Much has been written recently of the overwhelming crisis that the United States faces in deteriorated and outdated infrastructure. America's streets and sewers are falling apart faster than we can afford to replace them. No where is this truer than here in Council Bluffs. Look at the numbers in the simplest of terms. Streets and sewers do not last forever.
Infrastructure wears out from use, abuse and the forces of nature.
Typically, a street could be expected to last around 30 years and a sewer about 60 years with proper maintenance. This would allow a constant expenditure each year for improvements. In Council Bluffs' case, the City has around 300 miles of streets and 225 miles of sanitary sewer. However, the infrastructure crisis must be factored in. That is, the City, just like the rest of the country, has a huge backlog of problem streets and sewers.