From electricity to water to roads, our built environment matters.
Editor’s note: We talk a lot about infrastructure at the Alliance for American Manufacturing. America’s roads, bridges, water systems, electric grid, public transit, airports, railways, pipelines, dams, and more are all in terrible shape. Investing to fix them will create millions of jobs and boost the economy at a critical time.
But oftentimes, the conversation about infrastructure is rather wonky, failing to fully express just how personal infrastructure is. After all, infrastructure is all around us. It is the pipelines that deliver safe drinking water into our homes and the electricity that powers them; it is the sidewalks in our neighborhoods and the schools where our children learn.
In a new occasional series, AAM staffers will explore infrastructure needs in their own community. The first entry can be found here; continue reading below to learn how AAM’s John Jeffers sees infrastructure in and around Nashville.
I’ve only been a resident of Nashville for only two years, but when I drive around the city, I see plenty of things that could benefit from an investment in our infrastructure.
Potholes are not being repaired properly on many of the roads surrounding the city, making driving more difficult (and causing a lot of wear and tear on cars). Traffic is also a huge issue.
During peak traffic hours, Interstate 24 is so busy that what usually takes 10 minutes to get into the city’s downtown takes me a half hour. I’m not the only one who sees the problem. The proposed Interstate 24 Smart Corridor project aims to alleviate some of the traffic by integrating “freeway and arterial roadway elements, along with physical, technological, and operational improvements, to provide drivers accurate, real-time information and to actively manage traffic.”
Meanwhile, the city just completed a $154.8 million project to improve I-440 – a project that even managed to finish ahead of schedule. That should relieve some of the traffic flowing in and out of Nashville.
But it isn’t just roads in need of repair. A couple of things have happened to me personally while living in Nashville that reflect the poor state of our infrastructure.
I have had my water shut off a couple of times to fix some leaks in the pipes; it is clear that it is past time to fix and upgrade our sewer and water systems. Indeed, the State Comptroller told the city last fall that the water department was in financial distress and wouldn't be able to pay its bills in a crisis. Rate hikes were implemented in response, and in May state leaders announced $44.1 million in loans to help the city improve its water infrastructure.
I also have lost electricity a couple times due to high winds or because too many people were using the electrical grid. Given that the American Society of Civil Engineers gives the country’s energy systems a D+ rating, I think it’s time to get to work there as well.
This problem is not only limited to Nashville, but to all of Tennessee. I-40 in Knoxville is also currently being repaired, as is I-65 near Columbia. In Chattanooga, an overpass that fell in 2019 after being struck by a vehicle still needs to be repaired.
An infrastructure investment package not only would help address many of these issues and fund these projects, but also put thousands of Tennesseans to work given that a lot of people are out of work because of COVID-19. Including Buy America preferences will ensure that taxpayer dollars are reinvested locally and not sent overseas to places like China. Please join me in telling Congress to get to work.