While leasing public roads to private companies for large cash payments might be attractive for some public officials, it doesn't help solve the larger issues facing the country's transportation system.
Robert Puentes, a fellow at Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, argues that the growing trend of privatizing roadways is moving forward without real consideration for the repercussions to government's bottom line and the public at large.
"Governments lose more than they gain. All that up-front cash looks sweet, but the long-term revenue stream is lost since all the toll receipts flow directly to the private operators."
"Governments also lose the option to borrow against those future revenues."
"Far worse, policy-makers lose the ability to connect transportation to other emerging metropolitan trends. Transportation planning is inherently a metropolitan issue - people and goods travel in and out of cities and between suburbs - and removing a piece of the puzzle hampers the ability to deal strategically with the system in an integrated manner."
FULL STORY: Selling Off Public Roads Isn't A Transit Strategy
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
Colorado Bill Would Tie Transportation Funding to TOD
The proposed law would require cities to meet certain housing targets near transit or risk losing access to a key state highway fund.
Dallas Surburb Bans New Airbnbs
Plano’s city council banned all new permits for short-term rentals as concerns about their impacts on housing costs grow.
Divvy Introduces E-Bike Charging Docks
New, circular docks let e-bikes charge at stations, eliminating the need for frequent battery swaps.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
