As Our Infrastructure Crumbles, Gov't Does Nothing

[Dylan]

Yeah our highway system is by and large decent from what I've read.

[Spider]

At least away from the eastern seaboard, the road surfaces are kept in decent enough shape. The problem is the underlying structures, the bridges, the channel controls, etc etc.

For example, a basic lego style pre-stressed concrete and rebar highway bridge might have a 50 year design life before the oxidation starts splitting it into gravel. But the DOT's in their wisdom, and the municipalities for that matter, don't set up a 50 year budget to replace that bridge once it hits the end of its design life. So, we wind up with a bunch of concrete and rebar structures that are in the beginnings of failure right now, but which have no budget for replacement. (Or, maybe, a more expensive bridge that isn't designed to fail in 50 years) So, a guy gets sent out to inspect, take samples for the mat lab, and sign off that the thing isn't going to collapse within the next election cycle and the can gets kicked down the road.

[fstarcstar]

[eynon81]

[Mr. Shaman]

[Mr. Shaman]

[Mr. Shaman]