Bridge to Nowhere?

A top-notch economy requires a top-notch infrastructure. Yet in the U.S., roads are crumbling. In the past 25 years, miles traveled by car or truck have doubled, but total highway length has barely budged–one reason the World Economic Forum ranked American infrastructure a troubling 24th out of 124 nations. “We’re not in the back of the pack, but we used to be in the front, and we’re falling,” says Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, which has released a new report on the issue. (See the report at www.cfr.org/roadtonowhere.) Meanwhile, South Korea, Norway, the U.K. and others are upping their transportation game: China, for example, plans to build 50 new airports by 2015. Here’s how U.S. infrastructure stacks up against those of other developed countries.

U.S. 1.6% of GDP

The world 52.7%

Average amount by which other developed countries outspent the U.S.

INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING

Norway 3.5%* *of GDP

Plans to spend $50 billion to improve its transportation infrastructure by 2019. Priorities include doubling rail-terminal capacity and modernizing maritime traffic centers.

South Korea 3.4%

Introduced high-speed rail in 2004; now 200-m.p.h. bullet trains crisscross the nation, and the government plans to spend $15 billion on upgrades.

Australia 3.1%

Launched a website that lets the public view upcoming projects like a $174 million highway widening in Victoria and a $1 billion rail link in Queensland.

Spain 2.2%

Spent the past 20 years building 43 international airports and the largest high-speed-rail network in Europe. Now rocked by the euro-zone debt crisis, its future projects are in doubt.

U.K. 2.0%

As part of a stimulus package, pledged to spend $47 billion over the next 10 years to finance the construction of roads, railways and other transportation projects.

Canada 1.9%

Invested $3.4 billion in the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative to boost trade by upgrading railway and highway routes to ports that service Asian markets.

66% OF AMERICAN VOTERS SAY FULLY FUNDING TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IS EITHER EXTREMELY (27%) OR VERY (39%) IMPORTANT

71% Say no to new gas taxes

64% SAY NO TO NEW TOLLS $

58% Say no to replacing the gas tax with a mileage fee

*Note: Percentages are based on average spending from 1970 to 2006 and include communications-infrastructure costs.

Sources: Council on Foreign Relations; OECD

FOR MORE STATISTICS, GO TO time.com/infrastructure