The permitting and environmental review system was put into place with the best of intentions but it's a hot mess now. We definitely don't want to set anyone like Robert Moses [0] loose with a bulldozer again but the system in place now makes it difficult and expensive to build anything, even critical infrastructure.
Example: A dredge hit the only bridge to Hatteras Island in 1990, leading to its temporary closure and planned replacement in the early-mid 1990s. Despite the fact that the soon-reopened, damaged span had a safety rating of 4/100, an environmental non-profit was able to delay the opening of its replacement until 2019. [1]
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Moses
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Inlet#Herbert_C._Bonner...
but yes, overall, codes become more complicated and it gets harder to build. the quality is better, but it is slower.
one of my old coworkers started a startup to help people navigate codes faster and understand the specifications, which in of itself can be a hindrance wrt the permitting process (though that's only one part of construction).