When it comes to infrastructure projects, “we're not just a bit behind the curve — we're ridiculously, embarrassingly behind the curve,” according to a recent article by Ryan Cooper.

Ryan Cooper asks a simple question without a simple answer: “Spain, a developed market democracy, gets 10 to 20 times as much infrastructure for its money as America does, and it is of much higher quality to boot. Why is this?”
The question of infrastructure spending seems particularly pertinent of late—given all the recent research showing new behaviors in transportation and the environmental threats created by climate change (which are uniquely challenging in New York City or California and everywhere else, for that matter).
Cooper mentions three possibilities—expensive labor, out-of-control private contractors, and a “crap procurement process”—as culprits for the state of infrastructure investment in the country, but also acknowledges “it would be a mistake to focus too much on particular techniques or failures. The reality is that when it comes to cost and quality, America is doing basically everything wrong.”
FULL STORY: Why is it so expensive to build a bridge in America?

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.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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