Example Of Essay On Actions Of Civil Engineers To Solve The Identified Deficiencies

Summary of Report Card for Maryland’s Infrastructure

The major focus of this report is directed towards Maryland’s infrastructure, specifically: Storm water infrastructure, bridges, dams, roads and other transit structures. Additionally, the report focuses Baltimore’s wastewater infrastructure as well as its metropolitan’s drinking water. This report card is compiled in an informative nature, basically highlighting and explaining the results of an assessment that was undertaken on selected categories of infrastructure. It also indicates the need for improvement on the selected infrastructure. The major challenges indicated as facing the selected infrastructure are inclusive of: Deterioration of dams due to aging, main failures of massive water structures, increased congestion on Maryland’s roads, failures on transit lines as well as current liabilities on existing dams. Consequently, the report explicates actions that may be taken by stakeholders ranging from government to civil engineers to solve the identified challenges.

The report provides five major recommendations that could be implemented by not only the local government, but also civil engineers to improve the identified challenges. One of the recommendations provided in the report is to address funding issues in relation to development of infrastructure. The capital significance of Maryland’s infrastructure is emphasized in the report, thus creating a need to allocate adequate financial resources towards their development.
Moreover, the report asserts that Civil Engineers could engage in creating and broadening awareness in relation to the condition of the current state of Maryland’s infrastructure among stakeholders concerned. This would ensure that decision makers and development stakeholders formulate policies and provide funding that would facilitate the development of infrastructural issues identified. On the other hand, Maryland’s Civil Engineers are also encouraged to formulate regional and state infrastructural frameworks and plans that will lead to development of infrastructures that complement the needs of the state. Engineers can also promote resilience and sustainability in infrastructural development in order to improve their capacity to withstand natural hazards and harsh environmental conditions. Consequently, they are also encouraged to address life cycle costs and maintenance practices that would ensure that infrastructure do not only meet the needs of current generation, but also future generation.

Work Cited

American Society of Civil Engineers. 2011 Report Card for Maryland's Infrastructure. Annapolis: ASCE, 2011. Print.