The executive director of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) released a statement saying the profession is willing to participate in the president elect's ambitious infrastructure plan.
Dan Howarth reports for Dezeen: "The American Institute of Architects will work with US president-elect Donald Trump to improve the country's infrastructure, says the organisation's chief Robert Ivy."
Ivy's words are found in a statement released shortly after the election earlier this week. "The AIA and its 89,000 members are committed to working with president-elect Trump to address the issues our country faces, particularly strengthening the nation's ageing infrastructure," says Ivy in the statement. Ivy also added the following words about the kinds of infrastructure the organization hopes President-elect Trump will build as part of an infrastructure plan that evolved in the final weeks and days o the campaign: "We stand ready to work with him and with the incoming 115th Congress to ensure that investments in schools, hospitals and other public infrastructure continue to be a major priority."
In an opinion piece also published in Dezeen, Aaron Betsky expresses doubt that Trump will be able to deliver the kinds of improvements the nation's infrastructure needs: "Neither Trump nor Clinton has shown any interest in the kind of transformative technologies that could help us leapfrog out of, rather than solve, our infrastructure problems more than her husband or his successors did." Trump's America's Infrastructure First" policy, argues Betsky, "wants to fast-track pipelines and coal export facilities. And, of course, he wants to get rid of regulations," and "[h]ow he will do this and how he will pay for it is completely unclear."
Trump's transition team also indicates his infrastructure plans might not hold to the AIA's ideas about the kinds of investments the new administration will make. In a separate article, Eric Lipton details the roster of lobbyists aiding the Trump transition team, including Michael Catanzaro, a lobbyist whose clients include "a who’s who of major corporate players — such as the Hess Corporation and Devon Energy — that have tried to challenge the Obama administration’s environmental and energy policies on issues such as how much methane gas can be released at oil and gas drilling sites, lobbying disclosure reports show."
Lipton also notes the role of Martin Whitmer, "who is overseeing 'transportation and infrastructure' for the Trump transition. He is the chairman of a Washington law firm whose lobbying clients include the Association of American Railroads and the National Asphalt Pavement Association."
FULL STORY: American architects pledge to work with Donald Trump
The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall
The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.
The Paradox of American Housing
How the tension between housing as an asset and as an essential good keeps the supply inadequate and costs high.
Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities
The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.
Anchorage Leaders Debate Zoning Reform Plan
Last year, the city produced the fewest new housing units in a decade.
How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities
Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.
Colorado Town Fills Workforce Housing Need With ‘Dorm-Style’ Housing
Median rent in Steamboat Springs is $4,000 per month.
City of Yakima
City of Auburn
Baylands Development Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.