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Infrastructure: An investment that’s long overdue

For the first time in many years, there’s a proposal to do more than just simply maintain the nation’s aging network of roads, bridges, and other public works resources.

It’s likely to be expensive. The cost to pave even one mile of a two-lane road is more than what’s needed to construct most types of buildings.

There’s a question being raised about whether society can afford an ambitious proposal to modernize what was created in the 20th century. The question also needs to be asked as to whether we can afford not to modernize.

Our network of roads and bridges still looks impressive from a distance. It’s only upon a close inspection that it’s clear how they’re aging. Soon there will be a growing number of improvements needed to keep our network fully functional.

Interstates were created at a time when there was an insatiable desire to experience the open road. They were a symbol of the future.

It was no longer a huge undertaking to drive across several or more states. Instead there was comfortable interstate travel, punctuated by a good assortment of travel stops.

The demand for transportation systems hasn’t slowed down. Both passenger cars and commercial haulers need main highways on a regular basis. It’s still the main way to travel.

What’s changed is the cost of living. There’s expense associated with using our vehicles. There’s also a considerable cost for things like energy and telecommunications. It requires strategic planning to work toward more affordability.

It’s hard to imagine things getting more affordable in any of the areas I mentioned without public investment in infrastructure.

Had the interstate highways never been built, the only other option would have been a haphazard system of turnpikes. Some small projects run by states or private managers might have been successful, but there would have been huge gaps in the system.

Many people would have faced high user fees to enjoy the best in road travel. Sooner or later the cost of operations has to be covered.

People in the 21st century hope for an American Dream that includes new five-bedroom houses and multiple vehicles per family. It’s very possible that we can’t have everything.

Taxes for roads, bridges, energy systems and telecommunications access might need to be put in place or rasied to keep up with society’s needs. It might mean living in smaller houses and driving smaller cars.

Every generation up to now can say that life got better as they aged. Hard work and delayed gratification in many ways paid off.

It’s important that my generation doesn’t become the first to break from that positive pattern. The needs of future generations should be anticipated. Plans should be made to meet those needs over the long term.

It’s easy to say now, but it probably would have been a good thing to establish nationwide trust funds for infrastructure back in the 1980s and 1990s.

Instead there was a demand for limited government. There was a widespread feeling that people should be able to keep more of what earn.

Events such as the war against terrorism and the Great Recession have further limited the potential to pour money into infrastructure. Information is indicating that there might be a need to catch up, that even with the best strategic planning there will be a need to commit to expensive projects.

Hopefully what’s being talked about in 2021 will lead to some goal setting. We might never be like the Jetsons from 20th century cartoons, but there is promising technology that could be used to establish reliable, sustainable systems for meeting public needs. We should try to make the most of it, even if it means more investment than we’ve had in recent years.

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