What is “Infrastructure”?

what is infrastructure

Pop Quiz: Which of these falls under infrastructure?

  1. A. Roads and bridges
  2. B. Airport Expansion
  3. C. Broadband Internet
  4. D. Sewer Lines
  5. E. School Furnaces and AC
  6. F. All of the above
This video was originally posted by UpNorthNews, as a contribution from AGW’s Kristin Brey. Follow @UpNorthNewsWI on social media.

If you answered all of the above, give yourself a sticker!

It’s is not just a buzzword.

Infrastructure is an umbrella term that encompasses all the structures and facilities we need to operate as a society.

Everything from how we get around safely and efficiently to the upkeep of our public buildings and parks…. to the electricity and internet that we use at home and at work…. to the water that we drink to the sewage water we want to ensure we don’t drink.

While it is easy to equate infrastructure to the Great Lake sized potholes we have here in Wisconsin, infrastructure is much bigger than that.

Types of Infrastructure

Because it has so many facets, we’re going to break it down into the different types of infrastructure.

Soft Infrastructure

This type of infrastructure is composed of organizations that help to maintain the economy. Examples of this include:

Hard Infrastructure

These are the physical, tangible systems within society that make it possible for cities and states to run in the modern era. Examples of this include:

  • Roads & Bridges
  • Highways
  • Capital (like vehicles or oil refineries) that make the previous examples operational

Critical Infrastructure

These are “essential” assets for society to function, as defined by the government. The United States has processes in place, like Homeland Security, to ensure that these

  • Public Housing; provisions for heat and shelter
  • Public Health
  • Agriculture
  • telecommunication efforts
  • Garbage pickup/Sewage needs

Why it matters

There’s a ton more behind infrastructure, but it’s wayyy too much to try to throw at you at once.

Both companies and individuals have the opportunity to fund the process.

And investing in it is a choice that affects everyone’s quality of life and sustainable economic growth for our country, state, and communities.

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