Download or read book The Road Taken written by Henry Petroski and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2017-02-21 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A renowned historian and engineer explores the past, present, and future of America's crumbling infrastructure. Acclaimed engineer and historian Henry Petroski explores our core infrastructure from both historical and contemporary perspectives, explaining how essential their maintenance is to America's economic health. Petroski reveals the genesis of the many parts of America's highway system--our interstate numbering system, the centerline that divides roads, and such taken-for-granted objects as guardrails, stop signs, and traffic lights--all crucial to our national and local infrastructure. A compelling work of history, The Road Taken is also an urgent clarion call aimed at American citizens, politicians, and anyone with a vested interest in our economic well-being. Physical infrastructure in the United States is crumbling, and Petroski reveals the complex and challenging interplay between government and industry inherent in major infrastructure improvement. The road we take in the next decade toward rebuilding our aging infrastructure will in large part determine our future national prosperity.
Download or read book Rethinking America s Highways written by Robert W. Poole and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2018-08-03 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A transportation expert makes a provocative case for changing the nation’s approach to highways, offering “bold, innovative thinking on infrastructure” (Rick Geddes, Cornell University). Americans spend hours every day sitting in traffic. And the roads they idle on are often rough and potholed, with exits, tunnels, guardrails, and bridges in terrible disrepair. According to transportation expert Robert Poole, this congestion and deterioration are outcomes of the way America manages its highways. Our twentieth-century model overly politicizes highway investment decisions, short-changing maintenance and often investing in projects whose costs exceed their benefits. In Rethinking America’s Highways, Poole examines how our current model of state-owned highways came about and why it is failing to satisfy its customers. He argues for a new model that treats highways themselves as public utilities—like electricity, telephones, and water supply. If highways were provided commercially, Poole argues, people would pay for highways based on how much they used, and the companies would issue revenue bonds to invest in facilities people were willing to pay for. Arguing for highway investments to be motivated by economic rather than political factors, this book makes a carefully-reasoned and well-documented case for a new approach to highways.
Download or read book America s Infrastructure written by Lisa Idzikowski and published by Greenhaven Publishing LLC. This book was released on 2018-12-15 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Engineers argue that inadequate maintenance of roads, bridges, airports, waterways, and other critical aspects of infrastructure along with underinvestment have created an infrastructure crisis in the United States. Many politicians agree with this claim and are attempting to take action. However, we are faced with the issue of which projects are most essential and how to fund them. Is the state of America's infrastructure that dire compared to the rest of the world? Are these efforts to improve it a cynical ploy from politicians to gain attention and ensure reelection? This volume considers the many perspectives of this pressing issue.
Download or read book Economic Analysis and Infrastructure Investment written by Edward L. Glaeser and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2021-11-11 with total page 479 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Policy-makers often call for expanding public spending on infrastructure, which includes a broad range of investments from roads and bridges to digital networks that will expand access to high-speed broadband. Some point to near-term macro-economic benefits and job creation, others focus on long-term effects on productivity and economic growth. This volume explores the links between infrastructure spending and economic outcomes, as well as key economic issues in the funding and management of infrastructure projects. It draws together research studies that describe the short-run stimulus effects of infrastructure spending, develop new estimates of the stock of U.S. infrastructure capital, and explore the incentive aspects of public-private partnerships (PPPs). A salient issue is the treatment of risk in evaluating publicly-funded infrastructure projects and in connection with PPPs. The goal of the volume is to provide a reference for researchers seeking to expand research on infrastructure issues, and for policy-makers tasked with determining the appropriate level of infrastructure spending"--
Download or read book Modernizing America s Electricity Infrastructure written by Mason Willrich and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2017-10-13 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive, coherent strategy for modernizing America's electricity infrastructure while ensuring affordable, reliable, secure, and environmentally sustainable electricity services. America's aging electricity infrastructure is deteriorating rapidly even as the need for highly reliable electric service—driven by the explosion of digital technology—continues to rise. Largely missing from national discussions, however, is a coherent, comprehensive national strategy for modernizing this critical infrastructure. Energy expert Mason Willrich presents just such a strategy in this book, connecting the dots across electric utilities, independent suppliers, government bureaucracies, political jurisdictions, and academic disciplines. He explains the need for a coherent approach, offers a framework for analyzing policy options, and proposes a step-by-step strategy for modernizing electrical infrastructure, end-to-end, in a way that ensures the delivery of affordable, reliable, secure, and environmentally sustainable electricity services. Willrich argues that an effective electrical infrastructure modernization strategy must incorporate flexibility, adaptability, and the capacity to coordinate policies at local, state, and federal levels. He reviews the history of America's electrification, from Edison's demonstration of the incandescent light bulb through the recent expansion of wind, solar, and energy efficiency as carbon-free energy resources. He describes the current ownership and operation of the electric industry and the complicated web of federal and state policies that govern it.
Download or read book The Road to Renewal written by R. Richard Geddes and published by Government Institutes. This book was released on 2011 with total page 205 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In The Road to Renewal: Private Investment in U.S. Transportation Infrastructure, R. Richard Geddes surveys the current state of the American transportation system and finds that, like the roads themselves, the existing policy approach is in desperate need of repair. Drawing on the basic economic principles behind supply, demand, competition, and incentives, Geddes argues that a shift toward increased use of public-private partnerships (PPPs)--contractual agreements between public agencies and private parties that allow private participation in the design, construction, operation, and delivery of transportation facilities--could significantly improve the quality of America's transportation infrastructure. By learning to see themselves as customers and investors--rather than mere users--of roads and highways, Americans should expect to receive a reasonable return on their investment: thorough, effective maintenance of America's transportation infrastructure. The Road to Renewal shows how incorporating increased private participation can halt the deterioration of America's transportation system and become the foundation for a safer, more efficient transportation future."--P. [4] of cover.
Download or read book Infrastructure Reporting and Asset Management written by Adjo A. Amekudzi and published by Amer Society of Civil Engineers. This book was released on 2008 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report contains 25 papers describing current approaches to asset management and highlighting the importance of and best practices in infrastructure reporting.
Download or read book Investing in America s Infrastructure written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Public Works and Transportation. Subcommittee on Economic Development and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 594 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Move How to Rebuild and Reinvent America s Infrastructure written by Rosabeth Moss Kanter and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2015-05-11 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Americans are stuck. Americans are stuck. We live with travel delays on congested roads, shipping delays on clogged railways, and delays on repairs and project approvals due to gridlocked leadership. And when we can’t move, when goods are delayed, and when information networks can’t connect, then economic opportunity deteriorates and social inequity grows. We don’t have to take it anymore! In Move, Harvard Business School professor and bestselling author Rosabeth Moss Kanter visits the business leaders, mayors, transportation advocates, and entrepreneurs across the country tackling these challenges through underwater tunnels, instant bridges, road sensors, parking apps, bike-sharing programs, seamless wifi, and much more. It all adds up to a new vision for American mobility, where local leaders and public-private partnerships lead the way. With unique insight and unrivaled expertise, Kanter gives us a sweeping look at the innovative projects, vital leaders, and bold solutions that are moving our transportation infrastructure toward a cleaner, faster, and more prosperous future.
Download or read book America in Ruins written by Pat Choate and published by Durham, N.C. : Duke Press Paperbacks. This book was released on 1983 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book International Trade and Transportation Infrastructure Development written by Juan Carlos Villa and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2020-05-08 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: International Trade and Transportation Infrastructure Development: Experiences in North America and Europe examines the impact of trade agreements, such as the North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the European Union Customs Union, and their relationship to transportation systems and infrastructure in member countries. It analyzes historical trade by mode, evaluating modal shifts due to trade policy and disputes, and their implications for all involved nations. This book also examines both supply and demand trends, reviewing transportation processes, and the stakeholders involved. Capacity development, funding mechanisms, and operational characteristics of each mode are detailed in relation to the policies that influence them. The book reviews recent trends and the impact of disruptive technologies, as well as future potential regulatory changes, with relation to upcoming infrastructure plans, project funding, and operations. This book is an ideal reference for transportation practitioners involved in planning, feasibility studies, consultation and policy for international transportation systems or infrastructure. Academic researchers and graduate students in transportation planning, international relations, and trade will also find this book useful. Compiles in one source up-to-date insights on important public transport themes, issues, and debates Examines a wide range of public transport topics in the multidisciplinary fields of economics, policy, operations, and planning Bridges the gap between scientific research and policy implementation
Download or read book Macroeconomic Effects of Private Sector Participation in Latin America s Infrastructure written by Lourdes Trujillo and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Trujillo, Martín, Estache, and Campos provide empirical evidence on the impact that private participation in infrastructure has had on key macroeconomic variables in a sample of 21 Latin American countries from 1985-98. Specifically, they look at the effects on GDP per capita, current public expenditures, public investment, and private investment, controlling for country effects and institutional factors. The authors also investigate the relevance of the specific contractual form of private participation contracts on these variables and show differentiated effects according to contract types. The results suggest that: Private sector involvement in utilities and transport have some, but not impressive, positive effects on GDP per capita; There is some degree of crowding-out of private investment resulting from greenfield projects in utilities, and delayed crowding-in from concessions in transport. There is crowding-in of public investment by private participation in utilities, while there is crowding-out by increased private investment in transport; Private participation in utilities decreases recurrent expenditures, while in transport it results in an increase. The net effect on the public sector account is uncertain, but this uncertainty is a major risk. The revelation of this risk may be the main contribution of this paper since it is inconsistent with the fiscal gains expected by many policymakers as they engage in infrastructure privatization programs. This paper"a product of the Governance, Regulation, and Finance Division, World Bank Institute, and Finance, Private Sector, and Infrastructure Unit, Latin America and the Caribbean Region"is part of a larger effort in the Bank to increase understanding of infrastructure regulation.
Download or read book 2009 Report Card for America s Infrastructure written by American Society of Civil Engineers and published by ASCE Publications. This book was released on 2009-01-01 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Details the rationale behind grades in 15 categories as announced by ASCE. This book presents an analysis of each category, an assessment of your state's status, case studies of successful projects, suggestions for actions you can take and ways you can get involved, and more.
Download or read book From Structures to Services written by Eduardo Cavallo and published by . This book was released on 2020-08-07 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Strong Towns written by Charles L. Marohn, Jr. and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-10-01 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new way forward for sustainable quality of life in cities of all sizes Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Build American Prosperity is a book of forward-thinking ideas that breaks with modern wisdom to present a new vision of urban development in the United States. Presenting the foundational ideas of the Strong Towns movement he co-founded, Charles Marohn explains why cities of all sizes continue to struggle to meet their basic needs, and reveals the new paradigm that can solve this longstanding problem. Inside, you’ll learn why inducing growth and development has been the conventional response to urban financial struggles—and why it just doesn’t work. New development and high-risk investing don’t generate enough wealth to support itself, and cities continue to struggle. Read this book to find out how cities large and small can focus on bottom-up investments to minimize risk and maximize their ability to strengthen the community financially and improve citizens’ quality of life. Develop in-depth knowledge of the underlying logic behind the “traditional” search for never-ending urban growth Learn practical solutions for ameliorating financial struggles through low-risk investment and a grassroots focus Gain insights and tools that can stop the vicious cycle of budget shortfalls and unexpected downturns Become a part of the Strong Towns revolution by shifting the focus away from top-down growth toward rebuilding American prosperity Strong Towns acknowledges that there is a problem with the American approach to growth and shows community leaders a new way forward. The Strong Towns response is a revolution in how we assemble the places we live.
Download or read book Inside the Infrastructure Revolution A Roadmap for Rebuilding America written by Mary Scott Nabers and published by Platform Press. This book was released on 2018-02-22 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A government procurement expert makes the case that public officials at all levels should rethink how they deliver services, describing in detail the innovative ways that essential infrastructure and public service needs are being financed and completed sooner, better, and with less stress on limited government budgets.
Download or read book US Infrastructure written by Aman Khan and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-09-17 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents an in-depth look at US infrastructure and its challenges in the 21st century. While infrastructure has received considerable attention in recent years, much of the discussion has concentrated on physical, economic, or noneconomic conditions. The Trump administration has heightened interest in the topic, promising infrastructure spending during his tenure, yet little demonstrable progress has been made. This book brings together a multi-disciplinary perspective—structural, technological, economic, financial, political, planning, and policy—that has been largely absent in discussions on the subject, to provide a clearer and broader understanding of the challenges facing US infrastructure. The book is divided into three parts: Part I looks at the challenges from a structural, technological, and sustainability perspective; Part II from an economic, productivity, and finance perspective; and Part III from an institutional, security, and political perspective. Written primarily for policy makers, managers, and administrators in public and private organizations, as well as individuals and academics with an interest in the future of US infrastructure, this book provides an in-depth analysis of the US infrastructure problem, its causes and consequences, and suggests timely, specific measures that may be taken at the state, local, and federal levels to improve and better secure our roads, transit, public buildings, economy, and technology.
