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    3.11.2010

    Rebuilding: Infrastructure Failure & Potential

    Infrastructure isn't exactly the sexiest of topics, to the average individual. However, it is a topic that concerns everyone - unless you are thoroughly self-sufficient, living off the grid, in the woods.

    As such, much of the existing american infrastructure (roads, bridges, sewers, powergrid) is long overdue for upgrades. There is much talk and some movement on the 'smart grid' which will better regulate supply versus demand on the power lines, though there are some interstate issues that become political potholes - hence the movement at the federal level. This is the case as well for much of the infrastructure renewal. It has barely been sufficient to maintain these all-to-necessary parts of our country, as we've seen with the bridge collapse in Minneapolis in August 2007, and the emergency repairs on I-95 in Philadelphia in March 2008. These events draw attention, though fleeting, to the troubles.

    A public broadcasting initiative started in 2008 called Blueprint America looks at all of the various levels of infrastructure; how it is defined, the history of it, its present state, how the issue is being addressed, the finances, the political process for renewal, and the potential future for the systems.

    One of the most interesting episodes that I've watched thus far is on the poster child of urban decline: Detroit. I highly recommend this video. It was recently announced that Detroit is in the process of analyzing how much of its massive 139 square mile area it can actually supply services to in order to request some of its citizens to relocate and concentrate the city as to achieve a financially viable density.



    If you'd prefer to start at the beginning and see what all the hub-bub is about when it comes to infrastructure might I recommend The Big Fix

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