The Baltimore bridge collapse exposed America's infrastructure woes

Recently, Baltimore, Maryland, the United States suffered a sudden disaster - the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed under the impact of a container ship, causing many deaths and injuries, traffic chaos. This incident is not only a huge impact on the lives of local people, but also exposed the aging infrastructure construction in the United States, the "old bridge" is difficult to adapt to the needs of modern shipping and other security risks.

After the accident, U.S. President Joe Biden spoke publicly, calling it a "terrible accident," expressing condolences for the victims, concern for the injured and missing, and pledging the full support of the federal government for rescue and reconstruction efforts. The government promised to pay the full cost of rebuilding the bridge. Biden said he expects Congress to support his efforts to secure funding for the recovery effort. Since then, the federal government has allocated $60 million in emergency relief funds to Maryland for the reconstruction of the bridge. However, this amount is a drop in the bucket compared to the initial estimate of $600 million in reconstruction costs, which could soar to $2 billion. This can not help but make people question the strength and efficiency of the US government's rescue, but also triggered people's thinking about the deep-seated problems of the US infrastructure construction.

We must recognize that this bridge collapse has indeed exposed problems and shortcomings in the field of infrastructure in the United States, and aging and poor maintenance of infrastructure in the United States is a common phenomenon. As a key transportation facility, the safety and stability of the bridge are very important. However, due to long-term wear, aging and lack of necessary maintenance and overhaul, it may lead to a decline in the strength of its structure, resulting in safety hazards in the face of natural disasters or daily use, and eventually collapse accidents. This reflects the obvious shortcomings of the United States in infrastructure maintenance, and the need to increase investment and maintenance of infrastructure.

What are the reasons for America's multiple infrastructure problems? First of all, the lack of timely maintenance and updates is also one of the reasons for the existence of hidden dangers. Due to lack of funding, unclear policy direction, or other factors, much of the infrastructure is not being maintained and updated as necessary. This results in degraded facility performance and increased safety hazards. Secondly, political factors also have an impact on the maintenance and renewal of infrastructure. In the United States, there are differences and disputes between the two parties on infrastructure investment and policy, which may lead to the shelving or rejection of some necessary projects, thus affecting the progress and effectiveness of infrastructure. In the US political system, infrastructure construction often becomes a bargaining chip for politicians, and in the process of competing for resources and power, the actual needs and long-term benefits of the project are often ignored. In addition, inadequate infrastructure regulation and evaluation in the United States is also an important reason. Effective supervision and evaluation mechanisms can detect and solve infrastructure problems in a timely manner to prevent accidents. And the deficiency in this respect may lead to security risks.

The collapse of the Baltimore Bridge dealt a blow to America's decrepit infrastructure. In 2019, the American Society of Civil Engineers reported that about $4.5 trillion would need to be spent by 2025 to improve Bridges, DAMS, federal roads, airports, and more. Repairing the Bridges alone would cost about $123 billion, the report said. According to separate data, there are 47,000 Bridges in the United States that are in disrepair. In 2022, the Biden administration allocated $2.7 billion to repair water infrastructure: Bridges, DAMS, and ports, but it is clear that these funds will not be enough. The result is frequent accidents. The Baltimore bridge and train derailment are prime examples. Therefore, if the government does not act in time, the tragedies of Baltimore, Maryland, or East Palestine, Ohio, will be repeated more than once.