PAR FAI T G AS A N A AN D W I L L I AM D AR I T Y J R .

A M E R I C A ’ S U R B A N I N F R A S T R U C T U R E : C O N F R O N T I N G H E R

C H A L L E N G E S , E M B R A C I N G H E R O P P O R T U N I T I E S

W A S H I N G T O N U N I V E R S I T Y I N S T . L O U I SD A N F O R T H C A M P U S

N O V E M B E R 1 9 - 2 0 , 2 0 0 9

Resuscitating the WPA in the

Current Crisis

Current Condition of Public Infrastructure

ASCE Grades (2009)

C+ C C- D+ D D- I

Aviation

Bridges

Dams

Drinking Water

Energy

Hazardous Waste

Inland Waterways

Levees

Public Parks

Rail

Roads

Schools

Solid Waste

Transit

Wastewater

Overall Grade

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Works Progress Administration (WPA)

Source: Federal Works Agency, Final Report on the WPA Program,1935-1943 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office,1946), 50-52, 131-133.

Source: Public Works Administration, America Builds: The Record of thePWA (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1939), tables 10, 11,13, 19, and 20, 279-82, 288-91.)

Infrastructure Types Amount Projects Potential JobsHighways $27.5 billion Road repair, highway network

links, additional lanes at

congested areas

Data analysts, civil engineers,

financial and technical

monitors, construction and

repair workers

Electric Smart-Grid $11 billion Modernizing the electric grid,

decreasing waste to energy

supply

Electric engineers, operators,

monitors, technicians

Rail Transportation $9.3 billion Support and enhancement of

Amtrak and freight tonnage

Passenger and freight train

employees, utility car

personnel, rail operators

Public Transportation $8.4 billion Installing and updating city mass

transit systems

Bus and subway drivers,

maintenance workers,

dispatchers, fiscal managers

Broadband $7.2 billion Increase access and usage in

unserved and underserved areas

Service employees, monitors,

parts manufacturing

Energy Efficiency & Conservation

Grants

$6.3 billion Support competitive bids for

energy projects

Project managers,

accountants, construction

firms

Local Drinking Water Improvement $6 billion Cleanup and improvement of

drinking water infrastructure

Water engineers, facility

operators, maintenance

workers

Weatherization Assistance Program

(WAP)

$5 billion Upgrading inefficient low-

income homes with in-home

energy improvements

Home auditors, financial

managers, technical WAP

agency personnel

Source: Blumenthal e. al, 2009

ARRA of 2009 Infrastructure Spending

Infrastructure Types Amount Projects Potential JobsFederal Building Repair $4.5 billion Increase green technology to buildings Carpenters, electricians, heating

system contractors, fuel industry

workers

Public Housing Capital Fund $4 billion Improve energy efficiency in aging units

including energy retrofitting and green

investments

Home auditors, building engineers,

weatherization contractors, housing

authority staff

Public Facilities Restoration $3.1 billion Refurbishment of older, inefficient

facilities in public and tribal lands

Construction workers and contractors,

technical monitors, facility personnel

Fossil Energy Research and Development $3.4 billion Scientific analysis for better, cleaner fossil

fuel technology

Data analysts, research firms, colleges,

geologists and energy chemists

Energy Efficiency Research $2.5 billion Scientific analysis and application of

energy efficiency research

Scientists, research firms, business

owners, service installation personnel,

contractors

Abandoned and Foreclosed Home

Redevelopment

$2 billion Refurbishment of abandoned and

foreclosed units in decayed city areas

Home auditors, real estate marketers,

construction workers and contractors

Water & Waste Disposal Facilities $1.38 billion Upgrading facilities with newer equipment

and technology

Water treatment operators, monitors,

maintenance crew

Air Transportation $1.3 billion Developing communications and

equipment for air traffic control

Air traffic control personnel, airport

and airline employees, logistics teams

EPA Cleanup Programs $1.2 billion Enhancement of programs such as

Superfund

Environmental engineers, ecologists,

surveyors, landscapers

(Source: Blumenthal e. al, 2009)