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Engineering group: America’s infrastructure in crisis
I think the overall context of all infrastructure deficencies in all transportation modes dilutes the focus as well as adds some incoherent generalities into the Amtrak question as a mixed metaphor. Instead of taking one bite at a time ( one area of need) the media makes us think we can eat the whole cake in one bite. Amtrak’s growth and scattered successes have been four steps forward and five back due to a lack of growing the" business" by investment as a long term proposition. All of this political ideology obscures the fact that a fix is less expensive now than it will be a decade from now to ammend. This denial of these realities is across the board to the extent I have lost count of them…and it’s easy to predict this situation will worsen until another catastrophy occurs and then the posturing will beain yet again for a couple of news cycles. From my point of view, it’s the electorate thats to blame.
Another group fishing for work - and federal dollars. Now if we were not 18 trillion dollars in debt …
I seem to remember billions for ‘shovel ready jobs’ a few years ago.
Mark…And what exactly is the alternative.?..Are the bridges and other accidents waiting to happen “fishing” for work…You seem to have the causes backward.
Mark… Why are we 18 trillion dollars in debt? Tax cuts, at both state and federal levels you think. Cutting taxes and then funding wars on borrowed money, all by a ‘fiscal conservative politician’? Which is better, a tax and spend democrat or a cut taxes and spend republican?
I think what Mark is saying is that politicians aren’t really concerned about the infrastructure. It’s all about the $$$$ that can be brought back to their electorial district. All politicians…
MR. Haws
You are absolutely correct when you said that ,“Cutting taxes and then funding wars on borrowed money, all by a ‘fiscal conservative politician’? Which is better, a tax and spend democrat or a cut taxes and spend republican?”
That was an incredibly stupid move on a certain administrations part. One doesn’t cut their income voluntarily then increase spending.
There’s another flaw in Mark’s statement regarding the 18 Trillion dollar debt…it’s mostly on paper, and if our government wanted to, and didn’t care about the rest of the worlds economy, we could just write it off…and right now the biggest loser would be China. Regardless of what professional economists say, if we threatened to just write off the entire debt amount…you bet everyone would sit down at the table and listen…unless they wanted to head into a worldwide depression that would dwarf the 1930’s. So, let’s raise the gas tax, put in place a special tax on bulk diesel fuel and create a Rail Trust Fund, just like the Highway Trust Fund.
Since ACEC and the rest of us don’t know the cause of the accident, why try to make a link to the infrastructure problems. Can’t ACEC have the decency to not use the deaths of seven people and the injuries of countless others to advance their agenda?
They should have spent that trillion dollar shovel ready on infrastructure like it was voted on.
The issue unsaid are the years of delays that bureaucracy throws in front of such projects face adding costs, delaying the work.
Raymond you are pompous ass. Didn’t hear a peep out you before the accident.Further more infrastructure had nothing to do with this accident.
Looking at the comments here I’m reminded of a comment made by Republicans “It will be an enormous waste of Federal money that will not stop and should be left up to the states to fund and build.” The comments were done by the Republican politicians in response to President Eisenhower’s request to build the Interstate Highway system because he felt that after the lessons learned of German mobility in WW II it was vital for US growth and security to have a system like the Autobahn. Ironically it was the then largely free interstate highway system that killed railroad passenger service and diverted cargo from rail to trucks. The prime push now by the leaders of the Republican party is to cut the Federal Gas tax to 3 cents to pay down the US debt and leave all transportation up to the individual states. That is all passenger rail , bus transiit systems , interstate and state highways , all rivers , harbors and airports will be up to the state it resides in to pay for all operations , maintenace and growth out of whatever state can do to generate the funds.
Ronald, the accident has a lot to do with infrastructure. The curve should have been straightened out a long time ago. A 50 mph curve on a 125 mph railroad? It is like having a racing car on a back alley.
Mark and Ronald…perhaps grades don’t matter to you, therefore, below average wouldn’t phase you. For me, it’s unacceptable. Well that so-called fishing group and PA more than likely are connected to the ASCE, a professional organization that rated our infrastructure a D+.
Furthermore, our global ranking ranges from 12 to 25, organization pending. One can debate where we rank internationally. But the one common element those numbers reflect, keeping us out of the Top Ten which is sad and embarrassing. Totally unacceptable.
Just remember, a strong infrastructure increases our ability to compete globally.
This sort of infrastructure issue has been forecast for a long time. And Congress has continually squeezed Amtrak. True, Amtrak needs to clear out cobwebs. But Congress also has to stop squeezing and get on the move. The next problem is around the next bend in the tracks, wherever that might be.