Infra Views

What do the experts think? This is where the nation’s public policy organizations, trade associations and think tanks weigh in with analysis on Infra issues.

JORDAN RIVER BASIN: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

UTAH DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES
In order to meet all the future water demands in the Jordan River Basin, cooperative efforts will be needed to more fully and efficiently use existing water supplies. State and local leaders must work closely with water
suppliers in the Basin to continue to promote aggressive water conservation measures and additional innovative water management technologies. While this effort may delay the need for costly new water developments, these measures alone will not satisfy all future needs. The proposed Bear River Development Project will ultimately be needed. Exactly when this project will be constructed depends upon actual population growth as well as the ability of water conservation and other strategies to reduce water demand and the agreements within the basin to share resources.

View this complete Infra Views post...

Chicago-St. Louis 220-mph trains would create more than 40,000 jobs, reduce harmful CO2 emissions by nearly 200 million pounds: new study

Monday, March 8th, 2010

MIDWEST HIGH-SPEED RAIL ASSOCIATION
CHICAGO, Ill. – Proposed 220-mph high speed rail to cut the Chicago-St. Louis trip to less than two hours would also provide a major boost to the economy and efforts to reduce harmful emissions

View this complete Infra Views post...

U.S. Parking Policies: An Overview of Management Strategies

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

INSTITUTE FOR TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY
The relationships between parking infrastructure and transportation choices are as important as that between road infrastructure and transportation choices. Yet research on roads abounds while there is very little on parking.

View this complete Infra Views post...

Scenarios for a National Broadband Policy

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

THE ASPEN INSTITUTE
Already, a burgeoning array of software applications, computing functions and mobile devices are exploiting the high-speed, high-volume “pipes.” Diverse sectors of the economy and society are likely to become highly dependent on broadband services…Congress has appropriated more than $7 billion in the federal economic stimulus program for broadband development, leading many people to wonder how exactly this money will be spent.

View this complete Infra Views post...

The Case for an Infrastructure-Led Jobs and Growth Strategy

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION
Rather than go from one negligible jobs bill to the next, the administration and Congress should, as the governors suggest, map out a multi-year plan of infrastructure investment and make it the centerpiece of an ongoing economic recovery program.

View this complete Infra Views post...

The Route to Reform: Blueprint for a 21st Century Federal Transportation Program

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

…America stands in desperate need of a new vision for our national transportation system. Just as the Interstate highway bill answered some of the most pressing mobility needs of the rapidly growing nation in the mid-20th century, a new federal surface transportation bill must answer the vastly different needs of America in the 21st century. The next transportation program must set about the urgent task of repairing and maintaining our existing transportation assets, building a more well-rounded transportation network, and making our current system work more efficiently and safely to create complete and healthy communities…

View this complete Infra Views post...

Assessing the Benefits of Levees: An Economic Assessment of U.S. Counties with Levees

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

LEVEES.ORG
The recent list of U.S. Counties with levee protection obtained by Levees.org provides an opportunity to examine the economic benefits associated with levees. Compiled by FEMA from a National Flood Insurance Program database, this list includes 881 U.S. counties that have flood protection levees. As coastal Louisiana faced recovery from devastating flooding, the nation questioned the wisdom of massive public investment in levees and other flood risk reduction infrastructure. This question reflected a long running debate regarding human settlement in floodplains that have been modified by levees and related flood reduction structures. Now we have the data needed to more thoroughly assess the economic benefits of using levees and other structures to protect populations that reside and work in floodplains.

View this complete Infra Views post...

The Public Works

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

URBAN OMNIBUS
Yes indeed, today in America we know that something is wrong, and we would like things to be better. Certainly the design disciplines have been energetic in engaging the converging crises of energy, housing, infrastructure, environment, climate change…

View this complete Infra Views post...

Healthy, Equitable Transportation Policy: Recommendations and Research

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

POLICYLINK
In St. Louis, MO, major cuts in bus service this spring left workers, students, disabled people, and elderly residents stranded and feeling bereft. Stuart and Dianne Falk, who are both in wheelchairs, told CNN they no longer would be able to get to the gym or the downtown theater company where they volunteer. “To be saddled, to be imprisoned, that is what it is going to feeling like,” Stuart Falk said…

View this complete Infra Views post...

AWEA YEAR END 2009 MARKET REPORT

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

The U.S. wind industry broke all previous records by installing close to 10,000 megawatts of new generating capacity in 2009 thanks to Recovery Act incentives. The total installed capacity in the U.S. is now over 35,000 MW. In 2009, 38 manufacturing facilities were brought online, announced or expanded…

View this complete Infra Views post...

Receive Infra Update, our email newsletter.

Show us your infra! Show us your infra!

Video, stills and tales. Share images of the Infra in your community that demands attention. Post your ideas about national Infra issues. Go ahead. Show Us Your Infra!  Upload and instantly share your message.

Polls Polls

Is the administration moving fast enough on Infra issues? Are Americans prepared to pay more taxes for repairs? Should job creation be the guiding determination? Vote now!

Views

What do the experts think? This is where the nation's public policy organizations, trade associations and think tanks weigh in with analysis on Infra issues. Tell them what you think.  Ask questions.  Share a different view.

Blog

The Infra Blog offers cutting edge perspective on a broad spectrum of Infra topics. Frequent updates and provocative posts highlight hot button topics -- essential ingredients of a national Infra dialogue.