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Christina Swallow, the current national president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, speaks for many of us when she points out that the nation’s infrastructure is no laughing matter. Moreover, she credits the current administration’s 55-page infrastructure plan as the most detailed plan to come out of a White House in the modern era.

She points out that our national government has done little more than find chump change under couch cushions to fund one of the most pressing needs of this country. Swallow states the obvious, which has often been the subject of this column — that each of us, especially those engineers most familiar with infrastructure, needs to be engaged in the political process. If we do not contact our congressional delegations and make our voices felt and heard, nothing will change. The seat cushions will continue to be turned over for nickels and dimes.

What Swallow suggests takes many engineers out of their comfort zones. They have to look up from their computers and calculations. They need to influence people who may disagree with them – and oftentimes not in pleasant terms. If Oregon’s industry and infrastructure experts fail to do so, Oregon will continue to be behind the eight ball. Oregon’s economy is diverse, including substantial investments in high tech and other non-infrastructure industries. Just as we rely on computer engineers to produce and advocate for strong IT systems to expand our span of control, infrastructure experts must encourage and speak out to all Oregonians on this very important subject.

Earlier this month the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $1.5 billion in grants for road- and freight-related improvements. Noticeably absent in that award are any projects in Oregon. Despite an impressive economic gain and a substantial increase in population, no projects in Oregon were deemed worthy of this grant. Several states had two winners. Perhaps if our congressional delegation, the Wyden-Wheeler-Blumenauer-Merkley cabal, would spend more time representing Oregon’s needs instead of serving as mouthpieces for the opposition party, more of these sorely needed federal dollars would come to Oregon. Whatever one thinks of the current president (who may indeed be an incorrigible rascal), the reality is that politics plays a role in these awards. To ignore this influence places Oregon at a substantial disadvantage. Oregonians and their Legislature have stepped up significantly to locally finance infrastructure. By not bringing in federal dollars, our delegates are not performing the duties in Washington that they were elected for.

AGC, ABC, ASCE, SAME, SMPS, ASME, SEO, AMA, AIA, ACEC, ASHRAE, ITE, APA, NSPE, AACE, AAPE, CMAA, AOC, OACE, APWA, ASLA, PMI, NUCA, OPA … the number of professional societies related only to construction is staggering. They have a broad range and are an untapped resource for a variety of different groups. Professional societies provide an opportunity to stay up to date on the latest, and share ideas and connections. The sharing of these ideas and connections within the profession has always been a big draw for membership. The ability to exchange technical and professional information as well as get to know key players in various industries have always been significant functions. What is less utilized is the availability for those outside the specific professions to use these professional organizations as sources of information in areas other than their own. In the development of public policy, for example, professional organizations have a significant role to play. Being a well of expertise in specific areas, they can provide a depth of information based on both the latest research and and the daily challenges in the exercise of their profession.

The infrastructure issue is too important to leave solely to government entities. All of those in the infrastructure-dependent industries are members of associations and organizations that speak for industry groups. While individual voices need to be raised, much more can be accomplished when people act collectively as members of industry associations and professional groups. While professional association meetings that focus on strictly technical matters usually have substantial attendance, meeting dealing with more general issues such as the politics of infrastructure come in light on attendance. The last engineers’ professional meetings that invited Oregon Department of Transportation Director Matt Garrett, and Roger Millar, the Washington State Department of Transportation director, had barely 30 attendees between the two sessions. And yet, between them, these two directors control billions of dollars and thousands of employees.

Differences can be felt and made, but energy must be expended and time spent. It’s time to look up from the video screens, step up and lean in.

Christian Steinbrecher is president of Ukiah Engineering. He is the author of ASCE Oregon’s report card on Oregon’s infrastructure and a past recipient of ASCE Oregon’s Engineer of the Year award. Contact him at 503-297-4827 or [email protected].