3. If you want good cheap infrastructure, build up state capacity

America has a big problem building infrastructure. Our roads and trains cost much more per mile than other rich countries. There are a number of reasons why this is the case, including land-use regulation, NIMBYism, and broken government contracting processes. But one reason is simpl... See more

When it is reported that an infrastructure investment will save $1 trillion over the next decade, most people outside city-building industries, and a scary number of them within, assume that this means 1 trillion dollars. As in, this infrastructure investment will result in 1 trillion dollars that can be spent on something else: education, health c

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We still have decades of auto-dependent land use trends to offset, but small shifts in the way our received infrastructure is designed can go a long way to making our neighborhoods more walkable — and in turn healthier, more affordable, and more vibrant.