Why is the USA unable to complete large public infrastructure projects? (Clinton, borders)

[hussar1683]

Originally Posted by nykeroutoftown

Why is the USA unable to complete large public infrastructure projects?


-Refusing to raise taxes on gas to fund mass transit and walkable development.

Why???

That is a legit concern.

Germany has a 8 dollar a gallon gas price & that is heavily due to high taxation rates on their gas prices.

If anything we should get rid of taxation on gas.

It is horrible because taxation on gas raises prices on everything. Including the goods that get imported.

[hussar1683]

Originally Posted by nykeroutoftown

Why is the USA unable to complete large public infrastructure projects?


-Roads in terrible shape, traffic ever worsening, sprawl America getting fatter.

America has great road systems.

Try much of Europe where roads were made for a horse & buggies.

Where the U.K has a population 3 times higher than NY state while the U.K has a land area about the same as NY state.

Especially in Southern Europe where ancient cities go back where many roads can't even fit cars.

They are almost forced to increase their transit systems because of their worse road systems & much higher population densities.

Much like NYC is more forced into having a transit system than say Dallas.

Yeah of course NYC has much higher population densities.

[btownboss4]

Its because, at least in Massachusetts, you need approval from every municipality that it goes through, which is usually several, because there ae 351 in the state, as well as the state, NIMBYs, and most likely the Feds, so it takes like 7 years from concept, to approval, then another 4 til groundbreaking. For Example the Big dig was planned in the early 80s, its broke ground in the late 90's, and that was only with 2 cities involved.

[jm31828]

Originally Posted by hussar1683

That is a legit concern.

Germany has a 8 dollar a gallon gas price & that is heavily due to high taxation rates on their gas prices.

If anything we should get rid of taxation on gas.

It is horrible because taxation on gas raises prices on everything. Including the goods that get imported.

But it's the taxation on gas that largely pays for all the roads/highways--- if we got rid of that, where would the money come from? Funds would have to be raised elsewhere, higher sales taxes, higher income taxes, or something like that. It's just a shell game, we can't just make money appear out of nowhere (contrary to what Republicans in Congress seem to think these days).

[texdav]

Originally Posted by nykeroutoftown

Why is the USA unable to complete large public infrastructure projects?

-ARC tunnel in Jersey was canned which would have doubled NJ TRANSIT capacity to NYC reducing traffic.

-Politics in the mid west shunning high speed rail.

-Refusing to raise taxes on gas to fund mass transit and walkable development.

-Roads in terrible shape, traffic ever worsening, sprawl America getting fatter.

All while China doubles their high speed rail in TEN YEARS is it, they already have the largest network.

While Europe and Japan enjoy highly walkable cities with mass transit options.

Again these places turning to renewable energy at a much faster rate.

America is no longer at the edge of innovation, unless it comes to weaponary, we have that. I mean are defense budget is more than all the worlds nations combined. What happened to this place. While Germany and China fight for the fastest mag lev trains, we are fighting inequality in our own borders, racially, economically, socially, ethnically. Fighting people in the third world bent on fundamental religious beliefs that will never die unless we bring the true weapon of education. Why???

Have you tried writing your representative and askig that your taxes be riased to do what you ant?eetainly we have spent just loig at the deficit ans spent and not all o military. Bascially poeple want things but they don't perosnal want any part i payig for them;that is what has to chanege. With cuts coming i suggest you wrie your local and state officals and say you want yuour taxes raised to pay for what you want.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by caphillsea77

Seattle has not completed theirs yet, in fact they just started demolishing their viaduct highway last week (secondary artery on the waterfront, I-5 is their main artery) and will be tunneling that road. That will present some challenges as they are burying a freeway in a seismically active area on waterfront land that is landfill. Hopefully they will learn from the fiscal and engineering mistakes of Boston's Big Dig.

Parts of I-5 have been covered through the downtown area. One area has the "new" Convention Center built over it.

The seismic and landfill issues have been accounted for, there have been several good articles about the unique challenges the digging machines have encountered and how they're addressing them.

Those of us to the South, in Portland are now rumbling about doing the same with our portion of I-5.

[bumpus7]

.
Every thing in America is falling apart, and worn out,
and we do not have the money to repair them, mush less build new.

Electric service
Water lines
Sewer lines and systems
Gas lines
Roads
Bridges
Tunnels
Rail Roads
Locks
Dams
Etc.

All are falling apart and worn out and America
does not have the money to keep up with the mess ! ! !

The war monger are spinding all of the money
and politations are giving it away by the train loads.

They have been talking about this for the last two years on TV.

But China does have the money ! ! !
.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by bumpus7

.
Every thing in America is falling apart, and worn out,
and we do not have the money to repair them, mush less build new.

Electric service private
Water lines maybe public
Sewer lines and systems maybe public
Gas lines private
Roads gas taxes
Bridges gas taxes
Tunnels gas taxes
Rail Roads private
Locks gas taxes, among other sources
Dams various owners and uses
Etc.

All are falling apart and worn out and America
does not have the money to keep up with the mess ! ! !

The war monger are spinding all of the money
and politations are giving it away by the train loads.

They have been talking about this for the last two years on TV.

But China does have the money ! ! !
.

It would be the responsibility of the various owners of private systems, such as electric lines, to repair or upgrade. Railroads, in general, are in excellent shape with the companies maintaining and upgrading lines continuously. Having said that a number of RR ROW's have been abandoned over the last 3 deacades with the change in the economy

For those utilities held/built/maintained by various governments you need to ask your legislator why some of the things haven't been done. I know that the water and sewer systems in my area are always being upgraded. Many states have allowed transportation infrastructure deteriorate while raiding the liquid fuels fund for other initiatives. In addition mass transit users pay only about 1/3 the cost of the system while the balance is made up by the fuels tax.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by nykeroutoftown

Why is the USA unable to complete large public infrastructure projects?

Have you heard the news? The US is in a crippling recession. Any large public expenditure under such circumstances is bound to be too controversial to pull off. Look at the high speed rail project approved for California. It's already a boondoggle and it hasn't begun yet. It may never begin.

China's economy, on the other hand, is not only expanding, it's a command economy. The gov't can do whatever it wants with its money, and the people have nothing to say about it. For getting things done, from a leadership perspective, those are ideal circumstances.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Have you heard the news? The US is in a crippling recession. Any large public expenditure under such circumstances is bound to be too controversial to pull off. Look at the high speed rail project approved for California. It's already a boondoggle and it hasn't begun yet. It may never begin.

China's economy, on the other hand, is not only expanding, it's a command economy. The gov't can do whatever it wants with its money, and the people have nothing to say about it. For getting things done, from a leadership perspective, those are ideal circumstances.

And yet there are large projects going forward. In the NYC area, there's the building of the replacement Tappan Zee Bridge, the building of the replacement Goethals Bridge, and the raising of the Bayonne Bridge roadway to accommodate the Panamax ships. All of those are a go.

There's the Port of Miami Tunnel in Florida. There's the Presidio Parkway and the rehab of the tunnel in Norfolk. There are several bridges over the Mississippi, a number of rail projects, and so forth.