How Long Should New Infrastructure Last?

As we finally emerge from the Covid pandemic, kickstarting Western economies means infrastructure: large public works projects. Delivering projects such as bridges, highways and utilities on time and on budget has always been a challenge, but when the imperative is to throw money at the problem immediately, it becomes essentially impossible. Much American infrastructure is built by the lowest bidder, a process that rarely delivers long-term durability. Would American ratepayers and motorists be prepared to pay a little more for infrastructure that lasts a century or more? We don’t know, but maybe it’s time to find out.

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