Engineer: N.C. needs some work

The U.S has quit changing the oil of its car.

That was the analogy made Monday by Wayne Klotz, president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, during a talk in downtown Raleigh, Rob Christensen reports.

Earlier this year, the engineers released a reporting giving the U.S. a grade of "D" for keeping up its infrastructure.

"We are simply not spending enough money," Klotz told about 1,000 North Carolina leaders at the Emerging Issues Forum.

Although there are no updated figures on North Carolina, Klotz noted that the engineers gave the state a "C-minus" grade in 2006.

More after the jump.

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He said one in four Tar Heel bridges needed work, 22 percent  of the state’s dams are considered "high hazard." There are more problems with drinking water than the national average.

"You are just like everybody else," he said.

Klotz cautioned that the stimulus package now making its way through Congress will not solve the nation’s aging system of roads, schools, water and sewer lines, dams bridges and other infrastructure.

He said the civil engineers believe there is $2.2 trillion in infrastructure needs during the next five years.

The U.S. is now on course to spend $1.1 trillion from all sources.

Klotz said the $818 billion stimulus package that passed the House includes only $80 billion for infrastructure cost or about 10 percent.