Stateline.org is running an article titled "State of the Union-Crumbling." It has a lot of interesting numbers, but some misguided analysis.

First the numbers:

• One in four of the country's bridges need significant repair OR are carrying more than their designed traffic.
• One third of major roadways are in a substandard condition.
• Commuters are stuck in traffic jams 4 billion hours each year.
• The cost of fixing these and other problems could cost half the annual federal budget, according to one estimate.

One significant problem is that the money isn't going to the right places:

Recognizing the importance of structures so integral to U.S. commerce and Americans’ well-being and safety, local, state and federal governments already are budgeting nearly two-thirds of the $1.6 trillion needed for infrastructure work. The problem is they raid many of those funds for other purposes ....

That's certainly an on-target criticism, one that could have been made more complete by mentioning earmarks. Yet the same article also dings state and local politicians for not ... can you guess what's coming next? Not raising gas taxes. In a parenthetical paragraph, it notes that federal investigators blamed the collapse on gusset plates. But that's a design flaw from the state of the art 40 years ago--not exactly something that can be blamed on the fact that gas taxes haven't been raised lately.

Meanwhile, sensible alternatives to tax taxes, such as private-public partnerships (leasing toll roads to private companies, for example), are mentioned, but sometimes framed in a negative way. We read that states "continue to barrel down the path of privatization."

Barrel down the path?

Doesn't that sound a little, you know, a reckless driver?

"Help us! Toll roads put your life at risk!"

I'd call "diversion of funds" a greater risk.