Home WebMail Saturday, November 2, 2024, 07:33 AM | Calgary | -3.8°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
Posted: 2017-03-09T17:09:21Z | Updated: 2017-03-09T18:57:58Z

WASHINGTON The American Society of Civil Engineers has once again given the nations aging infrastructure a near-failing grade: D+.

Every four years, the oldest national engineering society in the U.S. assesses the state of 16 major infrastructure categories, including roads, bridges and waterways. In its 2017 infrastructure report card , released Thursday, the countrys overall grade remained unchanged from the last assessment in 2013. ASCE further estimated that the U.S. needs to invest $4.59 trillion in its infrastructure by 2025.

The report comes one day after President Donald Trump held a meeting with business leaders at the White House, including Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk and several major real estate developers. Vice President Mike Pence , Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt also attended.

The gathering suggests the administration is seeking input from the business community as it devises its promised infrastructure plan. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Wednesday that strong public-private partnerships would be key to upgrading the nations crumbling roads and bridges. But you can only do so much with private funding, as Chao acknowledged in a meeting with the nations governors in February.

Last month, Trump asked a joint session of Congress to approve $1 trillion in infrastructure investment to create a new program of national rebuilding. Its unclear, however, how much of the proposed program will consist of real federal dollars for transportation projects versus simply tax credits.

At an event ASCE hosted Thursday in Washington, D.C., Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) noted that Republicans had little appetite for additional spending on infrastructure improvements during former President Barack Obama s administration.

I hope Republicans in Congress treat a Republican president better on infrastructure if he comes forward with a plan, Malloy said. If they dont get it done when you have Republican Congress and a Republican president, then were really in tough shape.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

The crowded congressional calendar threatens to derail progress on infrastructure, however. With debate over Obamacare repeal, tax reform, the debt ceiling and a Supreme Court confirmation on the immediate horizon, its hard to see how the administration will deliver on its infrastructure promise this year.

My fear is we wont see what the presidents asking for ... because its just not as sexy and popular as it once was, Malloy said.

Correction: This ASCE estimated the country would need to invest $4.59 trillion in its infrastructure by 2025, not $3.6 trillion by 2020 as originally stated.