Figure A
Public investment in infrastructure has never regained its earlier levels: Capital spending on transportation / water infrastructure and broad infrastructure, measured as a share of potential GDP, 1949–2015
| Year | Transport / water infrastructure | Infrastructure, broadly |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 1.8044% | |
| 1950 | 1.7563% | |
| 1951 | 1.7440% | |
| 1952 | 1.7117% | |
| 1953 | 1.7485% | |
| 1954 | 1.9188% | |
| 1955 | 1.9926% | |
| 1956 | 1.3946% | 2.0949% |
| 1957 | 1.4160% | 2.1871% |
| 1958 | 1.5715% | 2.2388% |
| 1959 | 1.7488% | 2.2138% |
| 1960 | 1.6382% | 2.1171% |
| 1961 | 1.6732% | 2.1792% |
| 1962 | 1.6889% | 2.1973% |
| 1963 | 1.7635% | 2.3236% |
| 1964 | 1.7919% | 2.3950% |
| 1965 | 1.7916% | 2.4444% |
| 1966 | 1.7316% | 2.4987% |
| 1967 | 1.6895% | 2.4322% |
| 1968 | 1.5699% | 2.4086% |
| 1969 | 1.4807% | 2.2091% |
| 1970 | 1.3487% | 2.0436% |
| 1971 | 1.3515% | 1.9908% |
| 1972 | 1.3279% | 1.9138% |
| 1973 | 1.1964% | 1.9108% |
| 1974 | 1.0128% | 2.0111% |
| 1975 | 0.9826% | 1.9536% |
| 1976 | 0.9576% | 1.8168% |
| 1977 | 0.8762% | 1.6249% |
| 1978 | 0.8312% | 1.7176% |
| 1979 | 0.8732% | 1.7312% |
| 1980 | 0.8713% | 1.7348% |
| 1981 | 0.7711% | 1.5583% |
| 1982 | 0.6942% | 1.3817% |
| 1983 | 0.6866% | 1.2781% |
| 1984 | 0.7250% | 1.3219% |
| 1985 | 0.8036% | 1.3748% |
| 1986 | 0.8858% | 1.4147% |
| 1987 | 0.9639% | 1.4306% |
| 1988 | 1.0358% | 1.4202% |
| 1989 | 1.0456% | 1.3807% |
| 1990 | 1.0575% | 1.4315% |
| 1991 | 1.0733% | 1.4266% |
| 1992 | 1.0721% | 1.3833% |
| 1993 | 1.0405% | 1.3279% |
| 1994 | 1.0423% | 1.3213% |
| 1995 | 1.0473% | 1.3487% |
| 1996 | 1.0402% | 1.3864% |
| 1997 | 1.0475% | 1.4337% |
| 1998 | 1.0711% | 1.3808% |
| 1999 | 1.1196% | 1.4514% |
| 2000 | 1.1503% | 1.4986% |
| 2001 | 1.1755% | 1.5550% |
| 2002 | 1.2128% | 1.5601% |
| 2003 | 1.2139% | 1.5313% |
| 2004 | 1.1649% | 1.5064% |
| 2005 | 1.0866% | 1.5170% |
| 2006 | 1.0572% | 1.6225% |
| 2007 | 1.0420% | 1.6545% |
| 2008 | 1.0517% | 1.6811% |
| 2009 | 1.0797% | 1.6793% |
| 2010 | 1.1024% | 1.5976% |
| 2011 | 1.0458% | 1.5201% |
| 2012 | 1.0024% | 1.4129% |
| 2013 | 0.9839% | 1.3246% |
| 2014 | 0.9909% | 1.3178% |
| 2015 | 1.3766% |
Notes: The broad infrastructure series includes public investment in hospital and educational structures, highways, sewers, transportation facilities, and conservation and development. Each series is scaled against measures of potential GDP from CBO 2017.
Source: Author’s analysis of data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) fixed asset series (Tables 5.9.5A and 5.9.5B) and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO 2015)
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