Even Roman Roads Don’t Last Forever From the beginning of time, a good indicator of a society's level of development has been how efficient its road system is. While many ancient civilizations built roads, the Romans were renowned for their engineering skills including the construction of roads, bridges, aque- ducts, and more. The Romans needed to build efficient and durable roads to transport goods and people throughout their empire. Maintain- ing the road networks was a priority for the Romans and the govern- ment was responsible for funding maintenance and repairs of public roads. And although the road network gradually disappeared after the fall of the Roman Empire, it became the basis for infrastructure cor- ridors throughout Europe and the Middle East. Highway System Transforms U.S., Spurs Mobility, and In- creases Commerce As in ancient Rome, the U.S. requires a safe, reliable, and durable road network to efficiently move people and goods to their desired destina - tions. And from the day President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, the Interstate System has been an integral part of our life. While created in part to help defend the nation in the event of an emergency, the interstate highway has also spurred and speeded the development of commerce throughout the country with trucks transporting everything from durable goods and mail to fresh produce. It is part of the National Highway System (NHS), a network of strategic highways including other roads that comprise the largest highway system in the world. Investment in America’s infrastructure is long overdue With the Interstate Highway now over 60 years old and many other roads and bridges even older, investment in America’s infrastructure is long overdue. Without safe roads and bridges, commerce and business are impacted as is the quality of life for U.S. citizens. The World Economic Forum now ranks the United States 13th when it comes to the overall quality of infrastructure. And, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2021 Report Card , more than 45,000 U.S. bridges and 1 in 5 miles of roads are in poor condi - tion. Of the more than 617,000 bridges across the United States, 42 percent are at least 50 years old, and 46,154, or 7.5 percent of the na - tion’s bridges, are considered structurally deficient, meaning they are in “poor” condition. In fact, the American Society of Civil Engineers gives bridges a "C" grade. While structurally deficient bridges are not inherently unsafe, they require substantial investment in the form of replacement or significant rehabilitation, and they present a higher risk for future closure or weight restrictions. Roads and Bridges: Digital Delivery For a Safe, Durable and Reliable Future
Roadways in Distress America’s roads are critical for moving an ever-increasing number of people and goods. Unfortunately, the growing wear and tear to our na- tion’s roads has left 43 percent of our public roadways in poor or medi- ocre condition, garnering a D grade from ASCE. The growing backlog of road rehabilitation in the U.S. has resulted in motorists paying over $1,000 each year in wasted time and fuel. Additionally, while traffic fatalities have been declining, there are still more than 36,000 people who die on the nation’s roads every year, and the number of pedestrian fatalities is on the rise. To make our roads safer, federal, state, and local governments need to prioritize strategic investments dedicated to improving and preserving roadway conditions that increase public safety on the system we have in place, as well as plan for the construc- tion of new roadways. Challenges and Opportunities The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was established to provide funding mechanisms to enable state DOTs and their partners to invest in our roads and bridges. And the historic Bridge Replacement, Rehabilitation, Preservation, Protection, and Construction Program (Bridge Formula Program), will allow states to fix an estimated 15,000 bridges nationwide. But there are challenges in addition to obtaining funding that impacts the construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of our road and bridge infrastructure. Once that funding becomes available, DOTs and their partners may face staffing challenges as they plan and design infrastructure projects. In addition to a competitive job market for engineers, the retirement of experienced personnel sometimes called the “silver tsunami,” could leave DOTs and their partners without ex - perienced engineers and the knowledge base needed to expeditiously produce project designs and get them out to bid. It will be important to proactively shape the future transportation workforce, providing resources to fill skills gaps, recruiting future workers and providing the tools and technology to get the work done. Investment in the Future It is important to invest in the future through programs that encourage younger generations to pursue careers in the transportation industry. For example, the American Association of State Highway and Transporta - tion Officials’ (AASHTO) TRAC & RIDES program is also part of their effort to address transportation workforce issues, and it is designed to
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csengineermag.com
August 2022
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