Friday Funny: Crumbling Infrastructure Likely Means 'Something'

This article from The Onion looks back at the infrastructure problems that defined 2007, asking what they signify for the country.

1 minute read

December 21, 2007, 2:00 PM PST

By Nate Berg


"The tragic Minneapolis bridge collapse that left 13 dead this August brought national attention to the country's crumbling infrastructure, forcing many to question whether the nation's rapidly deteriorating roads, contaminated drinking water and groundwater, and run-down schools could perhaps be a metaphor for something."

"'Everywhere you turn you see improperly maintained railways, structurally deficient bridges-not to mention billions of gallons of untreated sewage flowing directly into our groundwater,' said Adam Perry, a representative for the ASCE. 'Is there an underlying message here? There are so many layers, and each one is so subtle and nuanced, that I'm hesitant to make any kind of blanket statement about what this means 'for America.''"

"With more than 350,000 contaminated industrial sites requiring cleanup and more than 50 percent of the nation's inland commercial waterways unusable, the ASCE and Congress launched a joint initiative last March to determine if the dilapidated infrastructure is a metaphor for some bigger, unknown issue or, alternatively, an allegory of something possibly having to do with the future or the nature of Fate."

Thursday, December 20, 2007 in The Onion

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

September 16, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

Overlapping highways

The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin

People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.

September 8, 2026 - Benjamin Schneider

Geese flock to a frozen pond in Aurora, Colorado. There are houses in the background.

Colorado’s Largest Data Center Could Rise Next to Homes — Without a Public Hearing

The proposed campus would consume 11 times the power of Denver International Airport; as it has across the country, opposition mounts.

September 17, 2026 - Capital & Main

The Gross Reservoir, a large body of water surrounded by trees and mountains.

Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion

Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.

15 minutes ago - Inside Climate News

Passengers board an Amtrak train under a cloudy sky.

Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement

The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.

1 hour ago - Mass Transit

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh delivers remarks at his swearing-in ceremony in the East Room of the White House.

Raised interest rates may kill financially vulnerable construction projects

The chief economist at ConstructConnect warns that if construction project owners are negatively impacted by the raised rates, it could result in delayed payments to contractors.

2 hours ago - Construction Dive

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.