A year ago, the Brookings Institution offered a series of suggestions to the Obama Administration for addressing infrastructure problems. Some advice was followed, other suggestions weren't. The Institution gives the Administration an A- for 2009.
Robert Puentes and Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institution saw productive moves, but also room for improvement.
"We recommended a range of funding and finance vehicles, such as a national infrastructure bank, to target those infrastructure projects (from road and rails to ports and pipes) that have the highest return on investment. We offered a re-imagined partnership with states and localities and the use of market mechanisms and pricing to deliver better outcomes. To better align these efforts we advocated for better coordination among the myriad agencies that construct, use, maintain and operate under this broad umbrella of "infrastructure."
Without a doubt, the administration had its hands full from the outset. The real concerns about the condition and quality of our infrastructure and the serious funding and financing shortfalls quickly manifested themselves at the same time the president and his team worked to staunch the bleeding from a rapidly deteriorating economy."
FULL STORY: The Status Report: Obama's Plans to Rebuild American Prosperity
Power Plants: A Win for the EPA
New rules from the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants survived an attempt by 25 Republican-led states to block their implementation while their case is litigated.
A Win for ‘Keep it in the Ground’
Coal mining in Wyoming will take a major hit as a result of a U.S. Department of Interior plan to cease future leasing of coal mines in the nation's most productive coal mining basin. The decision casts a spotlight on the presidential election.
Supreme Court Guts the U.S. EPA’s Ability to Limit Carbon Emissions
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.
Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.
Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.
German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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