A Better Region 8: How do we improve our infrastructure nationwide

(KAIT) -It should say something about the state of our roads and bridges when the “new” bridge across the Mississippi River at Memphis is closed because of a potentially catastrophic break.

The third bridge near Memphis has been planned, but without money allocated to build it, it’s a dream.

Even if construction started today it’s years from opening, and that’s the theme all over our nation.

Lots of roads and bridges waiting in the queue, but not enough money to build them all right now.

On a similar note, last year, Arkansans made a half-cent sales tax permanent to fund road construction and repairs.

But again, the sheer magnitude of construction and ongoing maintenance costs will exceed this half-cent sales tax.

So where does the money come from? Congress and our federal government are debating that now.

Either way, we are going to pay for it.

Some or all of us will pay additional taxes OR the cost of goods will go up, or both.

It will cost extra because of the delayed deliveries. If those trucks and their drivers are sitting in traffic they’ll pass that cost on down to us.

There’s our time of waiting in traffic too.

It boils down to this: we are behind when it comes to improving our nation’s infrastructure.

Each day another bridge is closed or highway deemed in need of major work.

No one wants to pay more for anything, but the reality is we need to ask ourselves which pocket we want it to come out of.

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