deficiencies are expected to result in the US losing more than $72 billion in foreign exports by 2040.  This is due to lost productivity and higher costs of goods and services compared to competing product prices from around the globe.

         ASCE has outline three distinct forces that are projected to affect employment.  First transportation will cost more time and more money to upkeep vehicles.  Money spent to pay for time and upkeep will take money away from investment, innovation and ‘quality of life purchases’.  Second, declining impact of business productivity (due to inefficient surface transportation) “Productivity deteriorates with infrastructure degradation, so more resources are wasted in each sector.  In other words, it may take two jobs to complete the tasks that one job could handle without delays due to worsening surface transportation infrastructure. ”  Thirdly, while it will cost more to travel and more people to do the same amount of jobs, the declining infrastructure will create jobs in sectors such as transportation services and vehicle repair services.  

     This is the worst time to cut spending on transportation infrastructure.  Our economy needs to generate more jobs now at the same time our infrastructure is deteriorating and our competitors in China and Europe are investing more resources in improving their transportation systems.  This report should serve as a wake-up call to lawmakers and the public about the need to maintain our public infrastructure for us, our children and our grandchildren.

Follow the ASCE  @ASCETweets

Follow the Alliance @TransAlliance