ACEC Statement in Response to Amtrak Incident

Statement by David A. Raymond, president/CEO of the American Council of Engineering Companies In response to the Amtrak Train Derailment in Philadelphia:

A Dangerous Gamble With America’s Infrastructure Crisis

As we express our deepest condolences and sympathy to the victims and their families of Tuesday’s catastrophic Amtrak train derailment, the tragedy serves as yet another reminder of the consequences we face when critical infrastructure fails. While we don’t yet know the exact cause, we unfortunately see thousands of examples each year in which obsolete infrastructure puts lives and property at risk – from bridge collapses, to pipeline explosions, to breached levees.  While the need for robust investment in infrastructure has never been more obvious, Congress continues to play a dangerous gamble in its response, putting off again and again the hard decisions that need to be made.  At a time when Congress is actually contemplating cuts to Amtrak, and is failing to address larger funding needs to upgrade the nation’s roads, bridges, airports and water systems, we all need to recognize that the nation’s infrastructure is at a crisis point and must be dealt with seriously.