News Releases
AAES
Endorses ASCE's Progress Report and Urges
Congress to Devote More Resources to Upgrade Nation's
Critical Infrastructures
Contact: Allison Salyer
Te: 202-296-2237, ext. 14
Email: asalyer@aaes.org
[WASHINGTON, DC [September 4, 2003] - The American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES) announced today its endorsement of the 2003 American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) Progress Report for America's Infrastructure. The report examines the progress made in 12 key infrastructure areas: roads, bridges, transit, aviation, schools, drinking water, wastewater, dams, solid waste, hazardous waste, navigable waterways and energy: and estimates that $1.6 trillion in infrastructure investment is needed over the next five years to avoid threats to public health and safety.
The conclusions drawn in the Progress Report include the following:
- Traffic congestion costs the economy $67.5 billion annually in lost productivity and wasted fuel. The average rush hour grew more than 18 minutes between 1997 and 2000.
- As of 2000, 27.5% of the national's bridges (162,000) were structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, an improvement from 29% in 1998. It is estimated that it will cost $9.4 billion a year for 20 years to eliminate all bridge deficiencies.
- While water quality remains good, the water infrastructure is aging rapidly. Federal funding remains flat, while the infrastructure needs continue to increase. There is an annual shortfall of $11 billion needed to replace facilities that are nearing the end of their useful life and to comply with federal water regulations.
- The number of unsafe dams has risen by 23% to over 2,600. Due to downstream development the number of "high-hazard potential dams"-those whose failure would cause loss of life-has increased from 9,921 in 2001 to 10,049 in 2003. It is estimated that $10.1 billion is needed over the next 12 years to address all critical non-federal dams-dams which pose a risk to human life should they fail.
- In August 2003, an estimated 50 million Americans and Canadians were left without electricity. Transmission investment has declined from $5 billion annually in 1975 to $2 billion in 2000. Additionally, the electric transmission line grid capacity has not been upgraded to meet growth demands.
AAES enthusiastically supports the conclusions drawn in the Progress Report and urges Congress and the Administration to devote more resources to upgrading the nation's critical infrastructure.
The American Association of Engineering Societies is a federation of engineering societies dedicated to advancing the knowledge, understanding, and practice of engineering. AAES's membership represents more than one million engineers in the United States. For more information, go to www.aaes.org.