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The 10 pieces of U.S. infrastructure we must fix now

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Popular Mechanics - No one can predict what bridge, levee or water main will fail next. But some problems are widely known, and work is long overdue. As PM's new special report makes blatantly clear, we need to begin rebuilding the nation's infrastructure somewhere. Here are 10 great places to start.

Have a local infrastructure crisis that needs fixing? Discuss how to rebuild your town in the comments section below ...
Chique

27 responses // The 10 pieces of U.S. infrastructure we must fix now

  • Who else thinks the New Orleans levees should be #1? I mean, yes, Chicago traffic is rough and wastes time...that doesn't result in anyone dying (I guess maybe if an ambulance can't get through fast enough...but you get my point).
    Tori
  • Gosh Tori, you mean they haven't gotten around to that yet? ;-)
    Chique
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Water_Tunnel...
    They got it wrong with New York. It's not the Brooklyn Bridge, it's Water Tunnel #1.
    jpfdeuce
  • There are many many more that need to be added to the list, but it's a good start.
    mikeygleason
  • watch this comment being used here, here, here, here, here, and here
    Transportation definitely needs to be more of a priority. Every city should have efficient trams, trains, buses, car shares, etc. Sustainable public transit will be one of the most important steps towards improving our society and reducing our reliability on oil.
    Mel0dy
  • http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/US/Politics/Congress/US_S...
    Tori:

    New Orleans levees had been rebuilt to Category 3 Hurricane protection. I have photographed them. Congress passed WRDA last year overriding Bush's veto in a surprising show of unity.

    "Among the biggest projects authorized in the giant bill is $1.9 billion for coastal restoration projects in Louisiana and $886 million for a 72-mile system of levees and floodwalls to shield Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes from Gulf of Mexico storms.

    The bill also authorizes $100 million for hurricane protection in Jean Lafitte and elsewhere in lower Jefferson Parish, $85 million for a loan fund to help private facilities move as a result of the planned closure of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet and $75 million for relocation assistance for public facilities affected by the closure."

    People campaigned very hard for this bill. However, I doubt improvements to the levees will be complete by this summer, but fortunately the La Nina effect may keep things dry down here.
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    BlueDotProdux
  • In Detroit, huge chunks of concrete were falling from overpasses and they're finally fixing some of it, but too little too late.

    I wonder how many bridges, tunnels and highways would have been repaired with the money being spent on the war?
    patsarts
  • In Tampa the underground drainage pipes and water pipes are so old and made from ceramic/concrete that they often disintegrate and wash out huge pot holes in the middle of the streets. All we do is fix them as they happen with no long term plans to replace the failing system probably because no one budgeted for maintaining the infrastructure because a new football stadium was a bigger priority.
    Chique
  • The San Joaquin/Sacramento River Delta levee system is in desperate need of fixing. As the entire State get's 2/3's of it's water from The Delta and it also irrigates over 4 million acres of farm land, which is where most of America gets it's produce. If these levee's were to break it would be twice as catastrophic as Katrina. Search for my short doc in the SilverDoc Film Fest and the Sacramento Film Festival called The Break. You just might learn something.
    Rojofilms
  • Everything falling to pieces sure changes a persons perspective about bridges that look shabby. Silly me I always thought they "Had" to be safe. We really do need a huge public works project and while we are at it we should build America's fast rail system so our environment doesn't crumble.
    Marilynn_Murray
  • What needs to be fixed first, is we need to figure out a way to keep no-cons from taking over our government for 8 years, which is what makes our infrastructure so far out of maintenance.
    cadsuch
  • The world is crumbling to pieces, and I'm still laughing at how Vicki pronounces things. I thought "friggin" was funniest...until I heard her say "etc."
    24French
  • Once you watch engineering mishaps on the history channel you will never be able to drive over another bridge or be in another high rise again. WTF, I thought engineers were supposed to know everything!? Goes to show we put too much faith in the gov't by assuming that we are safe in every situation.
    tollster
  • Why is O'Hare on this list, it seems like this article is trying to draw attention to neglected infrastructure. O'Hare is undergoing an expansion plan.
    xunzx
  • Good point xunzx! Why add to the already crowded sky of Chicago .Unless its the Airtraffic control tower. Please fix it. Signed: Under an approach vector.
    ohplease
  • Most of these need to be fixed asap. I can't believe O'Hare is on that list, I would have never know that. Haha, I guess it's a good thing I use Midway instead.
    primarybelief
  • Besides all the issues of infrastructure, what about transportation noise? I am just putting it here as a reminder to everyone that the Reagan Administration threw many individuals in an acoustic darkness by cutting the budget of the Federal Gov. that used to regulate acoustic issues.
    stopnoise
  • Darn it Rage. I should have thought of that. Foreign ownership of our infrastructure is something that enrages me. You are absolutely right.
    Marilynn_Murray
  • I find ifin I giu da foil ta ma heead rail tight i gets a bedder cunnxchion
    ohplease
  • Good catch agent 96 ( get it maxwell smart sidekick with brains agent 99) never mind we should make them pay for they're own damn repairs. Thankyou again for pointing that out.
    ohplease
  • This is why you all should have voted for Joe Biden! He made infrastructure a key point in his campaign =)

    Vice-President Biden sound good to anyone else?
    ScottHolzman
  • Does anyone notice that we seem to have all the money to repair everyone else's messes in their countries but we are slowly falling apart! But then again, we broke alot of those countries as well so I believe what Colin Powell said before going in to this war, we break it, we buy it! And now we have no money for stuff!
    christina71
  • lets just send all the other countries a bill witha past due notice for all the other things we have corrected when the rest of the world wanted to be our friends(lips stuck right to our butts).
    ohplease
  • You said it perfectly!!!
    I guess we can't buy our friends!
    christina71
  • Back in the day, when the economy was tanking, the government would start massive public works projects. Organizations formed by FDR's New Deal changed America, employed thousands, and helped level out America's biggest "rough patch".

    By employing in the face of rampant unemployment, the government not only helped to build our nation, but also provided money to the people.

    Now we just get crazed consumerism. O good. I bet that will work.
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    jpoRS
  • Ain't that so. How did we get here, now it's I need a new BMW,MERCEDES,my kids need designer clothes,nose jobs, and boobs. Lets go in debt and spend the rest of our lifes paying ti off.Does anyone remeber what happened in Japan if they bought a home hopefully you had kids so they could take over the payments when you die. Hey its a small island it has just so much space, whats our excuse for the insane prices we pay for housing. Sorry ! Rambling now! Sleep time.
    ohplease
  • Yeah your right christina71 buying friends dont work! Well not for long term frienships anyway.
    ohplease

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