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

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.

Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution
Expanding the city’s ultra low-emission zone has resulted in dramatic drops in particle emissions in inner and outer London.

San Jose Mayor Takes Dual Approach to Unsheltered Homeless Population
In a commentary published in The Mercury News, Mayor Matt Mahan describes a shelter and law enforcement approach to ending targeted homeless encampments within Northern California's largest city.

Atlanta Changes Beltline Rail Plan
City officials say they are committed to building rail connections, but are nixing a prior plan to extend the streetcar network.

Are Black Mayors Being Pushed Out of Office?
The mayors of New York, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh all stand to lose their seats in the coming weeks. They also all happen to be Black.
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