That Sinking Feeling: Addressing the Angst of Our Aging American Roadways

It’s no secret that America’s infrastructure is crumbling. From I35 and the tragedy surrounding it to the collapse of the bridge in Washington state, our infrastructure needs an overhaul. Almost every politician decries the state of the Union when it comes to spending on social programs or the military or health care. Of course, every politician has different views on what needs to be done about all of the government’s various programs and funding initiatives. But, almost everyone remains silent on the issue of the infrastructure and they mustn’t.

It’s one of Americans’ worst nightmares – to be driving innocently along a large stretch of road and hit a pothole that sends you reeling off into an embankment or down off a cliff. Or, to be crossing a bridge and have it give way when you’re half-way across it. Here’s what you can do to protect yourself.

Keep An Emergency Pack With You

First things first. You need an emergency pack if you hope to survive any kind of emergency. These packs are usually backpacks filled with emergency supplies like something to eat, light (Faraday flashlights), a way to make fire, a way to filter water, a change of clothes, blankets, and an emergency first aid kit.

You may also want to pack the emergency kit with a collapsible shovel, a makeshift tent that can be unfolded in a few seconds, and something to cook in, some fishing line, a paracord bracelet, a multitool, and a dedicated hunting knife.

Always Have a Phone On You

A cell phone is a good tool to have with you in an emergency situation. If you hit a pothole, and you’re stranded on a long stretch of highway, the last thing you want to do is walk three or 10 miles to the nearest exit.

In-car GPS with emergency concierge assistance is nice, but what happens when the vehicle breaks down or the system is damaged in the accident? A dedicated cell phone for emergency phone calls becomes a lifeline.

If you’re involved in a car accident as a result of poor road conditions, you also want that cell phone to notify an ambulance and police immediately. Calling your insurer isn’t such a bad idea either. The more time you wait, the worse your recollection of the events will be.

This Irvine car accident lawyer knows all too well what happens when people wait to call their insurers and the police to file a report. According to Avrek Law, they key to recovering any money after an accident is to be able to prove fault, especially in California, as this state is a comparative fault state.

Engineering Challenges That Have To Be Overcome

So, you have all of your bases covered. What are engineers doing to fix the massive problems out there? They’re designing new road systems and technologies to cope with an underserved infrastructure.

For example, in Washington State, the reengineering of the collapsed bridge involved the use of lightweight aggregate in the concrete beams, deck, and barriers. Using this material made the structure overall more resilient to degradation and reduced the weight considerably.

The construction team also used a new slide-in methodology to keep traffic flowing over the bridge during the construction phase. This is radical, as most construction processes for bridges require the bridge be closed – routing traffic through streets that aren’t designed for the traffic flow.

This design and construction method solved several problems, one of which is potential future accidents on already congested city streets.

Wait For Politicians To Do Something

Have you stopped laughing yet? But, seriously, some politicians are listening to voters. In California, Rhode Island, Texas, Wisconsin, Hawaii, and Maryland, voters recently approved lockbox initiatives to fund the maintenance and repair of their respective state’s roads and bridges.

What’s particularly interesting is that people seem to be willing to pay for reconstruction efforts as long as they can be sure the money will used appropriately.

For example, in Texas, an overwhelming majority – 81 percent – voted to use half the state’s oil and gas revenues to fix state highways. As long as the money wasn’t moved to fix tolled roads, voters seem to be happy to allocate state funds to infrastructure.

At the end of the day, all states need to make initiatives and funding schemes to fix infrastructure. But, at the same time, many state budgets are squeezed by pension and health care costs.

What needs to be done is a sensible reorganization of state finances so that important projects are completed without jeopardizing existing commitments and responsibilities.