Posted on Tuesday December 29th by Melissa Lafsky | 632
Yesterday, we brought you numbers 10 through 6 of the top 10 infrastructure stories of the decade. Today, we bring you the top 5. Have your own top stories? Tell us in the comments.
5. Dubai
Can a city that barely existed half a century ago build some of the world’s most incredible infrastructure and then nearly go bankrupt, all in a single decade? Dubai proved it: The answer is a resounding “yes.” From the marvel of the world’s tallest building to the architectural achievement of the Burj Al Arab to the dazzling metro, Dubai threw billions of dollars — and thousands of hours of near-slave labor — into creating a modern oasis of infrastructure. And then watched as the financial crisis sent its tourism and shipping revenues, and property values, spiraling downward. Now Abu Dhabi has agreed to step in and save the flashier emirate from financial disaster — but the extremes of Dubai’s position at the beginning and end of the aughts should be a valuable lesson to any city looking to expand at such a massive rate.
4. Terror in TransportationSeptember 11th, 2001 defined the decade, and ushered in a new chapter in American history and politics. But it was far from the only world-shaking act of terrorism involving transportation. Later came the commuter train bombing in Madrid, and the London Tube bombing, to name a few. While acts of terrorism on mass transport have been commonplace for years in countries like Israel, the aughts saw the terror go mainstream, affecting every industrialized nation. The costs, both tangible and intangible, of the public fear and the security measures that this new reality demands are incalculable, but we do know one thing: Transportation has become a tool for political aggression, and public perceptions and use of it will never be the same.
3. ChinaRarely has the modern world seen it: A newly-industrialized nation building itself into superpower-dom at record-breaking speed. When an explosion in economic growth led to the expansion of the middle class and mass industrialization, China was hit with the unique challenge of creating infrastructure that matched its new status in the world. And they met this challenge head on. There was the ambitious high-speed rail system (which we can only view with envy) and the transformation Beijing for the Olympics, all done at speeds — and prices — that leave most U.S. projects in the dust. But all that success doesn’t come without repercussions: Beijing tore down 10,000 homes for its expanded business district, and projects like the Three Gorges Dam and the deep water port in Shenzhen — which were massively successful in terms of implementation and building speed — displaced millions of people without compensation. Not to mention the environmental implications…
2. The Stimulus Bill and Transportation SpendingAfter the markets crashed in 2008, the federal government responded with a solution, to the tune of $787 billion in government spending. And around $50 billion of it was marked for infrastructure spending, including roads, bridges, and high-speed rail — a move that, according to pundits, is the greatest boost in transportation spending since the Eisenhower administration. Of course, the distribution of all that cash has been fraught with complications — only $185 million for public transit? — and the laments over the politics of bidding, not to mention complaints about unfair distribution of funds (many of them valid) are already rolling in. The story will continue into the new decade, as we (and this blog in particular) watch with baited breath to see if the bill is successful — both in creating jobs/stimulating the economy, and rehabilitating our ailing national infrastructure.
1. Hurricane KatrinaWhile the decade brought its fair share of natural disaster devastation — the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia claimed nearly 300,000 lives — never before had the country, or the world, seen anything like Hurricane Katrina: In a flash, a major U.S. city was brought to its knees, and its population was thrown into chaos. Highways were flooded, bridges collapsed, and highrises were decimated. In the aftermath, the federal and local government responses could only be described as “impotent.” Repercussions, including the slow economic recovery and long-term health effects for those displaced by the storm, are still echoing through the country. The now-infamous levees, every one of which was breached during the storm, became a symbol of the consequences of chronic infrastructure neglect.
This post has been appended.
December 29th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
[...] out how nasty the first ten years of the new millennium have been on the nation’s infrastructure. Infrastructurist.com’s top five stories of the decade include Katrina and Terror in [...]
December 30th, 2009 at 11:43 am
You do know that there is no year 0. Just like there is no January 0. So the first 10 years of the 21st century is from 2001 to 2010, inclusive. 2000 is part of the 20th century.
December 30th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
We’re on this again? I thought I was really smart when I pointed that out ten years ago. I was also fifteen years old at the time. I think by now we all know that 2000 is not technically a part of the 21st century but, really, who cares?
December 30th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
The last list seemed much more positive. This just reminds me that the past 10 years were kinda shitty in the end.
China’s OK, though.
January 2nd, 2010 at 5:56 am
It is not correct that the “2004 tsunami in Thailand claimed nearly 300,000 lives.”
The main impact was not in Thailand at all. The western media gave great prominence to death in Thailand because the main impact on foreign tourists was in Thailand. But by far the greatest cost was in Indonesia — in Aceh, at the tip of Sumatra, almost 170,000 people died (USAID estimates). The next highest death toll was in Sri Lanka, where over 30,000 people died. Next was India, where over 16,000 people lost their lives. The death toll in Thailand was around 8,000 (perhaps 4% of the total death toll). All of these figures are USAID estimates, generally accepted by the international community.
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:28 pm
In response to Lis and Vin, you are both correct. however, a decade is not so rigidly defined as a specific numbered period of ten years — it can refer to practically any period lasting ten years — such as the Great Depression, which is often listed as a decade from 1929 to 1939. as a result, had this been an article on the “first decade of the 21st century,” you would have been justified in your argument. however, as no century was mentioned, it is not incorrect.
January 3rd, 2010 at 12:55 am
Anyone want to take bets on when the China bubble will pop? What? You didn’t think China’s ridiculous growth was actually sustainable did you? China is going to be the great Bubble Burst of the 201X’s.
January 3rd, 2010 at 4:02 am
@Dallas:
Depending on what you mean by China bubble, at least one Chinese bubble has already burst. The Shanghai Composite Index had dropped from over 6,000 in 2007 to below 1,700 at the end of 2008. It is now at just over 3,200.
Or do you mean Chinese economy will collapse one day? Don’t bet on it - it was predicted many times before when China was in much worse shape.
January 3rd, 2010 at 11:50 am
On the one hand, modern bubbles have always been accompanied by massive capital inflows and debt, represented in large trade deficits. China is insulated from that because of its export economy and its capital controls.
On the other hand, every bubble comes together with explanations about how the rules are different this time and the growth is solid. So caveat emptor.
January 4th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Either way China is being very smart by putting in that massive HSR network while times are still pretty good for them.