Is the basic infrastructure of the USA crumbling?

Question

I read an article in the Sunday Times recently that said that America's infrastructure is crumbling and that it will cost just under $1 trillion to carry out basic essential repairs. Just look at what's happening - bridges collapsing, high pressure steam mains exploding in New York, Levvys bursting in New Orleans. Each of these incidents has caused loss of life.
Whilst America is projecting it's power abroad the cities back home appear to be falling to bits. I'm an Englishman and I have enjoyed a number of holidays in the USA but I am concerned that America has it's priorities in the wrong order.

Unfortunately some answerers have read my question as an attack on the US but that wasn't the intention. I accept that things aren't perfect in the UK but we don't tend to see the same catastrophic failures that are becoming evident in the states.

Answer 1

Just like Rome.

Answer 2

You can't look at all the issues on the news as a country or continental problem. The issues of the State of Louisiana and it's levies and the city of New York and it's steam lines only become the issues of the country when the state or city does not take care of the issue and the US has to declare the area a disaster and send in federal support. The matters of US infrastructure being primarily roads do have problems, but then look at the amount of roads and the amount of use those roads get in the 48 continental US states. Then again, overall, the US interstate system is still probably one of the best road systems in the world. Bridges collapse all over the world, you just get more coverage of the problems in the US because of the number of news outlets.

The infrastructure is as sound or better than any other country. I'm sure that there are better and worse counties in the UK, and that the roads are better in downtown London than in rural Wales.

I don't agree with our current policies involving our troops abroad, because I don't believe you can fight terrorism globally. Therefore I also think that the money being used could be better used elsewhwere. But I also believe that now we have done the deed, we have to support the rebuilding of the country we have invaded. I think that to just pull out would cause as many issues as to stay and either way would create a large number of questions on venues like this.

Answer 3

My advice to the Americans and anyone else for that matter, who wants a long-lasting infrastructure, should go back and look at what the Romans achieved.

Here in UK we have more miles of Roman roads still in use today than we do Motor Ways [Free Ways].

Not everything in America is crumbling. The Brooklyn Bridge for example, is still up and still working and will probably still be working in 1,000 years from now. Why? Because it was well built and considered to be extremely important at the time of construction.

Put the same importance and long-term thinking into any new construction and it will be built to last. Think one thousand years, not just ten years.

One of the world's greatest fetes of engineering, the Panama Canal, was built by the Americans. It was planned with considerable care and thought forward in time so as fo accommodate ships several time larger then the ships at the time of construction. The Panama Canal will still be operating in 1,000 years from now.

Believe!

Answer 4

Well, as an English woman let me tell you that the same is happening back home. Leaking water mains pipes losing millions of gallons every year. Railway lines crumbling, London sewers unable to cope and crumbling, etc etc. If I was you I'd more concerned about what is happening where you live rather then somewhere you go on holiday every so often for a couple of weeks. Kisses

Edit:- FredHH, just for the record, when some idiot bought London Bridge, he thought he was buying Tower Bridge, which is the famous London Landmark, that you see in all the tourist brochures, he thought that was London Bridge. Whereas London Bridge was just an ordinary brick and concrete flat bridge, that was due to be replaced and the old one sent in bits to Arizona. So it was replaced and the idiot in Arizona was very displeased. Greatest con in history

Answer 5

I'm concerned America has it's priorities wrong too. But thats why just like the UK we have the right to choose leaders who will help us redirect those priorities. But yes I've heard the same concept that the infrastructure is falling apart and theres stories of the govt trying to look into that. But America isn't as old as Europe and we are just now dealing with the problems that UK and the other places in Europe have dealt with before. We just have to learn how to deal and improve.

Answer 6

The infrastructure is the next pandering subject for Dems to justify raising taxes (even though it actually lowers revenue, slows the economy, and leaves less in our pocket).

In fact our infrastructure is continually improving over the last decade, but that won't stop the pandering.

BTW, federal revenue is up even with the tax breaks or better yet because of the tax breaks (And the largest transportation bill ever was passed because the feds had more revenue).

The more money left in the hands of the people, the more they can invest into business, and the more they can spend - thus, increasing tax revenue. Its that simple. Lowering taxes increases revenue.

Answer 7

The US has the most intricate and advanced infrastructure on earth. The media only seized on this story - like they always do - to make a big deal out of something that isn't happening at all.

-There is no doubt that individual states will try to use this to get funding for projects.

Answer 8

I don't know about the rest of the country. My state and city did fall apart. We had an overpass woth a whole big enough for a semi to fall theu. A bridge that almost collapsed. They closed it before that horror could occur.

Answer 9

New Orleans should be allowed to sink under the Gulf of Mexico. It will eventually anyway... no point delaying it.

Yes... a lot of bridges and highways need repairs...

Liberals have been diverting money from proper maintenance of the highway system for decades to fund idiotic projects such as the study of sex habits of lesbian seagulls... and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Tell the wastes of skin in office to quit wasting our money and do their jobs.

Protect our borders.
Enforce our laws.
Quit screwing the pages.

Answer 10

When taxes are cut and what is left goes to fight a very expensive and unnecessary war to the tune of trillions in deficit it makes sense that the infrastructure, and other things are going to be under funded. Alas, it sometimes takes a disaster to wake people up.

Answer 11

I see construction on our roads and bridges all the time. Just had a large bridge replaced near me and another one being built to replace one on 95. This within 30 miles of me.
Something like hurricanes and earthquakes we yanks have yet to control.
Does that surprise you son?