The Climate Change Bad News Keeps On Coming

[king1]

These systems of repairs and replacements should be automatic and built into local councils and not rely on the whims of whatever present government, what on earth have the people in charge been doing for the last 70 years or so to make these vital structures reliable for as long as they are needed?

Bridges surely need predictable maintenance, why hasn't it been established practice to ensure they are looked after over the years and not neglected as seems to be the case.

It seems like Banana Republic modus operandi to me.

pretty sure this one comes down to economic theory and policy... 

large infrastructure projects are generally only commenced and funded during economic doom and gloom ie troughs, recessions etc, because some clever economist back in the day figured out this was the best way for governments to get the country out of a trough or recession, by having a massive spend up to inject money into the economy...  

Similar to what labour did during covid, the wage subsidy wasn't just a handout for people to survive on, it was intended to keep businesses afloat and the economy moving.  Some might argue they overcooked it a bit...

apparently it makes good economic sense but it usually means that the large infrastructure spending does not happen unless there is economic doom and gloom.

Of course in the last 70 years or so there must have been a few economic downturns in the US to justify spending some money on infrastructure like bridges, maybe there was some other reason they didn't?  The odd war perhaps?