That was before broken power lines, toppled poles and exploding transformers threw millions of East Coast residents into the dark, with washed-out roads, flooded subways and collapsed bridges adding to the misery.
While even the newest and sturdiest power lines, bridges and roads may not have stood up to the force of superstorm Sandy, the disaster highlights an issue that has received little attention during this election season: the parlous state of America's infrastructure.
The American Society of Civil Engineers gave an overall grade of D to the nation's infrastructure in 2009, ranging from a D-minus for roads, waterways and levees, to D-plus for energy transmission and C for bridges. Bringing those grades up to a more acceptable level requires a five-year investment of $2.2tr.
