From the Editor: Infrastructure finds its way into the lexicon
Roads, bridges and bypasses, water systems and sewers. It's sexy stuff, yes.
In December, the American Society of Civil Engineers is expected to deliver its report on the state of Maine's infrastructure. The report comes out every four years. In 2012, ASCE gave Maine a C- grade, which believe it or not is slightly better than that of the United States, which earned a D+ grade.
Maine's only grade above a C was in the area of aviation, where it earned a B, based on runway rehabilitation, taxi and apron rehabs and other safety work. Maine's “airport infrastructure is in good condition and has improved modestly,” the 2012 report stated. It was achieved with the help of federal grants. The grade may change in the coming report, which will be made public Nov. 28.
In the past year, with support from U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, Maine's airports have received a healthy influx of federal funding. Each time Collins and King announce federal funds for airports they cite the need for rural airports, which are crucial to Maine's economic development.
With that in mind, Senior Writer James McCarthy visited airports and talked to some of the people with first-hand knowledge of the importance of those upgrades for businesses that depend on Maine's public-use airports.
If you think about it, Maine is uniquely suited to invest in its airports. It's frequently discussed that, for trucking companies, rail and ships — which all depend on keeping shipping containers full going in both directions — Maine is often considered the end of the road. Air freight can mitigate that issue. More than that, company executives can be better connected to their clients both in Maine and out of state.
In much the same regard, correspondent Laurie Schreiber looked into what some companies are doing to alleviate worker shortages, in part by transporting employees from one worksite to another. Blueberry farmers and lobster processors have been doing this for some time, by bus. But Presque Isle-based Smith's Farm, which has growing sites in Maine, Florida and California, may stand apart in that it flies workers from state to state, giving a modern interpretation to the migrant workers of yore.
Back in Portland, the University of Southern Maine is in the process of setting up a Critical Infrastructure Institute. Organizers of the institute saw the tremendous need our country faces in updating its infrastructure, coming in conflict with a limited amount of money to pay for it. The institute hopes to pursue public-private solutions, but it has another purpose as well, grounded in its role in higher education. The institute is designed to develop a workforce to tackle tasks associated with improving our infrastructure.
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