INFRASTRUCTURE
INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE US is widely regarded as being in poor shape and despite an economic rebound of sorts , seen in jobs growth , home sales and rising GDP , investment has lagged behind that of other nations .
According to the World Economics Forum ’ s Global Competitiveness report 2013-2014 , America ranks 19th , behind the likes of Spain , Portugal and Oman in the quality of its infrastructure .
The latest annual report card from the American Society for Civil Engineers ( ASCE ), 2013 , scored the US a D +, up from the D of the previous year , but reiterating that the nation ’ s roads , bridges , drinking water systems , mass transit systems , schools , and energy delivery systems are all edging towards becoming unfit for purpose . Focusing on transport , much of the American highways system dates back to the 1950s and ‘ 60s , and in many places it shows .
ACSE claimed in its ‘ Failure to Act ’ report that without investment , shortcomings in surface transportation would cost the average household $ 930 dollars in disposable income through 2020 .
The Report Card concluded that only about $ 2 trillion in infrastructure investment is projected until 2020 across all sectors , a shortfall of $ 1.6 trillion that is required to raise the grade to what it deems an acceptable level .
But with states still struggling in
10 October 2014