Chief
06-29-2008, 07:01 AM
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1214549725313970.xml&coll=7
Growing backlog of repairs to roads, sewers and other basics threatens economy, livability
Sunday, June 29, 2008
JEFF KOSSEFF
The Oregonian Staff
America is falling apart.
Literally.
From highways to bridges to plumbing to telecommunications, we are not keeping up with our national maintenance chores.
Our highways are crumbling. Just maintaining them as they are would cost up to 40 cents a gallon more in gas taxes over the next five years.
And that would do nothing to meet the increased demand; highway travel and hours stuck in traffic have both grown by about 25 percent in the past 10 years.
Remember that bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis last summer? More than one-quarter of U.S. bridges -- including one-quarter of Oregon's -- are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
We need to spend $250 billion to fix our aging water pipes. And our telecommunications system is far slower than the rest of the world's lightning-fast broadband.
"We're basically sliding toward Third World status," said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore. "It's pathetic."
The aging infrastructure is more than a headache that strands us in traffic and slows our e-mail. It poses a huge threat to our economy.
Our overseas competitors are making huge investments. China is building a 53,000-mile national highway system, along with light rail and other mass transit. Sure, China is playing catch-up. But the United States lags Taiwan, Japan, and 17 other countries in broadband deployment.
Just as relatively low wages in other countries pushed U.S. jobs overseas, so, too, could our deteriorating infrastructure.
Oregon's congressional delegation is in a position to make a difference. DeFazio chairs the House subcommittee on highways and transit. He'll play a key role in drafting a road and transit funding bill next year. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is pushing for the government to issue billions of dollars in bonds to pay for highway improvements. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., is pushing for a national transportation plan.
Blumenauer responded to DeFazio's comparison of the United States to Third World countries with a minor correction:
"You're doing a disservice to some Third World countries," Blumenauer said. "We're losing this battle. We're investing less in infrastructure than at any time in our history."
Jeff Kosseff: 503-294-7605; jeff.kosseff@newhouse.com
Growing backlog of repairs to roads, sewers and other basics threatens economy, livability
Sunday, June 29, 2008
JEFF KOSSEFF
The Oregonian Staff
America is falling apart.
Literally.
From highways to bridges to plumbing to telecommunications, we are not keeping up with our national maintenance chores.
Our highways are crumbling. Just maintaining them as they are would cost up to 40 cents a gallon more in gas taxes over the next five years.
And that would do nothing to meet the increased demand; highway travel and hours stuck in traffic have both grown by about 25 percent in the past 10 years.
Remember that bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis last summer? More than one-quarter of U.S. bridges -- including one-quarter of Oregon's -- are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
We need to spend $250 billion to fix our aging water pipes. And our telecommunications system is far slower than the rest of the world's lightning-fast broadband.
"We're basically sliding toward Third World status," said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore. "It's pathetic."
The aging infrastructure is more than a headache that strands us in traffic and slows our e-mail. It poses a huge threat to our economy.
Our overseas competitors are making huge investments. China is building a 53,000-mile national highway system, along with light rail and other mass transit. Sure, China is playing catch-up. But the United States lags Taiwan, Japan, and 17 other countries in broadband deployment.
Just as relatively low wages in other countries pushed U.S. jobs overseas, so, too, could our deteriorating infrastructure.
Oregon's congressional delegation is in a position to make a difference. DeFazio chairs the House subcommittee on highways and transit. He'll play a key role in drafting a road and transit funding bill next year. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is pushing for the government to issue billions of dollars in bonds to pay for highway improvements. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., is pushing for a national transportation plan.
Blumenauer responded to DeFazio's comparison of the United States to Third World countries with a minor correction:
"You're doing a disservice to some Third World countries," Blumenauer said. "We're losing this battle. We're investing less in infrastructure than at any time in our history."
Jeff Kosseff: 503-294-7605; jeff.kosseff@newhouse.com