The road taken : the history and future of America's infrastructure / Henry Petroski.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Petroski, Henry, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Roads--Economic aspects--United States--History.

Roads.

Roads--Government policy--United States--History.

Roads--United States--Maintenance and repair--History.

Roads--United States--History.

Interstate Highway System--History.

Interstate Highway System.

Infrastructure (Economics)--United States--History.

Infrastructure (Economics).

History.

Roads--Government policy.

Roads--Economic aspects.

United States--Economic conditions--1945-.

United States.

Economic conditions.

Economic history.

Roads--Maintenance and repair.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

xi, 322 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York, NY, USA : Bloomsbury, 2016.

Summary:

"Physical infrastructure in the United States is crumbling. The American Society of Civil Engineers has, in its latest report, given American roads and bridges a grade of D and C+, respectively, and has described roughly sixty-five thousand bridges in the United States as 'structurally deficient.' This crisis--and one need look no further than the I-35W bridge collapse in Minnesota to see that it is indeed a crisis--shows little sign of abating short of a massive change in attitude amongst politicians and the American public. In The Road Taken, acclaimed historian Henry Petroski explores our core infrastructure from historical and contemporary perspectives and explains how essential their maintenance is to America's economic health. Recounting the long history behind America's highway system, Petroski reveals the genesis of our interstate numbering system (even roads go east-west, odd go north-south), the inspiration behind the center line that has divided roads for decades, and the creation of such taken-for-granted objects as guardrails, stop signs, and traffic lights--all crucial parts of our national and local infrastructure. His history of the rebuilding of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge reveals the complex and challenging interplay between government and industry inherent in the conception, funding, design, and building of major infrastructure projects, while his forensic analysis of the street he lives on--its potholes, gutters, and curbs--will engage homeowners everywhere. A compelling work of history, The Road Taken is also an urgent clarion call aimed at American citizens, politicians, and anyone with a vested interest in our economic well-being. The road we take in the next decade toward rebuilding our aging infrastructure will in large part determine our future national prosperity"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

The road taken : givens, choices, forks, sighs

The road not taken : words, reports, and grades

Roads : dirt, stone, wood, concrete, asphalt

Diverged : transcontinental journeys and interstate dreams

Yellow : center lines, stop signs, traffic lights

Could not travel : earthquakes, envy, and embarrassments

In the undergrowth : elevateds, subways, and engineers

Just as fair : location, location, location

and financing

Perhaps the better claim : iconic, signature, and stunning spans

Because it was : guardrails, medians, and Jersey barriers

Grassy and wanted wear : streets, lawns, speed bumps, potholes

The passing there : sidewalks, curbs, gutters, horses, pavements

Had worn them really : quality, shoddiness, and survivor bias

About the same : good enough bridges and bad enough tools

Lay in leaves : triage, budgets, and choices, again

Trodden black : corruption, graft, waste, fraud, abuse

For another day : trust funds, fuel taxes, and politics

How way leads on to way : economics, wrong turns, and political choices

Ever come back : pedestrians, preservationists, parks

Telling this with a sigh : public-private partnerships : plusses and minuses

Ages and ages hence : smart cars and pothole-free roads.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 285-304) and index.

ISBN:

9781632863607

163286360X

OCLC:

922799424

Publisher Number:

40025733629

Online:

Cover image