Why It Is Important to Fix the USA's Aging and Failing Infrastructure

Ineffective infrastructure asset management, weather and natural disasters, terrorist activities and other related events have been identified as sources of infrastructure protection community's risk environment in recent years.

With these critical factors, the devastating infrastructure system hinders the day-to-day living of the affected Americans and entails a huge amount of budget for its inspection, maintenance and repairs.

Among the country's aging and failing infrastructure that have been identified are 20% of structure defective bridges in Pennsylvania; structural defective bridges in Rhode Island, South Dakota, Florida, Nevada, Hawaii, Washington D.C., Macau, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico; and other elements of failing infrastructure

While the USA has tried to regain the steady growth of its infrastructure system, the American Society of Civil Engineers has graded the nation's latest trend of infrastructure such as the imperiled rails, roads, transportations, bridges, water and other existing elements of infrastructure systems, including the national grid with a D+ grades as contained in its annual official report card.

The aging and failing infrastructure affect the quality of life of the expected significant increase of the population in the coming years to come, eventually impacting on the nation's economy.

The big question is how much time to fix the deteriorating infrastructure. This calls for an answer from the government, the people and the private sectors.

For the government, it needs to consider a consistent stance of its infrastructure management, which is essential for the country's economic vitality. The strategic initiatives would focus on key target areas such as investing at least US$1.6 trillion on the next five years to rebuild American's infrastructure, and enjoining the corporations as well as working wealthy elites to contribute more to tax revenues.

For the citizens, taking part for rebuilding the country's aging and failing infrastructure is ideal. Having quality time to sharing bright ideas is a way of helping transform the country's infrastructure. Doing so will definitely share in providing quality life for all and producing a significant increase in the economic effectiveness.

For the private sectors, it is hoped that they will remain as active partners to the steady growth of the country's infrastructure.

Recognizing the importance of the infrastructure under an effective infrastructure asset management in the competitive climate of business operations and the desired quality of life of the people, it is imperative to address the critical issue of ailing infrastructure squarely with emphasis on the time frame.

Again, the question as to how much time to fix it needs the concerted and combined efforts of both the government, the people, the private sectors and the stakeholders.

If fixing the decaying infrastructure means fixing the ailing economy, is the government willing to invest on effective infrastructure asset management to ensure better asset infrastructure condition now and in the future?

Source : articlesbase.com