At the National Press Club, a new report was released that outlines innovative new ways that the federal government, industry, and other stakeholders can work together to solve the crisis of the failing state of U.S. infrastructure.
Entitled "Making The Grade," the report is the result of experts from 45 different organizations, including corporations, professional organizations, think tanks, financial advisors, and academic institutions. It offers a six-point plan with fresh ideas to regain America's infrastructure leadership and revive the country’s global competitiveness.
The report's name is intended as a rallying cry in response to last year's quadrennial report card by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), which gave America's overall infrastructure a D+ grade. The ASCE estimates that US$3.6 trillion must be invested by 2020 to make critically needed upgrades and expansions of national infrastructure - and avoid trillions of dollars in lost business sales, exports, disposable income and GDP.
While much has been written and discussed about the problem, Making the Grade provides substantive recommendations and workable solutions to help meet today’s and tomorrow’s infrastructure needs.
The report's six-point recommendations include:
-
Making infrastructure a cabinet-level priority
-
Forming U.S. infrastructure regions
-
Establishing a national infrastructure bank
-
Selling "opportunity" bonds
-
Creating a national infrastructure index
-
Engaging the American people to build support for the importance of infrastructure policy
Collectively, these recommendations apply modern tools, technologies, approaches and fresh thinking to offer a new vision and path forward for the way U.S. infrastructure should be planned, financed, designed and built.
For the full report, please visit: http://autode.sk/MakingTheGrade
Commentary from Making The Grade Supporters
-
"Rebuilding America’s infrastructure should be our top economic priority: it’s essential to our national competitiveness, will help our businesses grow, and will create millions of much-needed middle class jobs. We absolutely cannot lose our global edge on infrastructure and the current trends are not headed in the right direction. As the Making the Grade report – composed by experts – makes clear, there are serious economic costs associated with our infrastructure gridlock. This is a domestic emergency. The good news is that there is strong bipartisan support for funding and financing infrastructure investment, provided we do it in a fiscally-responsible way. My bill, the Partnership to Build America Act, marries long-term goals from both parties: expanded infrastructure investment, tax reform, and more public-private partnerships. I’m proud to have my legislation highlighted in the report and I thank CG/LA and the other partners for raising awareness on this most vital issue.” -- John Delaney, Congressman, 6th District (D-Maryland)
-
"Rarely have I read a document in which the words more powerfully complement the purpose - this is a true blueprint for the work that will lead our country forward, creating real value now and for the next generation - by 'regaining' and 'sustaining' public infrastructure leadership." -- Norman Anderson, President and CEO, CG/LA Infrastructure
-
"Our infrastructure has fallen behind the rest of the world, threatening our economic vitality and even becoming a danger to our citizens. We can't rely on the same-old way of doing things. We need to bring a renewed spirit of innovation and purpose to this challenge. We believe the Making The Grade report provides the right framework, fresh ideas and infusion of energy needed to jumpstart this discussion and create action as a unified industry. We look forward to working closely between the private and public sector to start implementing our recommendations with all due haste." -- Terry D. Bennett, LS LPF MRICS ENV SP LEEDAP, Senior Industry Strategist for Infrastructure, Autodesk
-
“We not only must do better at building what we need, we need to do better in deciding what we need. The Making the Grade Report shows us a way forward in doing just that. This is not and cannot be just about us, about this generation and our needs. It must be about future generations and their options as well.” -- Bill Bertera, Executive Director, Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure
-
“We can’t solve today’s challenges, let alone tomorrow’s, with yesterday’s thinking. It’s well documented that our critical human infrastructure receives failing grades today and needs attention. Through a combination of new and integrated project delivery models and technical and financing innovation we have the ability to address the significant challenges we face. It will take true collaboration among government, industry, the private sector and the public, but investments in infrastructure will lead to strong returns. This work has been started with the Making the Grade report, and it must continue.” -- Ralph Eberts, Executive Vice President, Managing Director of Water, Americas, Black & Veatch
-
"The Making the Grade Report represents the forward looking thinking of nearly 50 companies and organizations. The six-point plan to support rebuilding America's infrastructure provides the necessary direction forward, showing the country how we can dramatically increase our investment through the kind of private and public initiatives that benefit all stakeholders." -- Andrés Gluski, President and CEO, AES Corporation
-
"Innovation in infrastructure requires long term effort and attention to the capabilities that must be developed among a coalition of stakeholders to achieve that goal. US infrastructure in particular is a 'wicked problem' - complex and open-ended - that requires a guiding framework and a high level of collaboration and originality for its resolution.” -- John Kao, fmr Harvard Business School Professor and Chairman, Institute for Large Scale Innovation
-
“21st century success depends on 21st century infrastructure. Making the Grade outlines a thoughtful, balanced and timely program for addressing this critical need.” -- Dr. James A. Moore, SVP/Director National Community Planning & Urban Design, HDR
-
“Infrastructure systems are the backbone of our economy and a critical part of our daily lives. While it’s tempting to assume that we should just address the largest funding gap first, it’s important to remember that all of our infrastructure is linked and each sector has a significant role to play. We need leadership from federal, state and local levels of government who will communicate the urgency of revitalizing our nation’s infrastructure, craft innovative solutions and make the investments the system needs so that the United States is competitive on a global level. Industry efforts like the Making the Grade Symposium and its report help head us in this direction.” -- Patrick Natale, P.E., F.ASCE, FASAE, CAE, Exec Director of American Society of Civil Engineers
Related Stories
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 12, 2024
Detroit’s Michigan Central Station, centerpiece of innovation hub, opens
The recently opened Michigan Central Station in Detroit is the centerpiece of a 30-acre technology and cultural hub that will include development of urban transportation solutions. The six-year adaptive reuse project of the 640,000 sf historic station, created by the same architect as New York’s Grand Central Station, is the latest sign of a reinvigorating Detroit.
University Buildings | Jul 11, 2024
3 considerations for designing healthy, adaptable student dining
Amanda Vigneau, IIDA, NCDIQ, LEED ID+C, Director, Shepley Bulfinch, shares three ways student dining facilities have evolved to match changes in student life.
Healthcare Facilities | Jul 11, 2024
New download: BD+C's 2024 Healthcare Annual Report
Welcome to Building Design+Construction’s 2024 Healthcare Annual Report. This free 66-page special report is our first-ever “state of the state” update on the $65 billion healthcare construction sector.
Transit Facilities | Jul 10, 2024
Historic Fresno train depot to be renovated for California high speed rail station project
A long-shuttered rail station in Fresno, Calif., will be renovated to serve as the city’s high speed rail (HSR) station as part of the California High-Speed Rail Authority system, the nation’s first high speed rail project. California’s HSR system will eventually link more than 800 miles of rail, served by up to 24 stations.
Government Buildings | Jul 8, 2024
GSA adopts new accessibility guidelines for federal properties
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) adopted a new rule with new accessibility guidelines for federal buildings. The rule establishes that pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way are readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities.
Office Buildings | Jul 8, 2024
Office vacancy peak of 22% to 28% forecasted for 2026
The work from home trend will continue to put pressure on the office real estate market, with peak vacancy of between 22% and 28% in 2026, according to a forecast by Moody’s.
Virtual Reality | Jul 8, 2024
Can a VR-enabled AEC firm transform your project?
With the aid of virtual reality and three-dimensional visualization technologies, designers, consultants, and their clients can envision a place as though the project were in a later stage.
Green | Jul 8, 2024
Global green building alliance releases guide for $35 trillion investment to achieve net zero, meet global energy transition goals
The international alliance of UK-based Building Research Establishment (BRE), the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Alliance HQE-GBC France developed the guide, Financing Transformation: A Guide to Green Building for Green Bonds and Green Loans, to strengthen global cooperation between the finance and real estate sectors.
Codes and Standards | Jul 8, 2024
New York State building code update would ban fossil fuels in new buildings
New York’s Building Code Council is set to include the All-Electric Buildings Act in its 2025 code update. The Act would ban natural gas and other fossil fuels in new buildings.
AEC Tech Innovation | Jul 4, 2024
Caution competes with inevitability at conference exploring artificial intelligence for design and construction
Hosted by PSMJ, AEC Innovate in Boston found an AEC industry anxiously at the threshold of change.