Infrastructure Directory
The cost of construction infrastructure in the United States will rise in 2020, which could be good for the entire construction industry. The Census Bureau released a construction spending report, showing that the 2019 annual estimates ($1,345 billion) for 2020 ($1,369.2 billion) were under-predicted and adjusted to meet financial requirements.
This means there was an overall increase in both the private ($346.5 billion) and public construction sectors ($1022.7 billion). With last year's challenges of rising material costs, loss of labor with specialized construction skills and struggles to implement new technology, infrastructure developments for 2020 look more promising than in the past.
What is an infrastructure project?
Infrastructure projects focus on the development and maintenance of services, facilities and systems. These can be funded by private companies, public or combined as a public-private partnership (a collaboration of government agencies and private sector companies). The private investment can help manage the economic development of a city, state or an entire country.
Despite increases in price costs, the United States' infrastructure is projected to grow to $396 billion by 2020. This will have an overall benefit for 11.2 million construction professionals, keeping them busy late into the year and beyond.
Types of infrastructure projects :
Today's infrastructure construction is not the same as your grandfather's. Building trends emphasize technology and other innovative developments to contribute to our economic growth and well-being. We use and consume products and services related to different types of infrastructure every day when we drive to work, fly on an airplane, go to the toilet and go to the doctor's office. To better understand how they play a role in our lives, here are nine types of infrastructure construction and the major projects that are making headlines.
1. Aviation Infrastructure: Aviation infrastructure projects develop and maintain aircraft and airports. This form of construction is a crucial part of the American transportation system. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funded $840 million in infrastructure grants to 381 airports in the United States. The Next Generation of Air Transportation System (NextGen) project will be one of the most engineering aviation infrastructure construction efforts to date. The aim of the project is to renovate outdated airports and deteriorating runways. LAX broke ground in 2018 with the development of its 2.25-mile Automated People Mover light rail system. The $4.9 billion project includes six terminal stations and is expected to be completed by 2023.
2. Bridge Infrastructure: Bridge infrastructure construction monitors the cost of building and maintaining bridges across the country. This includes heavily trafficked highway bridges that are accessed daily. The American Road and Transmission Builders Association released a report estimated that 54,239 of the bridges in the country have crumbling structures. The report concluded that it will take more than 80 years to restore them all. Groundbreaking in 2016, the Los Angeles Sixth Street Viaduct is being rebuilt. This will cost $1.2 billion and will be the largest bridge infrastructure construction project in the city of Angle to date. While the substructure was completed in 2018, the superstructure will not be accessible until 2021.
3. Power and Energy Infrastructure: The electrical infrastructure oversees projects related to power including; power lines, power grids and innovations in alternative energy. The United States' electricity system is one of the largest in the world, using nearly 160,000 miles of power lines and connecting 145 million people. Infrastructure Energy Alternatives (IEA) increases Nebraska's stake in wind energy with the construction of Milligan 1 Wind Farm. The $98 million projects, due to be completed in November 2020, will use 99 turbines to recharge power grids and send energy to local homes in Nebraska.
4. Railroad Infrastructure: Railroad infrastructure is under the spell of the transportation system of the United States. The sector is responsible for innovating and securing trains, metros and light rail systems. Think of railway layout, steel stocks, bridges and tunnels. The California High-speed Rail Authority is involved in one of the largest railroad construction projects in California, building a light rail system that will connect Los Angeles, Central Valley and San Francisco, California. Construction has begun in Los Angeles County and San Francisco, but the Authority is requesting funds to begin the Central Valley California phase, which will connect Fresno, Bakersfield and Merced. $20.6 billion to $23.3 billion is expected to be invested in the project by 2023.
5. Road infrastructure: The construction of road infrastructure creates new streets and repairs streets, roads and highway systems for public transport. It also oversees the development of transportation projects that provide communities with greater transportation access. Florida's I-4 Ultimate Improvement Project will reconstruct 21 miles of the highway with wider lanes, new express cabs, reconstructed bridges and sidewalks. The I-4 project is expected to create 2,000 jobs and boost the state's economic development. Formerly known as the Orlando Expressway, I-4 runs through the heart of Central Florida, connecting Tampa-St. Petersburg, Lakeland, Orlando and Dayton Beach. The project will cost $2.3 billion and is expected to be completed in 2021.
6. Water infrastructure: Water infrastructure is working to create sustainable water projects to purify water supplies from waste and make it safe to drink. The United Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working with other partners in the water sector to improve water efficiency in every state. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolfe is funding $136 million for the state's water infrastructure. The project will improve drinking water, waste and pollution management and develop new treatment plants in 15 counties across the state.
7. Waste Management: Construction waste management works to improve the environment by storing, handling and eliminating hazardous materials. Sustainable building practices are used to safely reuse water for drinking, improve human health and remove wastewater and solid waste. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a $40 million loan to Toho Water Authority for a sewer assessment and rehabilitation project that will repair the city's waste and sewage systems in Kissimmee, FL. With an estimated cost of $81.9 million, the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) project will create 198 jobs and will be completed in August 2020.
