It has been highly reported that much of our existing public and private infrastructure is aging and in poor condition. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) rated U.S. infrastructure as a “C” on their recent quadrennial report card.
While this rating is up from a “D” four years ago, the incremental improvements demonstrate the challenge to maintain current infrastructure. Since 1993, when Congress last raised the gasoline tax to assist with highway improvements, associated construction costs have risen approximately 131%. Stagnant funding in relation to increased construction costs has significantly reduced the number of improvements completed per year. While there is exposure for public infrastructure, private infrastructure also plays a vital role in serving the public and protecting natural resources. Independent of the infrastructure servicing a community or a retail/commercial/industrial site, the decision to reconstruct is a costly alternative. However, the choice to defer or ignore failing infrastructure could be catastrophic. But does all infrastructure need to be reconstructed?
Maintaining and addressing deficiencies can be improved without costly reconstruction measures. Selecting the appropriate repair strategy at the right time could save in costly emergency repairs. This presentation will provide an overview of public and private infrastructure components, common signs of deterioration and/or deficiencies, and identify lower-cost maintenance or repair alternatives to avoid future catastrophic failures.
