--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Roads do not upgrade or maintain…" description: "\"Roads do not upgrade or maintain themselves. Bridges do not repair themselves or rebuild themselves.\" — Martin O'Malley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/martin-o-malley-2555_bridges_roads-do-not-upgrade-or-maintain-themsel_2212271.png" --- # Roads do not upgrade or maintain themselves. Bridges do… ![“Roads do not upgrade or maintain themselves. Bridges do not repair themselves or rebuild themselves.” quote by Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/martin-o-malley-2555_bridges_roads-do-not-upgrade-or-maintain-themsel_2212271.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/martin-o-malley-2555_bridges_roads-do-not-upgrade-or-maintain-themsel_2212271.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/martin-o-malley-2555_bridges_roads-do-not-upgrade-or-maintain-themsel_2212271.png) > “Roads do not upgrade or maintain themselves. Bridges do not repair themselves or rebuild themselves.” [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Infrastructure requires active maintenance; neglect leads to decay and failure. **In simple terms:** Things need upkeep to work. Key Takeaway Invest in regular repairs. Themes infrastructure maintenance responsibility Mood concerned pragmatic Type policy advocacy When to use this quote - city planning - budget allocation - public works - community safety Key Concepts public policy systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can we prioritize maintenance funding? - What are the costs of delayed repairs? A Different Perspective Neglect can cause catastrophic failures despite best intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) ## Related quotes > [At a time when we have much work to do to address our Nation's critical infrastructure, and, as I said, which is currently in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-coble/at-a-time-when-we-have-much-work-to-do-to-address-our-nation-s/) [Howard Coble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-coble/) > [As digital equipment replaces the jobs of routine workers and lower-level professionals, technicians are needed to install, monitor, repair, test, and upgrade all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/as-digital-equipment-replaces-the-jobs-of-routine-workers-and-lower/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [“Even the things that look broken beyond repair have a chance at being whole again. 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Nowhere is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/i-was-motivated-to-go-into-public-life-because-of-the-great-chasm/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [There are times in Annapolis when a governor's support can move an issue over the goal line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/there-are-times-in-annapolis-when-a-governor-s-support-can-move-an/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [We can't expect Wall Street to police itself - that's why we have a federal government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/we-can-t-expect-wall-street-to-police-itself-that-s-why-we-have-a/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [Our story, Maryland's story, is the story of better choices and better results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/our-story-maryland-s-story-is-the-story-of-better-choices-and-better/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [Donald Trump is a racist. Donald Trump in fact is making fascist appeals. That's why many self-respecting Republicans are not supporting Donald Trump for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/donald-trump-is-a-racist-donald-trump-in-fact-is-making-fascist/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [Democrats haven't been functioning effectively as a party at the national level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/democrats-haven-t-been-functioning-effectively-as-a-party-at-the/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [I have 15 years of executive experience as a big-city mayor and as a governor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/i-have-15-years-of-executive-experience-as-a-big-city-mayor-and-as-a/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [We can never completely prevent another tragedy like the Boston Marathon attacks from happening. But every American should ask themselves if their community is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/we-can-never-completely-prevent-another-tragedy-like-the-boston/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [There is no reason that billionaires should crowd us out from our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/there-is-no-reason-that-billionaires-should-crowd-us-out-from-our/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [We have now under President Obama's leadership had 29 months in a row of private sector job growth. That stretch of positive private sector…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/we-have-now-under-president-obama-s-leadership-had-29-months-in-a-row/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [Some people might look at Baltimore, from afar, and see nothing but hopelessness. I see, in Baltimore, tremendously good and compassionate people, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/some-people-might-look-at-baltimore-from-afar-and-see-nothing-but/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [Progress is a choice. Job creation is a choice. Whether we give our children a future of more or a future of less -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/progress-is-a-choice-job-creation-is-a-choice-whether-we-give-our/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [Oh, you know what, it's an honor to be mentioned in the company of those that might lead our country forward after President Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/oh-you-know-what-it-s-an-honor-to-be-mentioned-in-the-company-of/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) [Explore all 161 Martin O'Malley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) ## More Bridges quotes > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [In my rear view mirror the sun is going down sinking behind bridges in the road and I think of all the good things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/in-my-rear-view-mirror-the-sun-is-going-down-sinking-behind-bridges/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [My first big mistake was made when, in a moment of weakness, I consented to learn the game; for a man who can frankly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/my-first-big-mistake-was-made-when-in-a-moment-of-weakness-i/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you walk, try to think nothing! You can then obtain the silence of a streetlight or a bridge; stop thinking; after that, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/when-you-walk-try-to-think-nothing-you-can-then-obtain-the-silence-of/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [By the time they were pulling into the parking lot of the A&P, the mood was fading, the moment gone. Amy could feel it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/by-the-time-they-were-pulling-into-the-parking-lot-of-the-a-p-the/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [Al Pacino and Jeff Bridges do it for me in a big way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-scanlon/al-pacino-and-jeff-bridges-do-it-for-me-in-a-big-way/) [Angela Scanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-scanlon/) > [Instead of building castles against your enemies, build bridges for them to come to you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/instead-of-building-castles-against-your-enemies-build-bridges-for/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Instead of finding himself in nerd heaven—where every nerd gets fifty-eight virgins to role-play with—he woke up in Robert Wood Johnson with two broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/instead-of-finding-himself-in-nerd-heaven-where-every-nerd-gets-fifty/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Each person is an island unto himself, in a very real sense; and he can only build bridges to other islands if he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/each-person-is-an-island-unto-himself-in-a-very-real-sense-and-he-can/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [The real test of a bridge player isn’t in keeping out of trouble, but in escaping once he’s in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-sheinwold/the-real-test-of-a-bridge-player-isn-t-in-keeping-out-of-trouble-but/) [Alfred Sheinwold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-sheinwold/) > [The law ... allows rich as well as poor to sleep under bridges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-law-allows-rich-as-well-as-poor-to-sleep-under-bridges/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [Guys like Todd Bridges never overcame being a child star. You can't have any big failures. I've always felt regular. I played organized ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bow-wow/guys-like-todd-bridges-never-overcame-being-a-child-star-you-can-t/) [Bow Wow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bow-wow/) [Browse all 1,521 Bridges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Roads do not upgrade or maintain themselves. 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