"SR-167 carries the weight of the region on its shoulders," wrote Brian Weisbaum, CASE Construction Equipment's project manager for the Dire Straits program, an initiative to showcase the deteriorating condition of America's infrastructure.

"America’s infrastructure problem is about more than just roads. It’s about everything that travels on those roads, how efficiently it gets there and the economic vitality of the communities along the way. The relationships between commerce, trade and highways is evident in the case of SR-167. Congestion, inefficient travel routes and forcing haulers to navigate surface streets have caused some businesses to look elsewhere."

CASE highlights SR-167 as a case study for the need to invest more in our nation's highways, railways and other transportation corridors, not just in support of short-term construction jobs, but also to sustain the long-term competitiveness of the country.

"We know what's going on [in Canada] as far as their transportation system," says Paul Munro, western sales manager for Flatiron, a heavy civil contractor, in the article. "With subsidized railroads and their work on their port up there-- we are going to wind up losing big. Failure to pass [the statewide transportation package] has dire long-term consequences for the Seattle-are market, for all goods, as we compete on the world stage."

Tom Zamzow, area manager for engineering and construction firm Parsons, summed it up best: "That’s the long-term benefit for not only us, but for our grandkids."

Check out CASE's website to read the full article and learn more about the Dire Straits initiative.