Manufacturers are concerned about the adequacy and efficiency of our nation's transportation infrastructure. Aging roads and rails are falling into disrepair, causing congestion and bottlenecks for the freight transportation network. By 2020, one-third of the entire Interstate system will be congested, impairing reliability and increasing the cost of goods movement. We lose 4.2 billion working hours per year due to traffic tie-ups. Traffic congestion costs American consumers $78 billion a year in wasted time and fuel and results in increased carbon dioxide emissions.
Manufacturers continue to rally support for broad-based, jobs-creating investment in upgrades, expansion and modernization of our nation's transportation network. These efforts include advocating for increased public and private infrastructure funding, developing an interstate system focused on moving goods to market, increasing highway, bridge, rail and transit investments and capacity improvements, and supporting efforts to reduce traffic congestion.
Catching Up: Greater Focus Needed to Achieve a More Competitive Infrastructure
Manufacturers need modern infrastructure to compete. Unfortunately, troubling trends have emerged over the past decade, putting our once envied infrastructure into a state of decline. This report offers a historical overview of a broad range of infrastructure investments and provides an important view into the economic benefits the U.S. economy would reap with a more concerted effort to address the nation’s infrastructure needs.