In a recent statement, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) applauded the bipartisan group of Senators for coming to an agreement on an infrastructure package, continuing the long tradition of bipartisanship regarding infrastructure investment.
According to an ASCE release, “American voters want Congress to move forward with this plan that will keep roads, bridges, and our drinking water safe, bolster the economy, and help ensure communities are resilient. Our nation’s households don’t have time to wait while they continue to lose $3,300 a year due to unreliable, aging infrastructure. Businesses know that our nation’s infrastructure needs immediate attention if we are to remain competitive in the global marketplace.”
The agreed-upon $550 billion in new spending extends beyond transportation and will make a significant impact on improving almost all of the categories featured in ASCE’s 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, which assigned the nation’s systems a disappointing grade of C-. This proposal will remove dangerous lead service water lines in many communities, safeguard critical assets against severe weather trends, modernize aging transit fleets, and fix structurally deficient bridges.