Brazil has announced an expansive and ambitious plan to update its crumbling infrastructure. But some critics say the proposal is not feasible.
"The precarious state of Brazil's infrastructure is drawing renewed attention thanks to a multibillion-dollar government plan to help fix it. No one argues that work needs to be done. But the discussion in Brazil is whether the government's Growth Acceleration Project, or PAC in its Portuguese acronym, is enough. Many are skeptical."
"President Luiz Inàcio Lula da Silva announced the PAC in January and described it as "the most perfect development project ever done in this republic." It envisages spending approximately $252 billion over four years: $29 billion on transport, $138 billion on energy, and $85 billion on other infrastructure projects."
"Of that transport spending, $4 billion will go to railways, $1.4 billion is earmarked for ports, and about $1.5 billion is for airports. The largest portion, $17 billion, will go toward building and fixing roads, and another $5.3 billion has been set aside for the merchant navy. The money is to come from both public and private investment."
FULL STORY: Brazil: Too many bumps in the roads?
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
EV Infrastructure Booming in Suburbs, Cities Lag Behind
A lack of access to charging infrastructure is holding back EV adoption in many US cities.
Seattle Road Safety Advocates Say Transportation Levy Perpetuates Car-Centric Status Quo
Critics of a proposed $1.3 billion transportation levy say the package isn’t enough to keep up with inflation and rising costs and fails to support a shift away from car-oriented infrastructure.
Appeals Court: California Emissions Standards Upheld
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, the nation's two most powerful environmental regulatory agencies, won an important round in federal court last week. But the emissions standards battle may not be over.
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
