Road work

No matter how technologically advanced our economy becomes, it won't make a difference if we can't get our goods to the marketplace. The dire needs of the transportation industry in the U.S. was discussed at the “Infrastructure-A Path to Prosperity” conference sponsored by Terex held recently at Iona College in New Rochelle, NY.

“We are confronted with a crisis of capacity in our transportation systems,” said U.S. Representative James Oberstar (D-MN), Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Susan Eisenhower, president of the Eisenhower Group and granddaughter of the late President, spoke of her grandfather's contribution to the Interstate Highway system, which she said needs an estimated $1.6 trillion over the next five years to adequately fix infrastructure problems. Oberstar said that even though truck traffic has doubled, highway capacity has increased only .6%, with freight increasing at a rate of 3% a year. He added that estimates say 40% of all roadways will hit capacity in the next 15 years.