Infra Views

Small Cities with Big-City Infrastructure Problems

Monday, April 10th, 2017
Figure 1: Flooding hotspots and proposed reinvestment area in the City of Gloucester, New Jersey. Prepared by SCAPE.

It is apparent that cities across the United States are coping with aging and failing infrastructure systems. What is less apparent is that small cities often face many of the same overwhelming, chronic and costly infrastructure problems as big cities. However, most smaller cities and towns do not have the capacity, expertise or resources to address these challenges. Large cities, like New York and Los Angeles, have entire departments with dedicated budgets to tackle problems with aging water systems and deteriorating roads, for example.

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Freight Railroads & International Trade

Thursday, April 6th, 2017
Freight Rail and International Trade

Globalization has harmed some U.S. workers, and policymakers should work to ameliorate that harm. However, shrinking from America’s central role in international trade would significantly weaken our nation’s economy, our standard of living and our quality of life. Policymakers must not deprive Americans of the tremendous advantages and opportunities brought about by engaging fully in the global economy.

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The Economic Benefits of Investing in Water Infrastructure

Monday, April 3rd, 2017
Figure 1 Regional Distribution of Capital Needs

VALUE OF WATER CAMPAIGN Purpose of the Report The Value of Water Campaign commissioned an economic impact analysis to understand how increasing investments in the nation’s water infrastructure can affect economic growth and employment. The study reviews the projected capital needs of water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities, and estimates the associated economic benefits that would […]

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Driverless Future: A Policy Roadmap for City Leaders

Tuesday, March 28th, 2017
Driverless Future

DRIVERLESS FUTURE was developed by Arcadis, HR&A Advisors and Sam Schwartz to show the significant influence autonomous vehicles and ridesharing can have on our cities. This paper serves as a policy road map for complex issues related to this transportation revolution and its potential impact on equity, public transit, parking, land use and real estate development.

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ACEC’S ENGINEERING INC. — Battery Storage Market Poised for Growth

Wednesday, March 22nd, 2017
Price of Lithium-Ion Batteries (2014–2016)

AMERICAN COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES (ACEC) Written by Gerry Donohue Battery storage is not yet ready for prime time. It is just too expensive. Although it has cost-effective applications in a few niches, such as island grids or locations where technical constraints require a non-wired solution, it doesn’t pencil out for large-scale energy storage. That […]

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Who Rides Public Transportation

Tuesday, March 14th, 2017
APTA - Who Rides Public Transit

AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION (APTA) Top Line Results Key Demographics Age – Of all transit riders, 79% fall into the most economically active age range from 25 to 54. The balance are divided between those younger than 25 (14%) and those in the age range generally thought of as the retirement years, 65 or older. […]

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2017 Infrastructure Report Card

Thursday, March 9th, 2017
2017 Infrastructure Report Card: D+

Our nation is at a crossroads. Deteriorating infrastructure is impeding our ability to compete in the thriving global economy, and improvements are necessary to ensure our country is built for the future. While we have made some progress, reversing the trajectory after decades of underinvestment in our infrastructure requires transformative action from Congress, states, infrastructure owners, and the American people…Our nation’s infrastructure challenges are significant but solvable. Through strategic, sustained investment, bold leadership, comprehensive planning, and careful preparation for the needs of the future, America’s infrastructure will be improved and restored.

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Costs, Regulation, and Financing of Massachusetts Water Infrastructure: Implications for Municipal Budgets

Wednesday, March 8th, 2017
Increase in Precipitation Events

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE OF THE STATE AUDITOR Suzanne M. Bump, State Auditor Executive Summary In Massachusetts, water infrastructure of all kinds—drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems—is primarily a local responsibility. The Division of Local Mandates (DLM) within the Office of the State Auditor (OSA) has undertaken this Municipal Impact Study to examine the financial impact […]

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Pushed Out: Housing Displacement in an Unaffordable Region

Monday, March 6th, 2017
Figure 1: Households Spending More Than 30% of Their Income on Housing, 2000-2015

The idea that people can find a comfortable place to put down community roots for the long term is increasingly precarious. The pressure on poorer residents to leave for more distant areas and make way for people who can afford more has seemingly moved from neighborhood to neighborhood with little slowdown, overcoming recessions, natural disasters, and concerted efforts from government and community organizations alike. There is a common thread in the areas experiencing these pressures: They are walkable areas with good access to jobs and public transit. And they also are the areas where the people most vulnerable to displacement are likely to live.

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Colorado Transportation by the Numbers: Meeting the State’s Need for Safe, Smooth and Efficient Mobility

Friday, March 3rd, 2017
TRIP - COST TO COLORADO MOTORISTS OF DEFICIENT ROADS

Nine years after the nation suffered a significant economic downturn, Colorado’s economy continues to rebound. The rate of economic growth in Colorado, which is greatly impacted by the reliability and condition of the state’s transportation system, has a significant impact on quality of life in the Centennial State.

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InfrastructureUSA: Citizen Dialogue About Civil Infrastructure