‘Pothole Robin Hood’

The infrastructure of the United States is deteriorating, and there are signs that the public is beginning to take notice. I see more and more stories in the mainstream media about the need for infrastructure improvements. My favorite was about a guy in Mississippi who has been called “Pothole Robin Hood.” Instead of stealing from the rich, this doer of good deeds steals asphalt from the city of Jackson, Miss., and uses it to fill potholes. So he’s basically providing volunteer road-repair labor.

After filling each hole, he spray-paints a big note next to it on the street to announce it was “Citizen Fixed.” Perhaps it’s worth putting up with this graffiti in that it draws the public’s attention to the poor state of roadways and the need for a more permanent fix.

The Federal Highway Administration estimates that $170 billion in capital investment would be needed on an annual basis to significantly improve the condition of the nation’s roadways. But Congress’s recent inability to compromise on a farm bill shows that Washington is still reluctant to open its purse strings for large spending bills – even popular ones.

Unless there’s a mass appearance of more merry men like Pothole Robin Hood, increases in infrastructure funding at the state and national level is needed to fix this country’s broken infrastructure.