The Road That Killed a City

From its one-time status as one of America’s most prosperous cities, Hartford, CT, is now one of the poorest—no thanks to its mid-twentieth-century urban renewal projects.

Freeway Widening for Whomst?

Widening freeways is no way to promote equity.

Corner Liquor Stores vs. Fancy Shopping Malls

Let’s #DoTheMath on some public infrastructure in Providence, RI.

#DotheMath, Top StorySeth ZerenMarch 2, 2022Value Per Acre, #DoTheMath, suburban experiment, Infrastructure, infrastructure, public finance

Sowing Our Roads with Salt Is No Way to Grow Stronger Towns

Because we depend so heavily on cars, what happens when roads become too icy to drive on? The answer: road salt. But there are serious consequences to relying on salt for road-clearing.

We Need to Embrace Traffic Congestion, Not Fight It

We’ve spent trillions fighting congestion so that it’s easy to drive everywhere. But we’re fighting a losing battle, and simultaneously losing our ability to walk anywhere.

#NoNewRoads, #SlowtheCars, Infrastructure, Transportation, Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnFebruary 21, 2022congestion, traffic congestion, traffic engineering, #SlowTheCars, #NoNewRoads, American Jobs Plan, infrastructure spending, Infrastructure, infrastructure, transportation

The Real Reason We Keep Getting Distracted by Transit Boondoggles

When it comes to transit mega project delays and overruns, there are typically two reactions: to trash the project mercilessly or unconditionally back it to the end. But there is a third option.

Infrastructure, Marohn, Transportation, Top StoryCharles MarohnFebruary 14, 2022Infrastructure, infrastructure, megaprojects, Megaprojects, transit, commuting, transportation spending, infrastructure spending, Minnesota, transportation

Alaska and New Infrastructure Funds: We Promise Not to Waste It!

As of November 15, Alaska is flush with federal infrastructure money. How should it be spent?

The Bell Tolls for Thee, Maine...

Many local jurisdictions put off paying the bills for big capital projects. But this month, the bell tolls for Maine.

#DotheMath, #InfrastructureCrisis, Infrastructure, Stange, Transportation, Top StoryJay StangeJanuary 11, 2022highways, highway spending, toll roads, Infrastructure, infrastructure, transportation spending, transportation, #DoTheMath

A Community Forced to Play the Infrastructure Squid Game

Residents of this Houston neighborhood thought they were winning the lottery with a government-sponsored infrastructure project. Instead, they endured a seven-month-long nightmare.

Infrastructure, Local Government, Neighborhoods, Roads and Streets, Maintenance, Top StoryJuan Antonio SortoNovember 30, 2021Infrastructure, streets, neighborhood, Neighborhoods, neighborhood change, Houston, infrastructure maintenance, Hurricanes, hurricane harvey, race, Race

The Infrastructure Bill, Racial Equity, and Local Government: How Should the Money Be Spent?

The $1 trillion infrastructure bill is being signed into law. But who gets to decide how the money will be spent, and will they make the right decisions for communities of color?

ODOT Needs to Stop the I-5 Bridge Con

Next month, the Portland Metro government is being asked to approve $36 million in additional funds for further planning of a massive freeway project. It should say no.

City Observatory, Environment, Infrastructure, Transportation, #NoNewRoads, Top StoryJoe CortrightNovember 12, 2021DOT, Portland OR, Oregon, transportation, transportation spending, highways, highway spending, freeways, freeway widening, City Observatory, Infrastructure

The Infrastructure Bill Has Passed. What Now?

We’re skeptical that the bill will address the real and current infrastructure needs in our cities today—but the good news is, you can. And you can get started right now.

#InfrastructureCrisis, Federal Government, Infrastructure, Taking Action, Top StoryStrong TownsNovember 10, 2021Infrastructure, infrastructure bill, infrastructure maintenance, federal government, federal funding, maintenance, Maintenance, how to, taking action

Sorry, but a $10 Million Sewer System Won't Fix Your Economy

This small town in Maine is hoping to breathe life back into its Main Street…but is looking for solutions in all the wrong places.

#InfrastructureCrisis, Infrastructure, Local Government, Quednau, Top StoryRachel QuednauOctober 26, 2021sewers, public investment, Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure spending, Small Towns, small towns, local government

My Journey from Free Market Ideologue to Strong Towns Advocate, Revisited

I’ve had to reconcile my foundational belief in markets with my experiences working with cities. This has been a painful process.

Marohn, #InfrastructureCrisis, Engineering Profession, Infrastructure, Local Government, Top StoryCharles MarohnOctober 25, 2021Market Urbanism, Local Government Aid, infrastructure cost, Minnesota, small towns, Infrastructure, infrastructure, engineers, engineering profession, local gov

Will We Have an Infrastructure Bill? Who Cares?

We get a lot of questions about a federal infrastructure bill, but at the end of the day…does it really matter?

#InfrastructureCrisis, Federal Government, Marohn, Infrastructure, Top StoryCharles MarohnOctober 4, 2021infrastructure bill, Infrastructure, infrastructure cult, federal government, American Jobs Plan

Freeway-Widening Grifters: Woke-Washing, Fraud, and Incompetence

ODOT has resorted to some truly cheap and deceptive marketing tactics to promote their new freeway-widening project.

CDOT's Proposal for Transit-Induced Pollution

CDOT drafts a rule that intends to address both greenhouse gas emissions and Colorado’s spreading development pattern. But can this kind of top-down solution work?

In Defense of Sticking Around

Building to last is the only thing we can afford to do. The social and environmental costs of disposable buildings are far too high.

Architecture, Infrastructure, Member Post, Top StoryWill McCartneySeptember 22, 2021second life cycle, maintenance, Maintenance, Florida, capitalism, fragility, Tax Code, Infrastructure, architecture

The High Price of Cheap Buildings

By building disposable structures, we are leading ourselves toward a socially, economically, and environmentally ruinous future.

Architecture, Infrastructure, Member Post, Top StoryWill McCartneySeptember 21, 2021second life cycle, maintenance, Maintenance, Florida, capitalism, fragility, Tax Code, Infrastructure, architecture

All Traffic Models Are Wrong

Traffic engineers use projections of future traffic to make recommendations and decisions on transportation investments… The problem is, those projections are all wrong.