This article first appeared in the Enid News & Eagle
March 10, 2009 11:47 pm
Is anyone in Oklahoma really surprised to learn that section of
I-40 that passes through Oklahoma is considered one of the worst roads
in America?
Parade magazine polled truckers on conditions of roads
and interstates, and our part of I-40 was deemed as one of the roughest
stretches of highways. But, the truckers were quick to point to other
bad interstates across our nation.
Anyone else who has done any
driving across much of our country also knows how bad many of our major
highways and roads are. All over our country, roads and bridges are
failing, and some to catastrophic levels, such as the one in
Minneapolis.
The president's stimulus package contains billions of
dollars for road and bridge improvements in our nation. Certainly some
of these major infrastructure problems will be addressed. Oklahoma is
expected to receive $340 million to be used for road and bridge
projects; with $72 million going to I-40.
However, even if every
state in the nation received $340 million, that accounts for only $17
billion in road improvements. Of course, we know other states will
receive a lot more road money than Oklahoma.
Yet, in a stimulus package well over $710 billion, less than $100 billion of that is going toward roads.
Since
weÕre spending money we don't have anyway and the American people
overall dont seem too concerned about it wouldn't it have been a
more prudent and worthwhile opportunity to put at least half the
stimulus money toward fixing up our nation's major source of transit
which is the basis of our economy our highway system?
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
Posted on
Tue, March 10, 2009
by Crystal Drwenski