ASCE's 2005 Report Card for America's Infrastructure assessed the condition and capacity of our nation's public works with an overall grade of D. ASCE estimates that $1.6 trillion is needed over a five-year period to bring the nation's infrastructure to good condition. While long term solutions are needed, in the short term, small steps can be taken by the 110th Congress to improve our nation's failing infrastructure.

The Cost The estimated total need of $1.6 trillion in federal, state and local funds is not all new money. Much of it is already allocated in existing budgets. However, existing funds have been repeatedly raided to pay for other programs. We estimate that approximately one-third of the total current investment needed will be new funding. It is also important to remember that the $1.6 trillion does not account for future population growth. Case studies of failing and improving infrastructure San Francisco Bay Area: Congestion on the Bay Area roads costs the average individual commuter 60 hours in wasted time each year and a combined cost to the economy of nearly $7.4 billion according to the Texas Transportation Institute. Fernley, Nevada: January 2008, following heavy rains and damage from burrowing animals, an irrigation canal's levee failed and flooded over 300 homes. Rhode Island: The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics estimates that 53% of Rhode Island's bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, the highest rate in the nation. Washington, DC: Still in its construction phase, the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge is the centerpiece of efforts to ease congestion on the Capital Beltway between Maryland and Virginia. Charlotte, North Carolina: As part of a plan to reinvigorate business, mitigate traffic congestion, and create a more walkable city center, Charlotte this year began light rail service. Illinois: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Illinois needs $13.4 billion in clean water investment. California: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced in February 2008 a $211 million investment in critical levee improvement. ASCE's 2006 Report Card for California's Infrastructure gave the state's levees a grade of "F".

The Action Plan So Far? Over the last year, Congress has worked to achieve the goals set by the Infrastructure Action Plan. Among the completed successes, SAFETEA-LU funding guarantees Small Watershed Dam funding Water Resources Development Act were all completed, Still in process the National Infrastructure Improvement Act, FAA Reauthorization, The Water Quality Financing Act and the Dam Rehabilitation and Repair Act saw some action. These successes are admirable and represent significant improvements to our nation's infrastructure, but a great deal of work remains. Use this updated Infrastructure Action Plan as a status report and a checklist for this year's work. Action Steps National Infrastructure The House must enact the National Infrastructure Improvement Act to establish the National Commission on Infrastructure of the United States. Additionally, Congress must enact the National Infrastructure Bank Act to finance infrastructure projects. The Commission would study the present condition of the nation's various infrastructure systems and report to Congress by 2009 on the capacity of our infrastructure to support the national economy, the age of the systems and possible methods to finance improvements. The National Infrastructure Bank Act would establish an independent entity of the federal government to provide funding for qualified infrastructure projects. Aviation Congress must reauthorize funding for the Airport and Airway Trust Fund and enact an increase in user fees as necessary for continued funding of the Airport Improvement Program. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems estimates that over the next five years (2005-2009) $39.5 billion will be needed to meet the infrastructure demands of all segments of civil aviation. The FAA estimates that commercial airlines will carry a billion passengers annually within ten years. More immediately, in 2007 inadequate infrastructure contributed to record delays and cancellations. The current funding authority has been extended, but with the projected increase in passenger traffic, airports are at risk for seasonal and peak-period delays. Bridges, Roads & Transit Congress must fully fund surface transportation programs authorized under SAFETEA-LU. Congress must use all funds that accumulate in the Highway Trust Fund to invest in the nation's surface transportation program and fix the shortfall in the Trust Fund. Congress must enact the National Highway System Bridge Reconstruction Initiative to repair and replace aging bridges. Poor road conditions cost U.S. motorists $67 billion a year in repairs and operating costs – $333 per motorist. Americans spend 4.2 billion hours a year stuck in traffic, at a cost of $78.2 billion a year to the economy. At the same time, transit ridership has grown at a faster pace than highway use. Total federal spending of approximately $60 billion annually is well below the $155.5 billion needed annually to improve surface transportation infrastructure conditions nationally. Between 2003 and 2007, the percentage of the nation's 599,893 bridges rated structurally deficient or functionally obsolete decreased slightly from 27.1% to 25.59%. Brownfields Congress must reauthorize the Brownfields Revitalization and Environmental Restoration Act of 2002 in order to provide continued federal funding for the redevelopment of brownfields sites. According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, 172 cities estimated that they collectively have more than 23,810 brownfields sites, with the average size of a brownfield site being between five and 15 acres. Also, 158 cities collectively estimated that their brownfield properties comprised 96,039 acres of land, representing potential new jobs and land tax revenue. Dams & Levees The Senate must enact the Dam Rehabilitation and Repair Act to address the most critical non-federal public dams. Congress must enact a national levee safety program, including a nationwide inventory of levees and mandatory inspection requirements. State dam safety officials estimate that $10 billion is needed to repair the most critical dams over the next 12 years. Also, state dam safety programs have identified more than 3,300 unsafe or deficient dams, many of which are susceptible to large flood events or earthquakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported in early 2007 that nearly 150 U.S. levees pose an unacceptable risk of failing in a major flood, mainly due to poor maintenance. The nation cannot afford to wait for another flooding catastrophe like the one that followed Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Drinking Water & Wastewater Congress must enact the Water Quality Financing Act of 2007 to provide vitally needed federal aid through the State Revolving Loan Fund (CWSRF) program. Congress must authorize $1 billion in annual funding for the Safe Drinking Water Act State Revolving Loan Fund (DWSRF). The EPA estimates that nearly $1 trillion is needed in critical drinking water and wastewater investments over the next two decades. At risk are the gains that have been made in cleaning up the nation's rivers, lakes, and streams since the enactment of the Clean Water Act in 1972. Inland Waterways Congress must enact a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that requires a more comprehensive approach to water resources projects constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Congress must ensure the integrity of the Inland Waterways Trust Fund. Of the 257 locks on the more than 12,000 miles of inland waterways operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, nearly 50 percent are functionally obsolete. By 2020, that number will increase to 80 percent. The cost to replace the present system of locks is more than $125 billion.