Neal Peirce looks at new ideas for financing roadway improvements, including leasing toll roads to private companies and on-board computer monitoring of actual road use.
"Global finance firms are salivating over the prospect of long-term revenue streams from toll-road deals. Forty-eight firms have submitted 'expressions of interest' in the Pennsylvania Turnpike, reports transportation expert C. Kenneth Orski."
"So critics are clearly right in asking: Are the leases a good deal? The long-term proceeds of the Indiana Toll Road lease to its investors, according to one independent analysis, could run as high as $11.83 billion, not a bad return on their upfront $3.85 billion."
"One thing's certain - the voters are turning highly suspicious. Take the case of Indiana's [Gov. Mitch] Daniels. He's been obliged to abandon his high-powered campaign for yet another toll road - a new privately built, $1.5 billion, 75-mile roadway plowing through rural territory south and east of Indianapolis."
"Opponents also claim it's a bad idea to lease roads to private firms whose interest is their own profits - not serving the public interest. Private firms, they allege, will 'cherry pick' profitable routes, leaving government to support other roads. Truly smart governments, they contend, could raise just as much money as private concession leases."
"But can we do better in this century than a patchwork of road funding and repair fixes?"
FULL STORY: Paving the way for smarter roads
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises
Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.
Brightline West Breaks Ground
The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.
Colorado Bans No-Fault Evictions
In most cases, landlords must provide a just cause for evicting tenants.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.