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States and communities all across the land are coming face to face with an impending crisis. The nation’s infrastructure is aging and is in desperate need of repair.
Roads, bridges, sewer and water systems throughout the country are in need of upgrading and in some cases rebuilding. Yet, like the impending crisis in Social Security and Medicare, no one is talking about how this nation will address its long-ignored infrastructure needs.
The time is overdue for a public investment strategy. The reality, though, is that the nation is too far in debt right now and the war in Iraq is eating up billions of dollars a month. But at some point in the not-too-distant future, the nation will have to make infrastructure a priority. Like the Social Security trust fund, which is projected to run out of money in 2041, our infrastructure’s days are numbered.
Oregon, thankfully, has been addressing the growing age of its bridges through the revenue bond-funded Oregon Transportation Investment Acts I, II and III.
Local governments, though, aren’t faring as well as they search for funding options to upgrade their water systems while they also try to keep their police and fire departments viable.
In Northeast Oregon, Elgin and Enterprise have been working for some time to find funds to build new fire halls. And both are succeeding, thanks to grants and other resources. But the struggle hasn’t been easy.
In North Powder, where the community can’t afford a police force, water system improvements are desperately needed at the same time the city has declared its city hall unsafe for occupancy. The city hopes to rely on Powder Valley High School classes to build a new one.
Communities are being resourceful, but the resources for the really big improvements, like water systems, are few and far between.
With the impending loss of the county payments program, both Union and Wallowa counties will be hard-pressed to keep up the limited road maintenance that they’ve been able to do — especially when winters like this last one hit and a large chunk of available funds have to go to snow removal.
The nation’s increasing debt is shifting a terrible burden to our children and grandchildren. The impending Social Security funding crisis will make it even worse. Throw in crumbling bridges and sewer and water systems and you’ve got a crisis that will make Hurricane Katrina look like child’s play in terms of cost.
We won’t fix these problems without making all of these issues priorities. And without making an investment.
Our infrastructure is a terrible thing to waste. America needs to find a way to reinvest in itself.
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Opinion 
