Key Bridge Collapse Highlights Holes In U.S. Infrastructure Funding The deadly collapse last week of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge offers the latest example of the consequences of the deteriorating state of much of the nation’s critical infrastructure. The collision of a container ship with the bridge resulted in six deaths and snapped a major thoroughfare through the city. The federal government has spent some $400B on infrastructure since 2021, with more planned, but the need far outstrips the allocations. And as aging roads and bridges crumble, local financial interests and the national economy are at risk of suffering damage of their own. “The recent bills are a down payment,” said Darren Olson, chair of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Committee on America’s Infrastructure. “So we're moving in the right direction. But our infrastructure gap in this country is still in the trillions of dollars.” 
The need is expected to grow as older roads and bridges come into contact with newer vehicles, which tend to be heavier and often move faster than their predecessors. “It was built prior to regulations and standards that would have likely required some sort of protection around the pylons,” Olson said… Read the full story here. | 
