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SouthAmerica: The US wasted over $ 2.1 trillion dollars in defense spending during the 5-year period 2001 â 2005 when most of the other major economies around the world were investing their scarce resources wisely and they were building their economies. Here is were the US government should be investing the US taxpayers money instead:
The latest ASCE report published in March 2005 estimates that the US government will need to invest at least $ 1.6 trillion dollars in the next five years in order to bring the current US infrastructure to an âacceptableâ level. Here are their findings and recommendations:
ASCE â 2005 Report Card for Americaâs Infrastructure
American Society for Civil Engineers â March 9, 2005
Key Infrastructure Facts
· Our nation's highways, transit systems, railroads, airports, ports and inland waterways drive our economy, enabling all industries to achieve the growth and productivity that has made America so strong and prosperous.
· A USDOT study concludes that for each $1 billion of federal spending on highway construction nationwide, 47,500 jobs are generated annually. If we invested in our infrastructure at the level of $1.6 trillion over five years, as many as five million jobs would be created.
Aviation
· The FAA projects passenger growth at 4.3% a year through 2015, a 52% increase over 2005 demand.
· The number of aircraft handled by air traffic control is expected to increase from 45.1 million in 2004 to 58.4 million in 2015.
· Between $9-15 billion is needed annually to enable airports to meet the expected demand.
Airport and Aviation Facts:
· There are 510 U.S. airports with commercial service, accounting for 99.88% of passenger enplanements.
· The number of runway incursions has decreased from a peak of 407 in 2001 to 324 in 2003.
· In 2004, the FAA designated 3,344 airports as part of the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS), including commercial service airports, reliever airports and selected general aviation airports.
· The FAA sets a performance goal of ensuring that 93% of NPIAS airport runways are maintained in good or fair condition--in 2003, the FAA rated 75% as good, 21% as fair, and 4% as poor. At commercial service airports, the runways faired better, with 80% good, 18% fair, and 2% poor.
· Accessibility--66% of Americans live within 20 miles of a commercial service airport.
There is general consensus that maintaining the integrity of the national airport system requires continual updates and a steady and predictable flow of capital. The FAA has estimated that planned capital development of $9 billion annually is necessary to meet expanding demand. The Airport Council International (ACI) puts that number at $15 billion. Neither the FAA nor ACI estimates include terminal modifications needed to accommodate new explosives-detection systems required for baggage screening.
Bridges
· 27% of America's bridges--more than one in four--are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
· A slab of concrete falling from the deteriorated Steinway Street bridge in Astoria, NY, in July 2004 critically injured a motorist on the parkway below. In Chicago, concrete 'rained down' from the 33rd Street Bridge, blowing out the tires on at least four vehicles passing below. Just two weeks earlier, concrete from another bridge crashed into the windshield of a car on Chicago's Interstate 57, injuring its occupants.
· "Ever tried to take a 12-ton fire engine over a three ton bridge?" - A civil engineer from Modoc, CA
· There are 590,750 bridges in the United States.
· 31.2% of the nation's urban bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
FHWA estimates that it will take $9.4 billion a year for 20 years to eliminate all bridge deficiencies.
In 2003 of the nation's 590,750 bridges 27.1% rated structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. However, it will cost $9.4 billion a year for 20 years to eliminate all bridge deficiencies. Long-term underinvestment is compounded by the lack of a Federal transportation program.
Conditions
As of 2003, 27.1% of the nation's bridges (160,570) were structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, an improvement from 28.5% in 2000. In fact, over the past 12 years, the number of bridge deficiencies has steadily declined from 34.6% in 1992 to 27.1% in 2003. The Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) strategic plan states that by 2008, less than 25% of the nation's bridges should be classified as deficient. If that goal were met, 1 in 4 bridges in the nation would still be deficient. There were 590,750 bridges in the United States in 2000; however, one in three urban bridges (31.2% or 43,189) was classified as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, much higher than the national average. In contrast, 25.6% (118,381) of rural bridges were classified as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
A structurally deficient bridge is closed or restricted to light vehicles because of its deteriorated structural components. While not necessarily unsafe, these bridges must have limits for speed and weight. A functionally obsolete bridge has older design features and, while it is not unsafe for all vehicles, it cannot safely accommodate current traffic volumes, and vehicle sizes and weights. These restrictions not only contribute to traffic congestion, they pose such major inconveniences as school busses or emergency vehicles taking lengthy detours. It is estimated that it will cost $9.4 billion per year for 20 years to eliminate all bridge deficiencies. The annual investment required to prevent the bridge investment backlog from increasing is estimated at $7.3 billion. Present funding trends of state departments of transportation call into question future progress on addressing bridge deficiencies.
Dams
· Since 1998 the number of unsafe dams has risen by more than 33% to 3,500.
· There were 29 dam failures in the past two years in the United States.
· The Big Bay Lake Dam in Mississippi failed in March 2004, destroying 100 homes. The Silver Lake Dam in Michigan failed in 2003, causing $100 million in property damage and economic losses of $1 million per day.
· Since 1998 the number of high-hazard potential dams has increased from 9,281 to 10,213. High-hazard potential dams are those dams whose failure would cause loss of human life or significant loss of property.
· $10.1 billion is needed over the next 12 years to address all critical non-federal dams.
Since 1998, the number of unsafe dams has risen by 33% to more than 3,500. While federally owned dams are in good condition, and there have been modest gains in repair, the number of dams identified as unsafe is increasing at a faster rate than those being repaired. $10.1 billion is needed over the next 12 years to address all critical non-federal dams--dams which pose a direct risk to human life should they fail.
Conditions
Like all man-made structures, dams deteriorate. Deferred maintenance accelerates deterioration and causes dams to be more susceptible to failure. As with other critical infrastructure, a significant investment is essential to maintain the benefits and assure the safety that society demands.
In the past two years, more than 67 dam incidents, including 29 dam failures, were reported to the National Performance of Dams program, which collects and archives information on dam performance as reported by state and federal regulatory agencies and dam owners. Dam incidents are such events as large floods, earthquakes or inspections that alert dam safety engineers to deficiencies that threaten the safety of a dam. Due to limited state staff, many incidents are not reported; therefore, the actual number of incidents is likely to be much greater.
The number of high-hazard potential dams (dams whose failure would cause loss of human life) is increasing dramatically. Since 1998, the number of high-hazard-potential dams has increased from 9,281 to 10,213, with 1,046 in North Carolina alone. As downstream land development increases, so will the number of high-hazard potential dams. As these dams often require major repair to accommodate more stringent inspection, maintenance and design standards, financial support for state dam safety programs must keep pace.
Even more alarming, states presently report more than 3,500 "unsafe" dams, which have deficiencies that leave them more susceptible to failure. Many states have large numbers of unsafe dams, including Pennsylvania (725), New Jersey (583), and New Hampshire (357). Many state agencies do not report statistics on unsafe dams; therefore the actual number is potentially much higher.
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