70% of U.S. manufacturers say roads are getting worse

70% of U.S. manufacturers say roads are getting worse

A new survey highlights American manufacturers concerns about deteriorating roads and bridges. Seventy percent say American road infrastructure is in poor to fair shape and needs a great deal or quite a bit of improvement and the roads are getting worse. They believe U.S. infrastructure is not positioned to respond to the competitive demands of a growing economy.

Our outdated roads, ports and inland waterways are in desperate need of repair and continue to add costs and complications as manufacturers move their products to market, says National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) president and CEO Jay Timmons.

The survey was cosponsored by Building Americas Future, which projects that passenger miles traveled will increase 80 percent in the next 30 years. The report notes that the United States is 14th on the World Infrastructure Ranking of the World Economic Forums 2012 Global Competitiveness Index.

More than 60 percent of NAM members say they are potentially willing to pay more in taxes, tolls and fees if they are assured that revenues will go toward specific improvements.