Transport Infrastructure Trivia - USA & France

ꕤ Trivia SOURCE http://www.worldhighways.com/sections/contraflow-interview/contraflow/us-highway-bill-finally-receives-approval-by-government/ 2012 Transport Infrastructure Trivia Developed nations No new funds available for road investment. Shortfall enduring, due to ongoing financial problems. 2012 FRANCE €28 billion Needed for Roads FRANCE -- extensive networks tolled roads -- massive shortfall re trunk & urban roads -- 12,000km state-owned national roads -- require €6 billion just for maintenance -- plus further €22 billion for necessary expansion Andre Broto VP Cofiroute French highway firm “The problem is how to find €28 billion for national roads.” “Our main transportation systems: airports, rail, motorways, are nothing without ordinary roads and we need to find some way of investing in them.” USA - Highway Reauthorisation Bill - as at 2012 -- political stalemates -- prior short-term extensions not sufficient to allow private investment -- stunted construction -- now contractors can expect USG transport spending -- spending likely to replace old construction equipment -- job creation expected -- transport system improvement important to economy -- as at 2012, funding by Highway Trust Fund + user-tax revenues -- but widening gap between federal spending & user tax-revenues -- (that fund the Highway Trust Fund) -- as at 2011 -  28 states invested less in highway & bridge projects 2015 ** Obama's about to sign off on Highway bill authorising $305 BILLION FUNDING ** PLUS renewal of EXPORT-IMPORT BANK http://www.worldhighways.com/sections/contraflow-interview/contraflow/us-highway-bill-finally-receives-approval-by-government/ ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT Thought this was cool information. How much France needs to get its roads infrastructure up to scratch is probably debatable, but (as at 2012) it still sounds like there is massive need for maintenance and expansion. Maybe if France spent less on bombing Africa it could spend more on roads. ꕤ