How Investments in Infrastructure Can Lead to Jobs

In September of 2009, when the banking crisis was in full swing and the US economy reeling, the unemployment rate rose to an astounding 10 percent, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics Data.  As of September 2012, the unemployment rate was much improved, having dropped to 7.8 percent.  Still, we have a long way to go before we can consider the economy fully recovered. While there are many paths we could take on the road to recovery, I believe that investments in infrastructure projects might be one of the most productive solutions to the employment problems we're facing as a country.  It is also one that would serve us well in terms of long-term economic growth.

When people think of infrastructure projects, they often think of roads and bridges that we as commuters use heading to and from work on a daily basis. While it's true that these projects do help to improve the lives of commuters, fix ruts and other maintenance issues in our roads that can lead to accidents, and reduce the amount of time that we are all stuck in traffic, infrastructure projects have a much larger impact on the economy as a whole.

Consider this: Most products that hit store shelves arrive via delivery trucks. Delivery or freight trucks also move needed parts from suppliers to businesses that use those parts to manufacture finished goods.  Those trucks must also move along the same public roads commuters use, and delays caused by inefficiencies or needed repairs make products all the more expensive to produce, and all the more expensive to purchase. As the U.S. Department of Transportation puts it, a slow, inefficient system of roadways means more driver time spent on the road, which means increased labor costs.  Poor infrastructure also means larger vehicles are needed, and repair and operating costs go up. When transportation costs increase to a level where businesses can’t compete, some may choose to go overseas as a way to reduce overall the costs of production, negatively impacting local suppliers.

Investing in infrastructure is just the right thing to do to keep our economy on track. It means lower costs, and more American jobs.