A few things to know this week: March 5, 2021
This week’s things to know:
Pete Buttigieg Embraces a 'Fix It First' Approach (CityLab)
Have I mentioned I'm a fan of Pete Buttigieg? In this interview, he demonstrates his thorough understanding of the infrastructure situation we face both locally and nationally, including the growing backlog of maintenance, the need to invest in public transit and cycling infrastructure, and our past tendencies to prioritize big shiny projects. Under his leadership at the DOT, expect to see a focus on #FixItFirst (maintenance), maximizing return on investment of any new projects, and a commitment to allowing local officials to determine the best way to use the funding (as opposed to top-down directives). Sounds a lot like the approach that Verdunity's been advocating for! Check out the full 10 minute interview here. -Kevin
Bad Bets (StrongTowns)
Becoming a homeowner has given me some new perspective on what a resilient city looks like. We take for granted that we can have light and heat by flipping a switch, or water by turning a faucet. Yet, a few weeks ago, those things were taken away as a serious storm took away the electricity of Texans, and water in my own city of Shreveport. In this podcast, Chuck takes his audience 'down the pyramid' to our most basic physiological needs - water, warmth, and shelter. If a city can't provide these basic needs, then all the efforts for a 'vibrant community', 'smart city', or whatever else is in vain. Most, if not all, of our cities have neglected the basics in favor of 'bad bets' that lead to less resilient places, which is often exposed in our greatest time of need. Moving forward, while I love that my city fulfills some of my own psychological needs, I'll prioritize the basic needs of warmth, water, and shelter for all residents as the first goal of a resilient city. -Tim
Future proofing infrastructure often means going back to the basics (McKinsey)
Infrastructure funding is once again a priority topic in D.C. I'm encouraged that the discussion this time around appears to be more holistic in that policymakers are considering things other than just moving cars - things like financial and environmental resilience, equity, access, affordable housing, success of small businesses, and the oh-so-important link between land use and transportation. In this article, McKinsey suggests five steps that can help prioritize projects to not only meet the greatest needs but also build resilience. It's a solid list, and if you've done work with us before, you'll recognize a lot of similarities between their recommendations and our approach. -Kevin
Paris get rid 70,000 parking spaces (ITSInternational)
Paris has been a center for progressive city planning in recent years lead by a Mayor that is inspired by opportunities that present a community when cars are no longer relied upon to interact with its greatest assets and attractions. Parking in this context primarily accounts for street parking spaces that will be repurposed for more multi-purpose functions and transportation options that will, as she said in her election victory speech, "let Paris breathe" Big cities like this taking actions like these into practice could serve to be a catalyst for smaller communities to re-evaluate their networks and reinvest in infrastructure that can serve them best. -Ryan
Road work ahead: The emerging revolution in the road construction industry (McKinsey)
I'm on an infrastructure kick this week, so here's one more. We're spending most of our team's time on the infrastructure liability/land use nexus right now because we think the first step to getting our cities more financially resilient is improving the value capture of existing development and service areas. Alongside that though are efforts to reduce the cost of building and maintaining roads. This article highlights the emerging (and long overdue) revolution in the road construction industry. I've reached out to the authors of this article about being a guest on our podcast. Stay tuned! -Kevin
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