Schwarzenegger and Pals: Our Infrastructure Is Embarrassing

Arnold Schwarzenneger, Ed Rendell, and Michael Bloomberg teamed up on an op-ed piece in Politico today, arguing that the nation needs to invest heavily in transportation. “Our nation’s infrastructure has been neglected for too long,” the trio writes. They tout the many construction projects and state-of-the-art high-speed trains Schwarzenneger saw on his trip to Europe, then lament, “Here in America we have nothing like that. We continue to rely on the antiquated infrastructure our parents’ generation built.”

To improve that, the group supports the six-year transportation bill Congress is expected to tackle next year, which could cost upwards of $500 billion. “The issue is not about increased spending,” they say, “it is about making tough choices that could maximize economic return.” They also think states should have to compete for the money by crafting innovative, employment-boosting proposals—such competitions have already proved effective in smaller education and transportation measures. “Money talks—and states and cities listen.” (More transportation stories.)