The shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline by a Russian-backed hacker organization called DarkSide is a reminder of why protecting and improving our national infrastructure matters so much.

Even as the pipeline restarted on Thursday, many people along the route of the pipeline, which includes places such as Atlanta; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Washington, D.C., have felt the effects of the closure, with rising gas prices and empty pumps at stations. While the shortage has been due to the panic-buying rather than actual shortages, this incident has highlighted the importance of infrastructure improvements.