There’s a $1 trillion crisis threatening the American way of life as we know it

Nearly two-thirds of Americans would support roadway user fees to help fix the country’s crumbling transportation infrastructure, according to a survey to be published on April 28, 2016 that was seen by Reuters.Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

The network of roads and bridges that connect American suburbs to metropolitan areas are in dire need of repairs.

Increased congestion and a lack of adequate maintenance are causing these structures to break down faster in urban areas than in rural ones and it’s expected that the situation will only get worse if funding for improvements isn’t increased.

In fact, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave the US a D grade for its roads and a C grade for its bridges in its latest report on the state of American infrastructure. What’s more, the US Department of Transportation estimates it could cost as much as $1 trillion just to bring the current Interstate and highways system in the US up to date.

But it’s not just the roads that are falling apart. The railways, dams, and levees are also aging and need a major facelift.

This kind of failing infrastructure threatens not only people’s safety, but also the American economy.

For example, poor roads and bridges mean longer travel times, which translates to higher costs for businesses to produce and distribute their goods. That higher cost is then passed down to the masses.

Here’s a closer look at how dire the state of our infrastructure has become and how it’s impacting Americans.