U.S. infrastructure: fallen and it can't get up

Unfortunately for the U.S.'s woeful infrastructure — including transportation sectors like roads, aviation and airports — the “fix” won't be as simple as the “Clapper” from late-night television.

No less a body than the American Society of Civil Engineers says, not mincing words, that the nation's infrastructure sucks. Okay, that's not the word those proper engineers actually use, but in an annual grading of 12 areas of the U.S. transportation system, the ASCE gives an overall grade of D+ — i.e. one step short of completely out-of-order.

The engineers cite recent electricity blackouts in California, overstuffed and outmoded classroom space and crumbling bridges and highways in its harsh grading of how well the U.S. support system works. Grading ranged from a dismal high of C+ for solid waste disposal to a low of D- for schools. Airports rate a D (too kind) and roads actually improved from D- to D+ (civil engineers must not drive much in Michigan).

What'll fix it? A tidy $1.3 trillion, says the ASCE.