Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has been one of the loudest voices championing the importance of infrastructure investment in recent years. In this interview, he talks about where things are heading and what work remains.
Journalist Matt Dellinger talks with Rendell about the future of transportation and infrastructure now that he's leaving office.
"Dellinger: It does seems like the funding part of things is what's holding up the re-authorization bill. Earlier we interviewed former Secretary Mary Peters, who of course under Bush was championing things like tolling interstates and privatization-
Rendell: I'm for both of those. I think we need to put every arrow in our quiver, and tolling interstates is a must. The federal government's got to remove the ban on tolling interstates and give the states the capacity to do that. I'll give you a perfect example. We're spending 90 million dollars a year to repair I-80. We had planned to toll it and up our spending to $200 million a year, which it really needs. It's a free passageway from the Atlantic Coast to the Midwest and we're just not going to be able to keep up. So tolling interstates is one way, is one arrow in the quiver.
Privatization and getting private dollars, through an infrastructure bank, invested into infrastructure, is another way."
FULL STORY: Governor Rendell on Transportation’s Future, and His Own
Wyoming Legislation Would Add Tolls to Interstate 80
A new bill would grant the Wyoming Transportation Commission the authority to impose tolls on all lanes of over 400 miles of I-80 to fund infrastructure needs on the roadway.
High Cost of Maintenance Prompts Wyoming Legislators to Consider Tolling I-80
Over the objections of the oil and trucking industries, an interim committee voted to allow the Wyoming legislature to determine whether to toll all lanes on Interstate 80 due to a shortfall in the state transportation budget.
Minnesota Gubernatorial Candidate Campaigned on Increasing the Gas Tax and Wins
Democratic candidate Tim Walz was not shy about his intention to hike the gas tax to pay for improvements for roads and public transit, and he was predictably slammed by his Republican opponent. Similar scenarios played out in Wisconsin and Michigan.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.
US Senate Reverses California EV Mandate
The state planned to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, a goal some carmakers deemed impossible to meet.
Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency
The National Geodetic Survey maintains and updates critical spatial reference systems used extensively in both the public and private sectors.
Washington Passes First US ‘Shared Streets’ Law
Cities will be allowed to lower speed limits to 10 miles per hour and prioritize pedestrians on certain streets.
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.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions