Conservative news outlets are recirculating a controversial speech made by President Obama in 2007, highlighting his remark that "We don’t need to build more highways out in the suburbs." Brad Plumer looks at the policy implications of his statement.
With the Daily Caller, and several other conservative news outlets, calling attention to Obama's remarks on transportation policy contained in the speech, Plumer discusses the bipartisan arguments supporting the President's brief remarks.
"Many transportation experts, both liberal and conservative, have been
arguing against building more highways out into the suburbs for years.
The idea is that we should generally focus our dollars on fixing and
upgrading existing infrastructure rather than continuing to build
sprawling new roads."
"Yet as president, Obama has pushed his preferred approach only halfheartedly - his American Jobs Act proposal contained
about $50 billion in infrastructure spending, of which a good chunk,
$27 billion, would go toward 'rebuilding roads and bridges.'...More generally, the highway bill that Obama signed didn't do much to shift funding from suburban highways to inner-city transit."
"In any case," concludes Plumer, "this all might be reading too much into what Obama meant
by his line. But there's a strong policy case that we could stand to
build fewer new highways out to the suburbs, at least for the time
being."
FULL STORY: ‘We don’t need to build more highways out in the suburbs’

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie