Public rail and road networks play a significant role in supporting economic development and transforming citizens’ lives. In the United States, the relevant agencies and departments continue to ignore the realities associated with the nation’s aging infrastructure system. This paper relies on the information presented in the video “The Race to Rebuild America’s Infrastructure” to analyze the issues surrounding this problem. It also provides evidence-based strategies for addressing the challenge and meeting citizens’ needs.
Personal Thoughts
The present situation is quite disappointing since the agencies supposed to review and rebuild this country’s infrastructure have failed to act swiftly. This delay has triggered numerous threats, such as increased costs of maintenance, reduced security, and health risks. Members of the community will eventually be unable to achieve their economic gains and lead poor lives (American Society of Civil Engineers, 2017). I think that the issue requires the coordination and involvement of all the relevant stakeholders to prioritize specific areas, offer timely decisions, and allocate adequate funds to support the delivery of positive results. The involved stakeholders need to examine all emerging problems and repair the country’s infrastructure systems to continue sustaining economic development.
Possible Consequences
The deteriorating American public infrastructure system is capable of triggering various consequences that have the potential to affect the lives of many citizens. For instance, bridges and roads in poor conditions damage tires and moving parts, thereby increasing repair costs. Individuals will take longer to travel from point A to B while using more funds to meet their gas needs (Mills, 2012). Damaged roads will increase the risk for accidents and make it harder for emergency responders to achieve their aims. Dilapidated infrastructure systems will also affect access to electricity, transportation services, and water. The end result is that more people will be compelled to pay increased costs for most of the available utilities (American Society of Civil Engineers, 2017). The government, citizens, and other agencies will incur additional expenses for vehicle repairs and living standards. Finally, the country will be unable to coordinate most of the initiatives intended to promote the level of security.
Actions to Address the Issue
The problem of financial resources explains the government has taken long to construct and improve the United States’ public infrastructure. A new strategy is needed to allow different agencies and stakeholders to cooperate and deliver new systems that can meet the demands of the greatest majority. Due to the financial challenges involved, the relevant departments can identify appropriate sources of resources, such as lenders and investors (American Society of Civil Engineers, 2017). Such partners will offer the required capital investment and allow the agencies to repay within the stipulated period. Financial institutions, corporations, and private citizens are capable of providing such support to change the situation. Bonds issuers and capital market funders can ensure that positive results are recorded without increasing the country’s domestic debt above the 20 percent mark (Lee et al., 2013). The government will then oversee the construction of advanced infrastructure systems to support the social and economic goals of more citizens for the next five decades.
Conclusion
The above discussion has indicated that the American public infrastructure system is deteriorating. This predicament exposes many people to a wide range of problems, including poor health outcomes, safety concerns, security issues, and elevated repair costs. The consideration of effective actions will address this problem and make it easier for more people to lead high-quality lives.
References
American Society of Civil Engineers. (2017).2017: Infrastructure report card: A comprehensive assessment of America’s infrastructure (PDF document). Web.
Lee, R. D., Johnson, R. W., Joyce, P. G. (2013). Public budgeting systems (9th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Mills, A. (2012). The race to rebuild America’s infrastructure [Video]. Web.