Our Sole Contention is One Step Forward, and Two Steps Back.
This happens in two ways, first is bureaucratic nightmares.
HSR is a disaster, all over the world. ARA 18 explains:
Ara, 18, 6-27-2018, "Europe slams Spain over “inefficiency” in high-speed railway
construction," Ara in English, https://en.ara.cat/misc/europe-spain-inefficiency-high-speedconstruction_1_2740846.html 8-29-2022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
BARCELONASpain was the recipient of nearly half the European funds earmarked for building high-speed railway lines in
the EU, according to a damning report published on Tuesday by the European Court of Auditors. The report concludes that the construction of
such lines in Spain and other countries was “inefficient”.
[...]
Even though the survey explains that it is the member states who foot the bulk of the bill (on average the EU covered 11 per cent of the
that sort of infrastructure: €305 per
“inefficiency” of the construction
construction costs), Spain’s high-speed railway network tops the list of European funding per capita for
person, compared to €12 in Italy, €21 in France and €33 in Germany. The report also criticises the
of Europe’s
fast train network and the fact that a cost-benefit analysis was not taken into consideration, which means that
trains either travel at a lower speed (only half of them do so at top speed) or do
not carry enough passengers.
[...]
Many lines are “unprofitable” In addition to the high cost of Spain’s AVE lines, the report highlights the lack of “profitability” of its
high-speed network. The line that stretches between Venta de Baños (Palencia) and León is a case in point. Furthermore, trains only
travel at 39 per cent of the speed they were designed for between Madrid and León, and at 36 per cent from
Figueres to Perpignan. In cases such as these the report suggests that merely upgrading the standard railway line
“would have been enough” to meet the objectives “at a much lower” price.
presently many
In France, Karaian 14 furthers:
Jason Karaian, 14, 2-14-2014, "France’s high-speed rail network is worth $2 billion less than it
was…," archive.ph, https://archive.ph/b8AMi 8-29-2022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
France’s high-speed rail network is worth $2 billion less than it was a year ago As thrilling as it is to whizz through the
countryside at up to 320 kmh (199 mph), France’s economic malaise means that fewer people are willing
to pony up for the priciest routes on the famous TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) network.
SNCF, the state-owned French railway company, slipped into the red last year (pdf) and recorded a net loss of €180 million ($246
million) for 2013, reversing a profit of €376 million in the previous year—pain largely due to an eye-watering €1.4 billion writedown in the
value of the high-speed long-distance train network. TGV ”is not sufficiently profitable to cover the carrying
amount of its fleet and its renewal,” SNCF admitted. In addition to the economic slowdown, the company cited
steep running costs and competition from low-cost flights and cars as two of the factors responsible
for the TGV’s flagging fortunes. The network’s property, plant, and equipment is judged to be worth nearly $2 billion less, in
accounting terms, than it was at the start of last year. Operating profits at SNCF Voyages, the long-distance
division, fell by 31% in 2013, driven by a fall in traffic from business travellers. The local train
network saw revenues hold up a bit better than its long-distance sister company, but profits fell at roughly the same rate; freight, meanwhile,
recorded a smaller loss (€117 million) than the year before, but a loss all the same. The bright spots last year for the SNCF group—a sprawling
conglomerate with €32 billion in revenues and nearly 245,000 employees—were only partly related to trains. The star performer was its Gares &
Connexions unit, which helps design stations and collects rent from retail tenants; this division saw profit more than double, in part because some
pieces of the group’s infrastructure unit were reassigned to it. Speaking of infrastructure, what remained of this unit, which maintains tracks and
develops railway management systems, also held up reasonably well, with a small drop in profit on a modest gain in revenues. This year, SNCF
expects a “slight turnaround,” but passenger
volumes on the TGV are forecast to keep falling.
HSR unprofitable in Spain - Bolanos 15
Alejandro BolañOs, 15, 3-27-2015, "Not one AVE high-speed rail line is turning a profit, says
new study," EL PAÍS English Edition,
https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2015/03/26/inenglish/1427383199_991725.html#?rel=mas 829-2022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
Not one AVE high-speed rail line is turning a profit, says new study Multi-billion investments made by
past and current governments off track, report concludes A new study presented on Thursday on the multi-billion euro
investments made on Spain’s AVE high-speed rail system concludes that the costs are
“neither beneficial to businesses nor society,” and do not compensate passenger savings in
airline tickets or time spent on the road. The Foundation for the Studies of Applied Economics (Fedea), which
conducted an analysis of major AVE routes, said that the current demand for train services wasn’t enough to
recover the investments made by past and current Spanish governments. Spain has few
passengers for the high number of AVE rail lines, Fedea researchers Ofelia Betancor and Gerard Llobe said. The
network covers 2,515 kilometers and an additional 1,200 kilometers are currently under
construction. Only China has more rail lines.
HSR in Europe often runs at conventional speeds and subject to cost overruns, delays, and
poor performance - Britschgi 18
Christian Britschgi, 18, 6-26-2018, "European High-Speed Rail Also a Huge Boondoggle,"
Reason, https://reason.com/2018/06/26/european-high-speed-rail-also-a-huge-boo/ 8-29-2022
//BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
High-speed rail is working out in Europe about as well as it is here in America—that is, not great. A new report by the
European Court of Auditors (ECA)—the E.U.'s spending watchdog—found that the continent's web of high-speed rail lines are "not a network,
but an ineffective patchwork" that
performance.
suffers from chronic cost overruns, delays, and poor
"High-speed rail infrastructure is expensive, and is becoming more so," reads the report, noting that the average high-
overruns…and delays were the norm
instead of the exception." The ECA's audit looked at 10 completed or under-construction rail lines in six
E.U. countries, finding that a major cost driver was the tendency to shell out for extra-expensive
high-speed rail lines that go on to carry conventional trains at conventional speeds. Of the six
currently operating lines examined in the ECA's report, trains were running on average at speeds of 45 percent of each
line's design capacity. None of the lines saw trains averaging above 250 kilometers an hour
(the speed that many consider to be truly high-speed rail). Had these European countries
stuck to building or upgrading conventional rail lines, says the ECA, "costs involved could in fact
have been far lower, with little or no impact on operations." This failure looks even more
galling when you compare the time saved by these high-speed rail lines to the costs of
building them. In four of the lines looked at in the ECA's report, transportation officials spent over €100
million ($116 million) for every minute of travel time saved. For instance, a planned German high-speed rail
speed rail project cost €25 million per kilometer ($29 million) and that "cost
line is expected to get you from Munich to Stuttgart 36 minutes faster than conventional rail lines at the cost of some €13 billion ($15 billion).
That shakes out to €368 million ($423 million) per minute saved. (A flight between the two cities takes 45 minutes.)
Thus
Feigenbaum 13 "," No Publication, https://reason.org/wpcontent/uploads/files/high_speed_rail_lessons.pdf 9-2-2022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan
Choudhury
Partly as
a result of large operating losses, Japan National Railways was privatized in 1987. Since 1987,
lines has continued, supported by the notion that infrastructure spending stimulates the economy. 7 Some of the
newer lines that end in smaller cities require Tokyo-bound commuters to transfer trains at least once. These lines have very low
extension of high-speed
ridership totals. New lines constructed today are funded by public-private partnerships, with part of the funding coming from the nowprivatized regional rail companies, and the rest from the national and local governments. The current network features almost 1,500 miles of track
with top speeds of 149–183 miles per hour, and more lines under construction.8
What’s more, investment isn’t effective.
Alejandro Bolaños, 15, 3-27-2015, "Not one AVE high-speed rail line is turning a profit, says
new study," EL PAÍS English Edition,
https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2015/03/26/inenglish/1427383199_991725.html#?rel=mas 829-2022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
As for the reasons why Spanish governments decided to make such huge investments, Fedea lists “political
gain” with the justification of “providing jobs” and “developing a national industry” as
factors.
[...]
Fedea estimates that Spanish governments – including the current one – have spent more than €40 billion in constructing the rail system, with
another €12 billion going to related work projects. In the middle of an election year, the Public Works Ministry has announced that it will lay
Fedea blames governments for not
making public cost analyses each time they decide build a new high-speed connection, and
down an additional 1,200 kilometers of track that will connect eight provincial capitals.
bemoaned “the high price Spanish society will have to assume as a result of such investment decisions.”
Furthering
Alejandro Bolaños, 15, 3-27-2015, "Not one AVE high-speed rail line is turning a profit, says
new study," EL PAÍS English Edition,
https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2015/03/26/inenglish/1427383199_991725.html#?rel=mas 829-2022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
Not one AVE high-speed rail line is turning a profit, says new study Multi-billion investments made by
past and current governments off track, report concludes A new study presented on Thursday on the multi-billion euro
investments made on Spain’s AVE high-speed rail system concludes that the costs are
“neither beneficial to businesses nor society,” and do not compensate passenger savings in
airline tickets or time spent on the road. The Foundation for the Studies of Applied Economics (Fedea), which
conducted an analysis of major AVE routes, said that the current demand for train services wasn’t enough to
recover the investments made by past and current Spanish governments. Spain has few
passengers for the high number of AVE rail lines, Fedea researchers Ofelia Betancor and Gerard Llobe said. The
network covers 2,515 kilometers and an additional 1,200 kilometers are currently under
construction. Only China has more rail lines.
Overall
Vranich-08
Joseph Vranich, has been involved in rail passenger issues for more than thirty-five years, was President/CEO of the High Speed Rail
Association, and Wendell Cox, principal of Demographia, a St. Louis region-based public policy firm. He was appointed to three terms on the
Los Angeles County Transportation Commission, “The California High Speed Rail Proposal: A Due Diligence Report.” September 1, 2008,
http://reason.org/files/1b544eba6f1d5f9e8012a8c36676ea7e.pdf, accessed 6-14-2012.
As has been noted, there are serious questions about whether any HSR system in the world is profitable when all factors are considered. (See Part
3, International Experience.) However, CHSRA Executive Director Mehdi Morshed has indicated that the California HSR system would be
profitable and has even predicted an annual profit of $1 billion.366 While Morshed provides no detailed data, such a result is doubtful under the
most optimistic assumptions.367 CHSRA Chairman Quentin Kopp wrote that the HSR system would “operate at a profit (just like the European
and Asian systems) without taxpayer subsidy.”368 Statements such as these are countered by transportation experts William L. Garrison and
David M. Levinson who indicate that the claim of profitability for HSR systems “conveniently ignores the very high capital costs” and that
“HSR has in all cases required government subsidy.”369 Indeed, to claim that HSR systems are not subsidized
when much of their capital costs (and perhaps even operating costs) are paid for by government is akin to claiming a household budget produces a
surplus without including the mortgage on the house. At the same time, this is in contrast to other forms of intercity passenger transportation. The
airline system is virtually all supported by user revenues, rather than general subsidies.370 (See Part 5.) Intercity highways and freeways are
virtually all paid for by user revenues as well, rather than general subsidies.371 Similarly, intercity buses are largely unsubsidized. Finally, there
is virtually no likelihood that HSR system surpluses will be available to finance system completion or expansion, simply because HSR profits
are likely to be miniscule or nonexistent. (See Part 9.)372 Thus, in addition to the likelihood that ridership and revenues will fall
short, that capital costs will be higher, that operating costs will be higher, that anticipated operating speeds are not likely to be achieved, CHSRA
lacks a viable financial plan. Moreover, there appears to be no short-term prospect that such funding will materialize, beyond the possible voter
approval of the $9 billion bond issue.
Historically
Chuck Devore, 20, 2-26-2020, "California’s High-Speed Rail Project: Devolving From Political
Pork, To An Ego Monument, To Trump Resistance," Forbes,
https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckdevore/2020/02/26/californias-high-speed-rail-projectdevolving-from-political-pork-to-an-ego-monument-to-trump-resistance/?sh=1929e3de820b 9-22022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
The narrow passage of a nearly $10 billion high speed rail plan in California marked a triumph of
pay-to-play ballot box corporate cronyism—otherwise known in politics as pork. Groups ranging from
train manufacturers to multinational construction companies to trade unions brought the
government train idea to the California Legislature back in the mid-1990s. Initially intended for the ballot in 2004,
the proposition was delayed and delayed again, as opinion polling showed the costly plan would get a chilly reception by the state’s voters. Only
in 2008, with Barack Obama as the Democratic nominee for president, did the liberal leadership in the California Legislature feel confident
enough to put the project on the ballot for the November election. It passed with 52.6% of the vote.
Proponents made some big
promises to get the voters to approve $9.95 billion in bonds (funny figure, that $9.95 billion, so close to $10
billion—no doubt focus group tested). In the official ballot pamphlet, supporters claimed that the, “…800-mile High-Speed Train network that
will relieve 70 million passenger trips a year that now clog California's highways and airports—WITHOUT RAISING TAXES… Electricpowered High-Speed Trains running up to 220 miles an hour… Travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco in about 2½ hours for about $50 a
person… Matching private and federal funding to be identified BEFORE state bond funds are spent... (And) 90% of the bond funds to be spent on
system construction, not more studies, plans, and engineering activities.” As
it turns out, none of these promises were
legally enforceable—which is good, because all of them turned out not to be true.
Thus
Matt Welch, 16, 6-28-2016, "The Political Class Knew California High-Speed Rail Was B.S.,
and Supported it Anyway," Reason, https://reason.com/2016/06/28/the-political-class-knewcalifornia-high/ 9-2-2022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
‘The more pessimistic view is that the project has turned into a boondoggle, the proverbial
“train to nowhere”, and no good can come of continuing to throw money at it. The Merced to Bakersfield stretch is projected to cost
more than $20bn – several billion dollars more than a previous projection made in 2019 and likely to grow only more expensive. It is also far
“It’s dreamland. It’s unrealistic. It
will never cover its own expenses from the farebox,” said Quentin Kopp, a retired former
legislator and judge who led the charge for an LA-San Francisco high speed line for two
decades, starting in the 1990s, but has now lost hope that it will ever see the light of day. “Who cares about going from Merced to
Bakersfield? I am appalled and angry over the bastardization of the promise to taxpayers … It’s a stupid waste of money. All this
is doing is making contractors and engineers and bureaucrats fat and happy.”
from clear who would ride on it since it largely duplicates an existing Amtrak rail route.
Second is through a Costly Catastrophe
SC, 17, 5-1-2017, "A Blueprint to Rebuild America’s Infrastructure," No Publication,
https://www.supplychain247.com/paper/a_blueprint_to_rebuild_americas_infrastructure/other 95-2022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
The Senate Democrats’ “Blueprint to Rebuild America’s Infrastructure” would make a
historic $1 trillion federal
investment to modernize our crumbling infrastructure and create more than 15 million
jobs that our economy desperately needs. By The Senate Democrats America’s physical
infrastructure is the backbone of our economy, impacting how we get to work and school,
how much groceries cost at the store, the size of our water and sewer bills, and so much
more. The availability and quality of infrastructure determines where companies locate and where jobs are created. In short,
Americans depend on our nation’s infrastructure every single day. Yet, despite its critical importance to
our lives and our economy, we have allowed our nation’s infrastructure to fall into a state of disrepair. Today, we spend less on infrastructure as
Every day, Americans get stuck
in traffic jams, drive on potholed roads, cross bridges in disrepair, and ride in overcrowded
subways. Far too many students attend school in buildings that are crumbling, and millions of
Americans lack access to high-speed internet. Local governments are stuck with the impossible
choice of allowing water and sewer systems to deteriorate further or raising local taxes. The
a percentage of GDP than at any time in the past twenty years, and the results are plain to see.
American Society of Civil Engineers says we must spend $1.6 trillion above current levels just to get our infrastructure to a state of good
Our deteriorating infrastructure already costs the economy close to $200 billion a year,
and if we do not make these needed investments now, they will simply cost us more later. Our
Blueprint will improve the daily lives of millions of American families by creating a 21st century
transportation network, rebuilding water systems and schools, making our electric system
stronger and our communities more resilient, and much more.
repair.
Our Blueprint will invest directly in communities because Democrats know that we can’t fix a problem of this magnitude simply by tolling more
highways or privatizing water and sewer system that profit on ratepayers. We will prioritize projects and communities all across the country. We
will have robust set-asides for small towns, rural communities, tribal lands, and underserved populations. At a time when our middle class is
struggling, wages are stagnating, and people are working longer hours just to get by, we will create 15 million new jobs. Moreover, these jobs
will be in sectors of the economy especially hard hit by the Great Recession and that have been slower to recover, like the construction
trades and manufacturing. And, these will be decent paying middle-class jobs that cannot be outsourced.
Current efforts are bearing fruit
Annie Grayer, Manu Raju and Clare Foran, Cnn, 21, 11-6-2021, "Congress passes $1.2 trillion
bipartisan infrastructure bill, delivering major win for Biden," CNN,
https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/05/politics/house-votes-infrastructure-build-backbetter/index.html 9-5-2022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
(CNN)Congress has passed a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, delivering on a major
pillar of President Joe Biden's domestic agenda after months of internal deliberations and painstaking divisions among Democrats. The final vote
was 228-206. Thirteen Republicans voted with the majority of Democrats in support of the bill, though six Democrats voted against it. The bill
now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law, following hours of delays and internal debating among Democrats on Friday, including
calls from Biden to persuade skeptical progressive members of the Democratic caucus. The legislation passed the Senate in August, but was
stalled in the House as Democrats tried to negotiate a deal on a separate $1.9 trillion economic package, another key component of Biden's
agenda that many Democrats had tied to the fate of the infrastructure bill. The legislation that passed Friday night will deliver $550 billion of new
federal investments in America's infrastructure over five years, including money for roads,
bridges, mass transit, rail, airports, ports and waterways. The package includes a $65 billion investment in
improving the nation's broadband infrastructure, and invests tens of billions of dollars in improving the electric
grid and water systems. Another $7.5 billion would go to building a nationwide network of plug-in electric vehicle chargers,
according to the bill text.
Thus
Kendra Tucker3, 22, 6-16-2022, "The infrastructure bill and the future of the freight
transportation industry," Fast Company, https://www.fastcompany.com/90759534/theinfrastructure-bill-and-the-future-of-the-freight-transportation-industry 9-2-2022 //BASIS
Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill in November, it sent ripples of hope and
speculation across the freight industry. Trucking associations and supply chain experts voiced strong support for what
improved highways, bridges, and roads will do for freight carriers, shippers, and brokers.
[...]
The passage of the infrastructure bill comes at a critical crossroads for the industry’s
future. Improvements to our nation’s roads and bridges are key to increasing the volume of freight
movements while reducing traffic congestion that costs the trucking industry an estimated $74.5 billion in lost operational costs
When President Joe Biden signed
every year, according to the American Transportation Research Institute. More than 1.7 million miles of roadways are in “poor or mediocre”
condition, which only exacerbates lost productivity and environmental impacts from CO2 emissions.
And
Mary Clare, 21, 11-6-2021, "Roads, transit, internet: What's in the infrastructure bill," AP
NEWS, https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-business-broadband-internet-congressd89d6bb1b39cd9c67ae9fc91f5eb4c0d 9-5-2022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
WASHINGTON (AP) — The
$1 trillion infrastructure plan that now goes to President Joe Biden to sign into law has
money for roads, bridges, ports, rail transit, safe water, the power grid, broadband internet
and more. The House passed the bipartisan plan Friday night and Biden said Saturday he will hold a signing ceremony when lawmakers
return from a week’s recess. The new law promises to reach almost every corner of the country. It’s a historic investment that the
president has compared to the building of the transcontinental railroad and Interstate Highway System. The White House is projecting that the
investments will add, on average, about 2 million jobs per year over the coming decade. ADVERTISEMENT The bill cleared the House on a
228-206 vote, ending weeks of intraparty negotiations in which liberal Democrats insisted the legislation be tied to a larger, $1.75 trillion social
spending bill — an effort to press more moderate Democrats to support both. The Senate passed the legislation on a 69-30 vote in August after
rare bipartisan negotiations, and the House kept that compromise intact. Thirteen House Republicans voted for the bill, giving Democrats more
than enough votes to overcome a handful of defections from progressives. Here’s a breakdown of the bill: ROADS AND BRIDGES The bill
would provide $110 billion to repair the nation’s aging highways, bridges and roads. According to the White
House, 173,000 total miles or nearly 280,000 kilometers of America’s highways and major roads and 45,000 bridges are in poor condition. And
the almost $40 billion for bridges is the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the national highway system,
according to the Biden administration. PUBLIC TRANSIT The $39 billion for public transit in the legislation would expand transportation
systems, improve accessibility for people with disabilities and provide dollars to state and local governments to buy zero-emission and lowemission buses. The Transportation Department estimates that the current repair backlog is more than 24,000 buses, 5,000 rail cars, 200 stations
and thousands of miles of track and power systems. PASSENGER AND FREIGHT RAIL To reduce
Amtrak’s maintenance
backlog, which has worsened since Superstorm Sandy nine years ago, the bill would provide $66 billion to improve the rail service’s
Northeast Corridor (457 miles, 735 km), as well as other routes. It’s less than the $80 billion Biden — who famously rode Amtrak from Delaware
to Washington during his time in the Senate — originally asked for, but it would be the largest federal investment in passenger rail service since
Amtrak was founded 50 years ago. ADVERTISEMENT ELECTRIC VEHICLES The bill would spend $7.5 billion for electric vehicle
charging stations, which the administration says are critical to accelerating the use of electric vehicles to curb climate change. It would also
provide $5 billion for the purchase of electric school buses and hybrids, reducing reliance on school buses that run on diesel fuel. INTERNET
ACCESS The legislation’s $65 billion for broadband access would aim to improve internet services for rural areas, lowincome families and tribal communities. Most of the money would be made available through grants to states. MODERNIZING THE
ELECTRIC GRID To protect against the power outages that have become more frequent in recent years, the bill would spend $65 billion to
improve the reliability and resiliency of the power grid. It would also boost carbon capture technologies and
more environmentally friendly electricity sources like clean hydrogen. AIRPORTS The bill would spend $25 billion to improve runways,
gates and taxiways at airports and to improve terminals. It would also improve aging air traffic control
towers. WATER AND WASTEWATER The legislation would spend $55 billion on water and wastewater infrastructure. It
has $15 billion to replace lead pipes and $10 billion to address water contamination from
polyfluoroalkyl substances — chemicals that were used in the production of Teflon and have also been used in firefighting foam,
water-repellent clothing and many other items.
This necessitates a tradeoff
David Schaper, 21, 3-3-2021, "Potholes, Grid Failures, Aging Tunnels And Bridges:
Infrastructure Gets A C-Minus," NPR.org, https://www.npr.org/2021/03/03/973054080/potholes-
grid-failures-aging-tunnels-and-bridges-nations-infrastructure-gets-a-c 9-5-2022 //BASIS
Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
Just in time for pothole season, the latest report card on the
nation's infrastructure shows that the needs are great but
funding is lacking. Many of the country's roads, bridges, airports, dams, levees and water
systems are aging and in poor to mediocre condition. And they're in need of a major federal
investment to keep from getting worse and to withstand the harsh effects of a changing
climate, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Further deterioration would be devastating
SC, 17, 5-1-2017, "A Blueprint to Rebuild America’s Infrastructure," No Publication,
https://www.supplychain247.com/paper/a_blueprint_to_rebuild_americas_infrastructure/other 95-2022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
The Senate Democrats’ “Blueprint to Rebuild America’s Infrastructure” would make a
historic $1 trillion federal
investment to modernize our crumbling infrastructure and create more than 15 million
jobs that our economy desperately needs. By The Senate Democrats America’s physical
infrastructure is the backbone of our economy, impacting how we get to work and school, how
much groceries cost at the store, the size of our water and sewer bills, and so much more. The availability and
quality of infrastructure determines where companies locate and where jobs are created. In short, Americans depend on our
nation’s infrastructure every single day. Yet, despite its critical importance to our lives
and our economy, we have allowed our nation’s infrastructure to fall into a state of
disrepair. Today, we spend less on infrastructure as a percentage of GDP than at any time
in the past twenty years, and the results are plain to see. Every day, Americans get stuck in
traffic jams, drive on potholed roads, cross bridges in disrepair, and ride in overcrowded
subways. Far too many students attend school in buildings that are crumbling, and millions of
Americans lack access to high-speed internet. Local governments are stuck with the
impossible choice of allowing water and sewer systems to deteriorate further or raising
local taxes. The American Society of Civil Engineers says we must spend $1.6 trillion above current levels
just to get our infrastructure to a state of good repair. Our deteriorating infrastructure
already costs the economy close to $200 billion a year, and if we do not make these needed
investments now, they will simply cost us more later. Our Blueprint will improve the daily lives
of millions of American families by creating a 21st century transportation network,
rebuilding water systems and schools, making our electric system stronger and our
communities more resilient, and much more. Our Blueprint will invest directly in communities because Democrats
know that we can’t fix a problem of this magnitude simply by tolling more highways or privatizing water and sewer system that profit on
ratepayers. We will prioritize projects and communities all across the country. We will have robust set-asides for small towns, rural
At a time when our middle class is struggling, wages
are stagnating, and people are working longer hours just to get by, we will create 15 million
new jobs. Moreover, these jobs will be in sectors of the economy especially hard hit by the Great Recession and that have been slower to
communities, tribal lands, and underserved populations.
recover, like the construction trades and manufacturing. And, these will be decent paying middle-class jobs that cannot be outsourced. Instead of
undermining American workers, we
will adhere to basic principles that should govern all federal
infrastructure spending: Buy America provisions to rebuild America with American
products Strong protections for working men and women, like Davis-Bacon prevailing
wages Strengthened participation of minority- and women-owned businesses Accelerated
project delivery while adhering to important environmental protections Lastly, our Blueprint is fiscally
responsible, closing tax loopholes used by corporations and super-wealthy individuals to offset associated costs.
Clarissa Hawes, 16, 11-9-2016, "U.S. Road Infrastructure Spending has a $740 Billion Backlog,"
Trucks, https://www.trucks.com/2016/11/09/infrastructure-spending-740-billion-backlog/ 9-52022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
The U.S. needs to devote $740 billion to infrastructure spending in order to fix a network of
deteriorating highways, roads and bridges, according to TRIP, a national transportation research group based in
Washington, D.C.. A study released by TRIP this week entitled, “Bumpy Roads Ahead: America’s Roughest Rides and Strategies to make our
Roads Smoother,” finds that “road
conditions could deteriorate even further in the future as the rate
of vehicle travel continues to increase and local and state government find they are unable
to adequately fund road repairs
Written By Emily Feenstra, 21, 3-31-2021, "America’s Aging Infrastructure Needs Our Support
— ALI Social Impact Review," ALI Social Impact Review,
https://www.sir.advancedleadership.harvard.edu/articles/americas-aging-infrastructure-needsour-support 9-5-2022 //BASIS Chandler Raiyan Choudhury
Since Franklin D. Roosevelt coined the phrase “first 100 days” in July of 1933 to draw attention to the level of impact his presidency had on the
American people early in his tenure, the 14 presidents to take office since his presidency have largely followed FDR’s lead, proposing bold,
transformative actions upon entering the White House. With the 100-day mark now behind him, it is clear President Joe Biden’s ambitions are no
less bold than his predecessors, calling on Congress to pass multi-trillion-dollar recovery packages that would restructure the economic and social
framework of America as the country rebounds from the impacts of COVID-19 on families and businesses. On March 31, 2021, President Biden
unveiled his long-awaited American Jobs Plan, a $2.25 trillion investment package which would allocate roughly $880 billion to “traditional”
physical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, transit and drinking water infrastructure over eight years as well dedicate funding to make
infrastructure in communities more resilient. On April 28, 2021, in his first address to Congress as president, President Biden touted the
American Jobs Plan as a means of driving massive job growth -- projecting 2.7 million new jobs as a result of the plan -- and economic activity to
“get America moving again” after 22 million jobs were lost due to the 2020 pandemic lockdowns. Dubbed “Amtrak Joe” for his support of
passenger rail, President Biden has long advocated for modernizing the built environment to facilitate job growth and better position the U.S. to
compete in the global marketplace, highlighting infrastructure as a priority both on the campaign trail and as one of his first priorities in the Oval
our nation’s many infrastructure networks -- from the electric grid to
transit systems to drinking water pipes and port facilities -- have been underfunded and
gradually deteriorating for decades. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has been issuing Infrastructure Report
Office. It is no secret that
Cards, which assess the condition and future needs of our nation’s infrastructure systems, every four years since 1998 in an effort to shed light on
what is normally an “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” issue for most Americans. In the recent 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, America
received a score of ‘C-‘, the highest score ASCE has given since the Report Card began over 20 years ago but still a far cry from where the U.S.
should stand. While the cumulative grade improved from the ‘D+’ given in 2017, 11 of the 17 categories of infrastructure assessed were still
given grades in the ‘D’ range. Across the 17 categories, there is a
mounting deferred maintenance backlog and
there are some assets such as dams and levees where the nation is still taking inventory of
location and condition. For example, there are an estimated 10,000 miles of levees -earthen embankments that hold back water and protect communities -- that are not yet
even catalogued in the National Levee Database. Tragedies such as the levee breaches during
Hurricane Katrina show a stark example of what can happen when these assets are not
closely monitored. ASCE’s grades are determined by eight key criteria, which are: capacity, condition, funding, future need,
innovation, operations & maintenance, public safety, and resilience. Over 30 senior professional civil engineers from among ASCE’s
membership form a committee that spends one year pouring through federal government data, talking to industry groups, and analyzing
nationwide trends to determine the grades based on those criteria. Each infrastructure category is also accompanied by detailed policy
The correlation between a thriving economy and well-maintained
infrastructure networks has been well-documented in the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Failure to Act
economic report series. Conversely, failing to allocate the necessary resources to ensure our
infrastructure networks are safe and reliable has a cascading negative impact on the U.S.
economy. According to the most recent Failure to Act study released in 2020, the U.S. is expected to underinvest in
its infrastructure systems by $2.59 trillion by 2029 and more than $5.6 trillion by 2039. By continuing current
under-investment trends, the U.S. GDP will lose more than $10.3 trillion by 2039, including $2.4
trillion in exports, Americans will lose a collective $9 trillion in disposable income, and there will be 3 million fewer
recommendations to raise those grades.
jobs.
American businesses and workers will feel the effects. Over the next 20 years, each American household will spend an additional
$3,300 per year due to infrastructure deficiencies like hitting a pothole, lost productivity from sitting in traffic on congested, inefficient road
networks, power outages, and water main breaks. That equates to nearly $63,000 in additional expenditures for each American household over 20
years.