Dispatches Poll: America Falls Behind in Keeping Up Roads, Bridges, Buildings

Did you know? The United States is falling far behind when it comes to keeping up our national infrastructure.

Here are the facts from the book Pinched by Don Peck whose research opened discussion points as part of Patch's “Dispatches: The Changing American Dream” series:

The Facts from Pinched:

• “Over the past decade, the United States has slipped considerably in the World Economic Forum’s global ranking of physical infrastructure, and it’s not hard to see why. China spends about 9 percent of its GDP on infrastructure each year, and Europe 5 percent. The United States, by contrast, spends about 2.5 percent; we’ve been underinvesting for years.” Source: https://kindle.amazon.com/post/MPXVGNSFMGTE
• “For years, the United States has let its infrastructure age and deteriorate; in 2009, the average age of public infrastructure was at a 40-year high. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave U.S. infrastructure a D grade overall in its 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, down from a C about 20 years ago; public transit, roads, airports, dams, levees, schools, and energy infrastructure all received D grades.” Source: https://kindle.amazon.com/post/1Y01CDV0JXGCM

Share your thoughts in comments and on our poll.

For local Dispatches, see how in Catonsville, MD; how a farmer keeps his family farm afloat in Reisterstown, MD, and how a dress designer in Savage-Mill coming back for 40 years. You can find more articles from this ongoing series, “Dispatches: The Changing American Dream” from across the country at The Huffington Post.