The Infrastructure Imperative

Posted by Julia Klaiber on May 27, 2010 |

The Urban Land Institute, with Ernst and Young, has released a new report on infrastructure called "Infrastructure 2010: Investment Imperative." Here is the imperative in a nutshell:

...America’s future prosperity, world economic standing and ability to accommodate over 100 million more people by 2050 depends directly on “bolstering its primary economic gateway cities and metropolitan regions which produce 90 percent of national GDP.”

The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that America faces a $2.2 trillion infrastructure backlog, while China continues to pump billions of dollars into high speed rail. By 2012, China will have more than 5,000 miles of high speed rail connecting 20 cities with 60 subway lines. The 600 mile trip between its two major economic centers, Shanghai and Beijing, will only take 4 hours.

ULI Senior Fellow Edward McMahon writes, "Our problem, in addition to a lack of funding, is the U.S. lacks a national vision for infrastructure improvements that would integrate rail, road, transit, airport and seaport networks to serve major economic hubs and propel growth."

The full report is available to be downloaded from ULI.org. 

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