FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Anthony Flint
617-661-3016 x116
CAMBRIDGE, Mass (December 17, 2008) -- Armando Carbonell, senior fellow and chair of the Department of Planning and Urban Form, was among the signatories in a call to the new administration to make sure the forthcoming economic stimulus package supports public works infrastructure that serves the nation's long-term interests in terms of sustainability, energy efficiency and the economic competitiveness of metropolitan regions.
The "Call to New Administration: Only One Chance to Do this Right, Invest Wisely," a blueprint to guide these dramatic new investments, was written after a coalition of leading civic, business, environmental, and transportation leaders came together at Pocantico, N.Y. last week. The New York Times posted it on its Economix blog.
President-elect Barack Obama has called for "the largest investment in infrastructure since the National Highway System" as a way to stimulate the nation's economy. Estimates of the size of the stimulus bill range from $350 billion to $1 trillion, amid growing concern that the money will go for freeway expansion and "bridges to nowhere." An op-ed essay by Carbonell in The Boston Globe addressed a better approach to support transit and other infrastructure that aligns with an urban agenda and climate and energy goals.
The coalition, convened by America 2050, a national organization focused on planning for infrastructure and megaregional planning that grew out of a joint initiative by the Regional Plan Association and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, recommended a five-step program, the highlights of which are below. The complete statement can be downloaded here.
I. FIX: To immediately create jobs and stimulate economic growth we need to "fix it first," that is, invest in the repair and maintenance of the country's deteriorated bridges, roads, public transit, passenger & freight rail, electric grids and other essential infrastructure components that have been neglected for decades.
II. PHASE: All the monies cannot be spent at once. While we must get a first group of "shovel ready" projects under construction as soon as possible, there are limits to the number of projects that can be initiated immediately. A series of phases should allow for the development of strategic projects, job training, and the building of capacity in construction, manufacturing, engineering and project management fields - all of which are essential to successfully carrying out the work.
III. GREEN: Priority should be given to projects that foster energy independence, safeguard the environment, promote healthy & compact communities, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
IV. TRAIN: Investment in America's infrastructure will create hundreds of thousands of skilled jobs, both immediately and for decades to come. To ensure that these large-scale projects are completed quickly and successfully, we need to invest in job training programs that will provide our workforce with the required skills. And, equally important, the jobs should be accessible to the people in the communities most deeply affected by the current economic crisis.
V. COUNT: Funding must be set aside to measure and analyze the results of these federal investments and their outcomes: job creation, cost-effectiveness, greenhouse gas reductions, increased energy efficiency, etc.
ACCOUNTABILITY - NEW OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
If America is to remain economically competitive, we cannot afford "business as usual" when it comes to infrastructure investments. Therefore, a new federal oversight committee is required to both streamline the investment process and also establish accountability.
We propose creating a National Recovery and Renewal Council, comprised of representatives from federal, state, and city agencies, as well as the private sector. The Council would report directly to the White House, charged with eliminating the red tape in implementing projects, as well as developing criteria and accountability measures that will guarantee that America meets its infrastructure goals, from energy independence to reduced carbon emissions to increased mobility.
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