Similar problems exist for public drinking and wastewater systems, dams and levees, airports, railroads and mass transit systems. How to Make America Great Again, Trump said a large-scale public infrastructure plan could create the biggest economic boom in this country since the New Deal, a series of programs started in the 1930s by President Franklin Roosevelt. A reliable infrastructure system strengthens the nation's economy, enhances public safety and can improve the quality of life. Commerce depends on the safe and efficient shipment of goods via air, rail, water and roads from manufacturers to retailers and homes. A long, slow commute due to inadequate capacity on roads or public transit can put an emotional strain on families. According to a report last year by the Congressional Budget Office, the share of gross domestic product generated by government spending on public transportation and water infrastructure peaked in 1959. In a report earlier this year, the American Society of Civil Engineers projected the U.S.