Fix what we already have

While local legislators are still pushing the multi-million-dollar 1-73 connector, officials in Washington are praising the even more expensive Keystone XL pipeline project. Opponents galore protest both proposals, their reasons ranging from environmental concerns to huge costs at a time when local and federal budgets are stretched thin. If our governments are so hot to spend money on infrastructure, maybe they should focus on fixing what we already have.

In October, the History Channel aired a TV program titled “The Crumbling of America.” The show detailed the problems of our aging infrastructure, and the problems we face if this is not corrected.

Infrastructure refers to our roads and bridges, dams and levees, sewers and water lines, and the power grid. These systems are vital for healthy economies, providing services as well as jobs. When President Eisenhower left office, 12 percent of our budget was spent on infrastructure. Now, it’s about 2 percent.

Our bridges are aging. The majority of our bridges were built in the span between 1930 and 1960, with a projected lifetime of 50-75 years. In the next 10 years, 50 percent of our bridges will be over 50 years old and they were not engineered to withstand the weight and volume of today’s traffic. Problems include rotting wood, rust, and crumbling concrete. Unfortunately, basic maintenance, such as painting, is often neglected by local governments.

Our highways are in the same boat. One third of our nations highways are structurally and/or functionally obsolete. Potholes, and other problems, risk driver safety and incur increasing vehicle maintenance costs due to wear and tear from poor road surfaces.

Our dams and levees are also in jeopardy. Averaging 51 years in age, they are also suffering from a lack of attention as states cut inspection budgets. This is a dangerous state of affairs. On June 5, 1976, the Grand Teton Dam in Idaho was breached. Eighty billion gallons of water surged forth, killing 14 people, and swallowing hundreds of homes and 18,000 head of livestock. In 2005, levees failed in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Over a thousand people were killed, many more left homeless.

Our water and sewer pipes are in decline, corroded and blocked. Billions of gallons of drinking water are leaked every year. Sewer sludge makes its way into our lakes and rivers. Sewage contamination has resulted in many cities, including St. Louis, being sued by the EPA.

The Delaware Aqueduct, built in the ’30s and ’40s, is 85 miles long, the longest continuous tunnel in the world. It provides New York City with about half of its drinking water. It is eroded, leaking millions of gallons of water every day. It’s been leaking for at least 20 years. The impact this is having on local communities is severe. In Warwarsing, N.Y., at least 50 homes have suffered contaminated wells and flooded basements and yards. A full collapse of the aqueduct could totally flood the town. The last time the pipeline was shut down for inspection was in 1957.

Our power grid is aged and struggling, working decades longer than intended. Minor problems include sagging lines due to tilting poles. Power outages are a more major concern. America has more blackouts than England or Japan. As demand increases due to population growth and the impact of climate change, with more heat, rain and storms, blackouts and other problems will become more frequent.

Suggested remedies for our ailing infrastructure include different technologies for constructing bridges, etc., with more corrosion deterrent materials; regular inspections to spot potential problems before they happen; more transformers, solar panels, and wind turbines to reduce demand on the power grid.

The picture is clear: The strength that we built our country on, our infrastructure, is literally falling apart. We are on the tipping point. Our elected officials need to stop pushing for expensive pie-in-the-sky projects that we don’t even need and turn their attention to what is going on beneath our feet.

The writer lives in Conway.