A newly formed steering committee of some of the foremost business voices in Washington announced today they will co-convene Infrastructure Week 2014, a series of events designed to build awareness and educate both the public and policy makers about America’s infrastructure challenges. If such challenges are not rapidly solved in a long-term, strategic way, they will have enormous implications on America’s economic prosperity, jobs, and competitiveness.
Infrastructure Week 2014 will be led by the U.S. Council on Competitiveness, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, and the National Association of Manufacturers. These groups bring unique and powerful perspectives to the ongoing dialogue about the deteriorating condition of our nation’s infrastructure.
Taking place May 12-16, Infrastructure Week 2014 will explore emerging solutions, innovative approaches, and best practices being developed nationwide to modernize aging infrastructure. Daily signature events organized by steering committee members will focus on major infrastructure challenges, including freight and goods movement, passenger transportation, and drinking water and wastewater treatment. The events will focus on the consequences of inaction and the importance of interconnected infrastructure that provides a safe, secure, and competitive climate for business operations nationwide.
The steering committee is also calling for stakeholder groups to hold events during the week to create a “virtual conference.” Together, through Infrastructure Week 2014, organizations will collectively demonstrate that maintaining the status quo on infrastructure is not acceptable and underscore ways to move forward.
