It's Almost Time for Infrastructure Week 2015 - Alliance for American Manufacturing

An eclectic mix of advocates will team up to draw attention to a vital issue.

Cooperation is rare in Washington, DC these days. So you know when business, labor and public policy groups decide to come together, it's for something really important.

The Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) is among the organizations taking part in Infrastructure Week 2015, slated for May 11-15. The third annual event is designed to draw attention to the critical need for long-term investment in our nation’s rapidly aging infrastructure, which has cost America more than 900,000 jobs and is creating a significant drag on the economy (along with dangerous travel conditions and plenty of traffic).

Infrastructure advocates will hit Capitol Hill on Wednesday, May 13 for a special advocacy day, visiting Members of Congress to press for infrastructure investment. The week also will include events and policy discussions in several cities nationwide. A new app will even be released on May 11 to help advocates take action on infrastructure issues.

As we’ve noted often here on the blog, our infrastructure desperately needs attention. One in five bridges is considered structurally deficient, and one in five roads needs serious repair. Plus, there’s the need to modernize our ports, railways, airports, pipelines and mass transit systems.

All in all, the American Society of Civil Engineers graded America's infrastructure a D+. The United States has dropped to 16^th in the world for our infrastructure system, according to Duke University’s Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness.

Not only will investment make our infrastructure safer and more efficient, it will make America more competitive on the international stage and yield serious economic benefits, including:

every $1 billion in transportation infrastructure investment will create 21,000 new jobs;
every $1 invested creates $3.50 in economic impact;
and a long-term transportation bill worth $114 billion annually will create 2.5 million new jobs.

While Infrastructure Week doesn’t kickoff until May 11, you can take action now by telling Members of Congress to rebuild America.