Atlanta Forward / Another View: An action plan for our infrastructure

By Jeff DuFresne

It is easy to take for granted the basic systems, such as roadways and education facilities, that enable us to live, work, learn and play. But in reality, infrastructure is an integral part of American society that has been subject to decades of underfunding and deferred maintenance. This lack of attention will require a massive catch-up effort that, if left neglected, could have serious consequences. Despite the slow-recovering economy, we need to pay special attention to infrastructure investment and repair. Urban Land Institute believes the choices we make today will dictate our region’s future quality of life.

Here is an action agenda:

● Invest strategically. Decisions about infrastructure must begin with land use objectives. Make strategic, performance-based, outcome-oriented investments that support a common regional agenda. Produce infrastructure that encourages population and economic growth. Consider conservation of scarce resources in all investment decisions.

● Reduce driving. Infrastructure patterns precipitated growth in urban travel that far exceeds population growth, resulting in congestion, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and driving costs. Reduce vehicle miles driven by promoting projects that encourage biking, walking and public transit.

● Break down government “silos.” Governments must integrate infrastructure investment and sustainable land use by mandating cooperation among agencies. Use a regional vision to speak in one voice. Unify capital budgets to coordinate spending. Pool program dollars across agencies. Ensure that standards across agencies are not in conflict. Screen and score infrastructure funding requests through a matrix that encourages smart land use.

● Pay up. Infrastructure spending must support sustainable land use objectives, rather than promote sprawl. Resist pork barrel spending. Educate and convince voters that their tax dollars support good-value projects with long-range benefits. Create funding policies that lead private investment to desired locations. Apply user fees, rather than subsidies, to influence behavior, reward smart choices and discourage waste of limited resources. Recognize the full cost of choices and be honest about who is paying for them.

● Keep score. Reward municipalities that invest strategically, and keep local governments accountable. Use scorecards to level the competition for scarce public capital. Fund good projects with strong, smart growth and sustainability metrics.

● Increase your knowledge. Stay in the loop about progress of the Transportation Investment Act and other critical infrastructure initiatives.

In keeping with ULI’s mission of providing leadership in the responsible use of land, we firmly encourage regional collaboration, information sharing and innovation to ensure adequate investment in our region’s infrastructure. Our future depends on it.

Jeff DuFresne is executive director of Urban Land Institute Atlanta.