Infrastructure Emergency

18 February 2010 - 5:00am

Bob Herbert asks, 'What's wrong with us?' in this editorial on America's crumbling infrastructure and the uphill battle to get it fixed.

The editorial focuses on Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania's fight for greater investment in infrastructure, from water mains to bridges.

Herbert writes, "Competitors are leaving us behind when it comes to infrastructure investment. China is building a network of 42 high-speed rail lines, while the U.S. has yet to build its first. Other nations are well ahead of us in the deployment of broadband service and green energy technology. We spend scandalous amounts of time sitting in traffic jams or enduring the endless horrors of airline travel. Low-cost, high-speed Internet access is a science-fiction fantasy in many parts of the United States.

What’s wrong with us?"

Source: The New York Times, February 17, 2010
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Beyond Brasilia is a Herculean compilation of historical and contemporary examples of the ways planning and politics have shaped major urban areas.