Although not in the same class of crisis as is Healthcare and Education, America's infrastructure needs addressing. Fifty years ago with the construction of a coast-to-coast national interstate system, we could boast the best in the world. No longer. Not fully maintained for decades, a crisis is brewing. Even of more concern is the forecast that the number of semi trucks travelling our road network will double if not triple by 2020. Can you imagine what the system will look like in 2020 if the status quo remains? Clogged highways and intense congestion will not assist our efforts to become energy independent. Our airways are becoming just as congested with longer trips, more delays, congested airports, etc.
Some transportation rules of thumbs: rail is more efficient for a transport trip of more than 400 miles; on the other hand, truck can be served better for short hauls. As concerns passengers, if done right, rail transport is more efficient for short haul (300-400 mile) than air. These are starting points that should be taken into account when an overall policy is formulated.
My thoughts:
1) Although not politically tangible currently, an increase in the gas tax of 10-20 cents or more should be implemented. This can be phased in gradually : an immediate 10 cents followed by 5 cents a year for the next two and then 2 cents each year thereafter. These monies (estimated at $1 billion per cent taxed) are necessary to restore the infrastructure.
2) A massive highway construction/reconstruction project should commence immediately with the new monies. The purpose is to expand the interstate system so each interstate highway is at least 3 lanes if not 4 lanes outside of cities and within cities at least 4 lanes. A designated truck lane or lanes with a similarly designated passenger car lane(s) will create more space to allow the two parties to live side by side and minimize the increasing numbers of semi-car crashes. The addition to the capacity will minmimize congestion and assist in fuel policies. The new construction will assist with employment. One requirement is all materials and all labor must be American in origin and american citizens.
3) Airports should be encouraged to satisfy long hauls only. that is, a combination rail-air program should be created. For example, for chicago, rail spokes should go from chicago to Milwaukee, South Bend, Springfield, Dubuque, Madision, etc, all cities within 200 miles. These spokes should be fast, convenient, clean service from dedicated lines. Similarly, Atlanta spokes should go to Birmingham, Savannah, Columbia, Huntsville, Chattanooga, etc. The effect would be to alleviate congestion in the airways and on the ground in airports by concentrating on longer hauls and allow more efficient ground transportation. Part of the new gas tax (2 cents the first year, 1 cent thereafter) would be used for construction and maintenance of these interurban short range spoke systems.
4) A radical idea. America has thousands of trucking companies. Each trucking company does not own its own highway and prohibits others to run on it. Why not nationalize (or privatize) the rail lines and have a separate private firm manage the entire rail system, maintain all, expand as necessary, and control usage much like FAA. The railroads would act as trucking companies and could deliver train service all over the US as necessary while the rail system itself would become a highway system open to all users. The effect could well become allowing new entry of rail companies. Double if not triple and quadruple tracks would be used to expand capacity to encourage rail traffic for long hauls.
5) Ports. These are also becoming bottlenecks with the immense one sided trade imports from China blocking the West coast ports. Ports should priority to American exports with imports waiting until all exported items have been shipped. Any containers that remain in the US after 90 days will be considered abandoned and will be confiscated for public use, or melted down for scrap, or made available for export purposes for a heavy discount. All imported containers and goods will be thoroughly scanned and examined for illicit or dangerous materials.
Your thoughts or comments?
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3 comments:
The above comments were written hours before the Minneapolis bridge collapse.
A first class country should not have to have second class infrastructure. Fifty years of neglect have left a huge cost that cannot be overlooked much longer.
My 2020 project should be expanded to included bridges. One item not included that should be are railroad overpasses. These should be built everywhere to provide for zero car train connection and to almost completely eliminate car train collisions. This would eliminate several thosand deaths per year, many more times injuries and auto damages, as well as to increase the efficiency of railroads (by increasing travel speeds).
I am reminded of the many times I have been travelling in rush hour or prime time on a road under construction. Yet that same road at 8pm is both under trafficked and without construction crews. Don't you think that construction crews could work the off hours: besides getting more done, the cost to the public in wasted hours and gas would go tremendously down. Or what about 24/7 constuction work to get a really urgent project complete? Why not use some out of box thinking here: incentive contracts, non-prime time construction, etc.
I live in Indiana. A major contention that has been going on for years has been the construction of I-69 from Indianapolis to Evansville. If I remember right the construction of the entire 40,000 mile interstate system took 15 years to complete. Yet the most optimistic estimate is the same for a 125 mile addition. What has happened to this nation in fifty years? We cannot even build a small highway in twelveyears? When everyone and their son-in-law can stop a projet with a lawsuit, projects get killed or drug out so long as to become meaningless. WHere is the can Do that made this country great.
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