Quarter Of American Bridges Declared Structurally Deficient or Functionally Obsolete

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/07/trend-watch-quarter-american-bridges-declared-structurally-deficient-functionally-obsolete.php

Quarter Of American Bridges Declared Structurally Deficient or Functionally Obsolete
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07.18.10
Business & Politics


Bridge closed. Image credit:Ivan Cockrum


Scholars & Rogues blog has a nice overview of the crumbling US bridges issue. In a phrase, upgrades and repairs are not keeping up with wear and tear. Fixing the bad bridges is anticipated to cost "$650 billion over 50 years." Not good news for the 'less government, reduced taxes' crowd. But let's focus on the environmental dimensions. There is good news and bad.

You can't just let unsound bridges fall into the rivers in the manner that local governments are doing when they elect to 'unpave' a road. See Trend Watch: Unpaving Rural America "Back To The Stone Age" for context. But you can block them off.

There are many environmental dimensions to the bridges falling down. Here's my short list. Post away with your additions please.

* Skipped bridge repairs or replacement means less concrete made: hence, reduced C02 emissions.
* Detours mean additional miles traveled to get to work, shop, go to school: more gas consumed..
* Alternate routes become more densely traveled - pissing off Mercedes drivers with Autobahn fantasies.
* Less road salt in the river.
* Exurban sprawl cut down dead in it's track: some property values go up; others down.
* Enhanced local self reliance and sense of community.
* Miles worth of strip development abandoned before and after a closed bridge.

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http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2010/07/15/drive-with-care-over-those-151394-obsolete-unsafe-bridges/

Drive with care over those 151,394 obsolete, unsafe bridges

to contend with.

many people can be put to work.

should be forced to use the worst of the bridges daily.

The more I hear of what we didn't do with that money the more upset I get.
What a waste.

a current article about the stim and infrastructure...

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fa481668-8ce4-11df-bad7-00144feab49a.html

US stimulus shifts to infrastructure spending

By James Politi in Washington

Published: July 11 2010 14:15 | Last updated: July 11 2010 14:15

snip//

Michael Greenstone, director of the Hamilton Project, which conducts research on economic policy for the Brookings Institution, says that the appeal of infrastructure is that it offers the “possibility of spillover” as projects can improve the standard of living in certain areas and therefore enhance economic activity.

But he warns that although this will result in “a little more push from the government” in the coming months, “we are reaching the point where it is going to be incumbent on the private sector to drive the recovery”.

Phillip Swagel, chief economist at the Treasury department during the Bush administration and now a visiting professor at Georgetown University, says it is evident that “it is really hard to spend government money quickly”.

He adds: “There is a good case to be made for increased infrastructure spending. But it’s not really a stimulus story, it’s a long-term investment story.”

Nevertheless, the administration’s push continues, and the ramp-up in infrastructure projects has not been confined to transportation. In a report released last month, Mr Biden’s office noted that some 2,800 clean drinking water projects funded by stimulus money would be under way this summer, compared to 129 at the same time in 2009.

Another big area of focus is upgrading homes to make them more energy efficient. Some 82,000 homes are set to be adapted this summer, compared with only 3,000 last summer.

And as time goes by, money from the 2009 stimulus will become even more heavily weighted towards infrastructure: Mr Biden’s office says 71 per cent of all dollars remaining to be outlayed will be spent on these kinds of projects.

Mr Bernstein insists the Obama White House has not given up on Congress, and hopes lawmakers will still move forward on some additional stimulus measures despite deficit concerns.

“We can walk and chew gum. We are working hard to extend a targeted set of measures from the recovery act. As we do so we have to be mindful of setting a credible path to fiscal sustainability,” he says.

For instance, as recently as Friday, Mr Obama asked lawmakers to approve a $5bn extension to a clean energy tax credit.

But until the mood shifts on Capitol Hill, infrastructure spending like the bus terminal in Kent, will be the only stimulus left in town.

Then I guess the article has been addressed.

Perhaps a few of them. Not all of them

A whole lot of that went to tax cuts and state aid. The number wasn't actually based on what was needed to repair infrastructure, which by some estimates, was $2.2 trillion straight into infrastructure spending

we have many bridges that really are unsafe.
And how about those railroads we have been hearing about? We have NO passenger service at all, and that would be a great thing to have...and it would mean a lot of long term well paying jobs that could really help the economy....why the wait when we really need it all now?


rec.

mark

concentrate today.

mark

...as the pic.

back to using a ferry at the only crossing.

Which is more important? :shrug:














:sarcasm:

The I-35 bridge that collapsed in Minnesota a couple of years ago had a rating of 50. There's a bridge I pass under nearly every day that has a rating of (no kidding) 2. :scared:

a multi billion dollar hospital (to be completed in 7 years) to assist the military in our never ending wars.......