Instead of doubling down on the unsustainable planning and building practices, the current crisis offers a chance to hit reset, according to this article.
Tony Dutzik writes:
Sports seasons are suspended. Concerts and public gatherings are canceled. Millions of us are cooped up at home trying to stay healthy and stay sane.
But the work of teeing up the next generation of boondoggle highway projects doesn’t stop – not even for a global pandemic.
While some are mobilizing to spend on public health, public transit, or clean energy projects in connection with federal stimulus efforts, others are turning to highway projects, reports Dutzik.
The American Highway Users Alliance and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) recently put out similar requests for emergency relief for state transportation agencies and the reauthorization of the main federal transportation law. AASHTO’s request called for $50 billion in funding to last through the end of fiscal 2021 and a doubling of spending over the next six years in reauthorization of the federal transportation law.
Dtuzik's purpose in the article is to call for a pause on new highway projects and a shift toward maintenance of existing roads and highways. "The global pandemic has forced us all to call 'time out' on all sorts of things that are non-essential. The same principle should apply to activities that are not only not essential, but are actively harmful. Boondoggle highway projects fit the bill."
FULL STORY: Call "time out" on highway boondoggles
Highway Boondoggles Continue as the Pandemic Stresses Budgets at Every Level of Government
U.S. PIRG has released the latest edition of the Highway Boondoggles report, the sixth edition of the report published since 2014.
Interstate 45 Realignment Would Cut Through a Historic Black Neighborhood in Houston
A plan to realign Interstate 45 in Houston has been criticized as a highway boondoggle as well as a failure of racial and social equity, and recent protests have only amplified the latter criticisms of the project.
Road and Highway Construction Plan Expected to Take a $250 Million Hit in Colorado
The Colorado Department of Transportation might be building fewer roads than they had originally planned after the coronavirus recedes. A few projects already underway have been able to speed up.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research