Bricks & Morta: Nation Building

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Global investment in infrastructure is soaring, but not in the U.S. According to a new report by the Urban Land Institute, a think tank, the nation is falling behind in critical areas, like maintenance.

MASS TRANSIT

Few cities have good public transit, and higher fares can't pay all the bills. Chicago needs $6 billion just for subway repairs.

DAMS

Some 3,500 dams in the U.S. are unsafe. It will take $30 billion to bring all 79,000 dams into full safety compliance.

RAILWAYS

Forget bullet trains. The U.S. is decades behind global standards and will need $250 billion over 20 years to catch up.

WATER

The EPA estimates that an additional $300 billion to $500 billion will be needed to repair and upgrade wastewater systems.

AIRPORTS

Crowded and inefficient, U.S. airports will require a $14 billion annual infusion just to keep pace with basic needs.

ROADS

Experts say 97% of roads need improvement. Meanwhile, traffic jams in some big cities tripled over the past 25 years.