China Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 New Report Shows Failing to Invest in Transportation Will Cause Job Losses, Shrink Household Incomes American Society of Civil Engineers releases first-ever report on how U.S. economy and family budgets will fare if America fails to fund surface transportation improvements WASHINGTON, D.C. – The nation’s deteriorating surface transportation infrastructure will cost the American economy more than 870,000 jobs, and suppress the growth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product by $3.1 trillion by 2020, according to a new report released today by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The report, conducted by the Economic Development Research Group of Boston, showed that in 2010, deficiencies in America’s roads, bridges, and transit systems cost American households and businesses more than $129 billion, including approximately $97 billion in vehicle operating costs, $32 billion in delays in travel time, $1.2 billion in safety costs, and $590 million in environmental costs. If investments in surface transportation infrastructure are not made soon, those costs are expected to grow exponentially. Within 10 years, U.S. businesses would pay an added $430 billion in transportation costs, household incomes would fall by more than $7,000, and U.S. exports will fall by $28 billion. Click on the link for more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 What happened to the stimulus funds? What happened to fuel tax revenues? What happened to ? Somebody been spending in the wrong places? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Admittedly, this report comes from the American Society of Civil Engineers. Still, I suspect they've got a point. I've thought for some time that government spending on things like roads and bridges are probably very good for the economy. A lot of the money goes to payroll, and it goes to payroll in, I suspect, decent, middle-class wages, jobs. To skilled workers. And most of the money gets spent here. And, after you spend the money, you've got a road. Which can then pay dividends to the economy, indirectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 What happened to the stimulus funds?What happened to fuel tax revenues? What happened to ? I believe that's been factored in. The report estimates that in order to bring the nation’s surface transportation infrastructure up to tolerable levels, policymakers would need to invest approximately $1.7 trillion between now and 2020 in the nation’s highways and transit systems. The U.S. is currently on track to spend a portion of that - $877 billion - during the same timeframe. The infrastructure funding gap equals $846 billion over 9 years or $94 billion per year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnLockesGhost Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Over the past 50 years we've spent way too much money on roads, building a society that won't be able to function in a world of expensive oil. We have enough roads. What we really need is better planning so we won't need to drive everywhere we go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Everytime new highway/infrastructure bills get pushed thru they end up p!ssing the funds away on bridges to nowhere and WV highways noone uses while congested areas are egregiously ignored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Over the past 50 years we've spent way too much money on roads, building a society that won't be able to function in a world of expensive oil. We have enough roads. What we really need is better planning so we won't need to drive everywhere we go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew_Fl Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 have you guys been to PA? it seems like all the roads in that state are constantly under construction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostofSparta Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 have you guys been to PA? it seems like all the roads in that state are constantly under construction. I'm amazed at how roads up here always suck, and yet are always being worked on. It's some bizarre paradox that I can't explain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teller Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 have you guys been to PA? it seems like all the roads in that state are constantly under construction. I took my kids to a Pirates game on Sunday, and REALLY thought I should have been paid to use the &%$*#@^! Pa. Turnpike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Personally, I think our interstate highway system is one of the best pieces of engineering in the world. Driving from anywhere in America to anywhere else in America is remarkably easy. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubbs Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Personally, I think our interstate highway system is one of the best pieces of engineering in the world.Driving from anywhere in America to anywhere else in America is remarkably easy. ~Bang Clearly you've never driven through Pennsylvania. :pfft: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 have you guys been to PA? it seems like all the roads in that state are constantly under construction. They are. It's been that way for over 30 years at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 They are. It's been that way for over 30 years at least. I keep hearing that, you would think they would change contractors or overseers Hell even Louisiana can build a decent road Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mardi gras skin Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Pretty simple concept. Commerce requires transportation infrastructure. As for PA, its true. The Amish can build a mean barn but they don't know jack about asphalt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predicto Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Good transportation infrastructure is vital, but it requires good urban planning as well or it backfires. For example, everytime the taxpayers subsidize another big highway out to a distant exurb at the behest of developers, all the economic and population growth happens way out there, sprawl gets worse, more and more commuters pile on to the roads, and everyone ends up going slower. Developers should be required to internalize the costs of transportation and traffic into new developments. And yes, I also question any report prepared by an interested party, in this case the "association of engineers that make their money building transportation infrastructure" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boston skins fan Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Heres how i see it from a Civil Engineers perspective and yes im a member of ASCE since collage. The stimulus plan was flawed from the start for 3 main reasons: 1. All the "shovel ready projects" that the money was used for were used on projects for 2-3 years down the line. Example. Stimulus money cam out on 09 all the projects budgeted for 09 were already in design or construction so when the state agengcies (highway dpts, port authorities etc) got the money they pulled projects from the next year or the year after. 2. the trickle down effect from above is that the consulting engineers (firms hired by the state agencies) know this and wont hire more staff for a few months of work instead the current staff works longer hours to finish design. 3.the next trickle down effect is once all the designs are out and finished the state agencies finished there wish list for 3 years in just 1 so the consulting engineers lay people off. If you think im lieng im not i was one of 20 that got laid off in my office and 20% of the total nation wide offices were laid off that day. Also i know the big firms are still laying people off. The theory of more infastucture = booming economy is a good one. The thing is that the money needs to be spent on the lower levels. Towns, counties etc then move to the bigger scale stuff. and no im not saying build more highways and roads. Im saying fix the current ones. Ideally major highways will be repaved every 10 yrs or so, and local roads at about 15. But if sone incorrectly then obviosly the time shrinks and money is wasted. Just my thoughts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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