The Road Ahead Is in Need of Repair

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Maintaining our infrastructure is an ongoing responsibility, and is not without its challenges. Ron Littlefield, former mayor of Chattanooga, Tenn. and lead analyst on the City Accelerator initiative, discusses some of the issues the nation faces in maintaining its infrastructure in a commentary published by the Governing Institute. Littlefield points to the Interstate Highway System, stating that although the system was essentially complete in 1992, it continues to cost states more than $25 billion per year for reconstruction, maintenance, and expansion. Furthermore, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) estimates 42 percent of roads and highways in the U.S. are substandard, resulting in $110 billion in lost income and revenue each year. Littlefield calls for new and creative financing to maintain infrastructure and support the nation's health and economy.

Read the full commentary on the Governing website.