It’s time to recognize that we can’t maintain the roads we have now, and that continuing down the path of highway expansion is both unaffordable and unnecessary, writes Stu Sirota.
"The recent collapse of the I-5 bridge in Washington State is a stark reminder of the sorry state of our aging highway infrastructure. However, it is also a golden opportunity to begin a dialogue with the American public about a troubling issue that has not been adequately explained or discussed: our national transportation priorities are seriously outdated and are in dire need of reform."
"In short, we are continuing to waste enormous sums of tax dollars each year on the type of highway expansion projects that do little to ease traffic congestion problems over the long term and in fact often exacerbate them. Moreover, the high cost of new highway expansion is robbing us of the ability to restore our nation’s crumbling infrastructure and create a world-class transportation system for the 21st Century."
FULL STORY: Our trillion dollar dirty little secret
Report: Some Rural States Ahead of More Urbanized Ones in Reducing Transportation Emissions
This is a largely unintended consequence of states with lower populations and resources focusing on repairing existing roads and infrastructure rather than expanding and building new roads.
State Transportation Leaders Call for Maintenance Over New Projects
Experts suggest departments facing budget gaps should prioritize basic repairs and maintenance over road-building and highway expansion projects.
Federal Carbon Reduction Funds Could Finance Highway Projects in Texas
Transit advocates say the state’s carbon reduction strategy reveals a continued preference for car-oriented infrastructure.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)