Nation’s
Civil Engineers Call for Support of Infrastructure Investments from All Levels,
All Sides
Statement attributable to Kathy J. Caldwell,
P.E., president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE):
"As
we approach President Obama’s State of the Union address tonight there is one
thing that all Americans must remember: While it may be difficult to talk about
such high-price priorities when families are still struggling, the cost that each
and every one of us will face if we fail to invest in the nation’s
infrastructure will be even more painful.
Infrastructure
spending, no matter what form it takes, is an investment in our future
prosperity, both economically and socially. The gridlock, broken water mains
and delayed flights that come from failing infrastructure have a negative
impact on the checkbook and quality of life of each and every American. However,
investing in those same systems will create jobs and support our economy—something
our grandparents and great-grandparents recognized decades ago when faced with
similar challenges.
Infrastructure is not a partisan issue; it’s an
American issue, and as a nation, we have to start demanding that it be treated
as such. Our future, and our children’s futures, depend on it."