Decaying bridges and crumbling roads not only pose safety hazards, but are slowing West Virginia’s economy by delaying daytime commutes, leaving workers in a foul mood before arriving at work, and that hinders production, Rep. Nick Rahall suggested Tuesday.

Flanked by business and labor leaders in Mabscott, the 3rd District congressman called for a major investment to restore America’s infrastructure and create some long-term employment in the process.

Republicans are insisting on a historic, one-third rollback in highway funding in a six-year bill — something that has not occurred since former President Dwight Eisenhower inaugurated the Interstate system back in the 1950s, he said.

Rahall and others spoke on the property of Raleigh Hardware, opened for the press conference by one of the congressman’s longtime friends, Arnold Graybill. Speakers used as a backdrop a bridge overlooking the town just outside Beckley as a constant reference. That span’s deck is rated a No. 4 on a scale of 1 to 9, with the latter number being the best ranking.

And, with inflation haunting the economy, Rahall agreed that the proposed one-third cut by Republicans would be deeper than it looks on paper.

“We’re demanding a robust, six-year investment in America’s future,” Rahall, D-W.Va., said.

“This makes sense. It makes economic sense for the future of our country.”

As the Capitol Hill feuding impedes progress, Rahall said China, India and other foreign nations are outstripping America’s efforts in percentages of their gross products, “spending hands over fist more than we are investing in infrastructure.”

“They’re not waiting to get through the political turmoil of the day,” he said. “They’re speeding full force ahead with investments in their infrastructure.”

Rahall alluded to the Dec. 15, 1967, collapse of the ill-fated Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant, plunging 46 people to their deaths in rush-hour traffic during the Christmas season. Two of the victims were never recovered.

“God forbid it should take it to happen again before Congress gets out of its slumbering stages, if you will, and starts acting on an infrastructure bill,” he said.

“It should not take a major catastrophe to bring this home to America. This horrific and tragic example shows how America’s decaying infrastructure is a disaster waiting to happen.”

Economically, it makes sense as well to get workers on the job to raise the rotting roads and bridges up to standard, Rahall said.

“We know how congestion costs our economy money,” he said.

“Not only big city congestion any more, but small town congestion. We have congestion right here in Beckley. It costs time that workers could otherwise be on the job, producing for our economy. It creates frustration. It creates road rage. It creates a lack of morale, when one gets to work so beat up by fighting traffic that they’re hardly prepared to start the day with a good attitude.”

Rahall said American businesses are losing businesses while the roads and bridges come apart and good-paying jobs are vanishing in the process.

“It’s a deficit-reduction issue,” he said, explaining that more workers translate into more taxes dedicated to lowering debt.

“It’s time for Congress to put behind partisan bickering, the political finger-pointing, the games that are behind played in our nation’s capital today. It’s time for those who have blinders on their eyes to open those visors into the real world of what we can do if we put partisan politics aside and put America to work.”

In a question-and-answer period, Rahall said he would propose a two-year bill at existing levels “if worse comes to worse” to steer the nation through the recession and get into the next administration “and then, at that point, find a better economy.” Congress recently gave highway funding a lease on life through next March.

Rahall said both parties are to blame for the political posturing, but pointed out the GOP leaders proposed the highway cuts.

“They’re the ones in charge,” he said. “They run the House. They’re the ones who can get anything passed they want. They’ve proved that time and time again.”

Rahall said his predecessor on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee — on which he is the ranking Democrat — once called for a $500 billion investment, adding, “and that’s pretty much what we need.”

Gary Zuckett, director of Charleston-based West Virginia-Citizen Action Group, reminded reporters of a survey that ranked West Virginia eighth among the worst bridges in the country, with 2,500 of them considered deficient. That translates into one of every six state bridges in need of repair.

Pointing to the Mabscott overhead behind him, he said the span is “structurally deficient” and needs a facelift so it can safely accommodate the 20,000 vehicles that use it daily.

He said Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., has offered a bill to repair roads and bridges but it would “drastically” open coasts to offshore drilling, impose a new fee on such operations, and divert the proceeds to infrastructure.

“Investing in our infrastructure now would put people to work right away,” Zuckett said.

“How can future revenue from drilling that doesn’t exist yet going to jump-start our economy? We need jobs now, not three years from now.”

Kenny Perdue, state president of the AFL-CIO, said the jobs bill also would bring needed improvements to public education.

“Look at education,” he said.

“They’re selling candy bars to make sure the school system works. Is that what the government wants this city to do? Sell candy bars? Do yard sales? Our children and your children and grandchildren deserve better than that.”

Clyde McKnight, president of the South Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, likewise said he hopes the nation doesn’t witness another bridge catastrophe before it realizes the infrastructure is in an advanced state of disrepair.

“Let’s take the high road,” he said,

“Put our local workers to work. Upgrade our community. Upgrade our state. Upgrade the great country, the United States of America. We want jobs. We’re eager. We’re willing. We want the work. We want the work now.”