Broadband access should be cornerstone of America's infrastructure vision

Trump's $1 trillion infrastructure goal can create new opportunities in Iowa

Jason Andringa
Iowa View contributor

All across the country this week, business leaders, elected officials and everyday Americans are joining together to mark Infrastructure Week, an annual occasion to take note of the contributions of infrastructure to our economy.

A semi rolls past reshaped earth at the construction site of a new bridge and interchange at the Interstate Highway 35 exit at Cumming in northern Warren County on Nov. 21. The Iowa DOT accomplished about $600 million in work in 2013. 
 Christopher Gannon/Register photos
A semi rolls past reshaped earth at the construction site of a new bridge and interchange at the I-35 exit at Cumming in Warren County on Thursday.  It is part of a multi-year project widening the interstate to 6 lanes south to Iowa Highway 92.   (Christopher Gannon/The Register)  --  des.m1125DOTconstruction - shot by Christopher Gannon/The Register on 11/21/13 in Cumming, IA

Unfortunately, for the past few years, Infrastructure Week has been no cause for celebration, as our economy suffers from billions of dollars’ worth of neglect and needed repairs.

Our representatives in Des Moines have taken proactive steps to address this infrastructure deficit, and now our leaders in Washington have a chance to go even further, and re-establish America’s infrastructure advantage over our global competitors.

President Donald Trump has spoken repeatedly about his desire to invest up to $1 trillion in rebuilding America’s infrastructure. This is a praiseworthy goal that Congress cannot let fall by the wayside.

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Voters agree it is time to act. Poll after poll shows Americans of virtually every political stripe overwhelmingly support investments in our infrastructure. What’s more, those same polls show that infrastructure ranks among their top priorities, eclipsing some of the other issues on lawmakers’ agenda.

That is why our elected leaders in Washington should seize the opportunity to act. A major infrastructure bill this year would reverberate throughout the economy, help manufacturers create jobs and help revitalize our rural communities as well.

An infrastructure bill is about more than just roads and bridges — though repairing and investing in our roadways and critical commerce corridors is certainly laudable. This legislation could also serve as a significant opportunity to expand access to high-speed internet to communities across Iowa and the nation.

Computer racks and equipment powering services provided by Mediacom were on display on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, at the company's master headend facility in Des Moines for an announcement of 1-Gig broadband internet in Iowa.

Expanding broadband access has obvious importance to households where children would enjoy improved availability to learning materials, and their parents, who might be able to more easily find that next, good-paying job to support the family.

There are also broader implications of expanded broadband access for two of Iowa’s largest industries: manufacturing and agriculture. As these industries become more technologically sophisticated, expanding broadband access would be a major economic boon for our state. That is why it is imperative that any infrastructure plan considered and approved by Congress provide for a substantial commitment to broadband.

Consider how many elements of the modern farm — from planters to sprayers to sensors to irrigation systems and beyond — depend on connectivity, and feeding real-time information to agricultural producers. Modern construction and utility equipment also depend on access to high-speed internet to make smarter and more efficient decisions on the job site.

These benefits come on top of the jobs created and work required to build and extend existing high-speed internet networks into every corner of the United States.

We cannot just take $1 trillion of taxpayer money and throw it toward “infrastructure” without a comprehensive vision for where we need to invest as a country. Expanding broadband access to rural communities should serve as a cornerstone for that vision.

If we can make that vision a reality, future versions of Infrastructure Week really will be a cause for celebration.

Jason Andringa

JASON ANDRINGA is president and CEO of the Vermeer Corporation in Pella. He is a member of the board of directors for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers and serves as vice chair of the committee leading its Infrastructure Vision 2050 initiative.