According to an article published in USA Today, the condition of only 30% of Pennsylvania road is rated “good”; 43% “fair” and 27% “poor.”; 24% of the state’s bridges are considered “deficient.”
“Roads with pavement in poor condition have ‘advanced deterioration’ and typically require structural repair or replacement, according to the FHWA. Such roads, TRIP says, may have ruts, cracks and potholes that give millions of Americans rough rides that increase repair costs and fuel consumption.”
“The analysis concludes that the nation’s roadways — critical for moving people, goods and services — are in disrepair, and even states with mostly ‘good’ roads have stretches of pavement, as well as bridges, that are in dire need of upgrades.”
We wonder what “stimulus influx” USA Today is referring to. Although money was made available in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 since then the Congress has refused to fund requests for a highway bill to stimulate the economy as proposed repeatedly by President Obama.
Just imagine how improved our roads and bridges would be today if the money spent for the foolish and cruel Iraq War and in trying to create a modern state in Afghanistan had been used at home for infrastructure investment.
Apparently the Republicans prefer people to be sitting at home on the dole rather than working to repair and improve the nation’s infrastructure. Incidentally, the vast majority of credible economists supported the President plea.
