91视频

By Nate Beck
91视频 Newswire

A report released Tuesday from the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that America’s inadequate infrastructure could聽cause a $23 trillion decline in business productivity over the next two decades if it’s not addressed.

ASCE finds that a continued lack of investment in infrastructure would lead to a series of costs for U.S. households and a variety of industries. The trade group estimates that 11 infrastructure areas 鈥� including highways, bridges, water infrastructure and others 鈥� would need a nearly $13 trillion investment between now and 2039. Planned investments in those infrastructure sources currently total $7.3 trillion, leaving a $5.6 trillion gap over the next 20 years.

鈥淎merica’s infrastructure bill is overdue, and we have been ignoring it for years,鈥� said Tom Smith, ASCE executive director. 鈥淭here’s no better way to jumpstart the economy while also lessening the financial burden on businesses and families, than by making a down payment on our infrastructure now 鈥� transit systems, bridges, water treatment plants and the grid 鈥� to ensure these systems are sustainable, resilient and safe for communities across the nation.”

ASCE’s report finds that America’s infrastructure spending gap has grown since the trade group’s last such report in 2016.聽The investment gap for surface transportation investment increased since 2016 from $1.1 trillion over 10 years to $1.2 trillion over 10 years.

The trade group calls for spending an additional $281 billion a year on infrastructure to close the gap and head off economic damage of continued disinvestment.

鈥淥nce again, the American Society of Civil Engineers has demonstrated, in stark detail, the high price Americans pay for failing infrastructure,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, in a statement. “The cost of inaction is too great for Congress to sit idly. I look forward to working with ASCE, President-elect Biden and Secretary Buttigieg to finally get the job done and rebuild and renew America.”