Some readers may have been able to discern that I am writing from a viewpoint that is not that of the usual American observer. I am presently working in Europe, but enabled by the internet, able to read US newspapers, listen to US radio stations and even catch up on American television. What I miss, of course, is the opportunity to see those places I know on a regular basis, and that's why the decline of America's infrastructure stuck me so hard on my visit last month.
While the industrial base of the Northeast Corridor collapsed nearly two generations ago, its ruins remain too obvious today. Moreover, much of the newer stuff is in a state of rapid decline, too.
It what remains one of the wealthiest areas of the country, the highways are in appalling condition, the mid-sized cities have surrendered the battle against out-of-town malls, and too much potentially lucrative land is given over to open parking lots.
Spend some time with Google Maps and check out the under-used land in any of once-thriving downtown areas of Hartford, New Haven, New London, Springfield, Worcester, Nashua, Manchester, and so on. Yes, parking is necessary, and the policy of charging for it is one of the major causes of the abandonment of city-centers.
If, "it's the economy, stupid," has an immediate resonance, it begins with the local economy: local property taxes, and a shrinking tax-base, that is impoverishing cities while rising costs are making new investment a major problem. Companies with serious money tend to be open only to big-statement "showcase" developments that look impressive on the walls of corporate boardrooms. However, what's really needed is an architect with a vision for two blocks where an old machine shop was pulled down; some creative planing permissions, enabling useful mixed-used zoning, and some investment.
A series of modest developments costing between $5 - 10 million would make a big difference in these city centers on both economic and social levels, and probably deliver a pretty good and fast ROI.
Local governments can be quirky, but they are far less likely to be suffering from the paralysis that state and federal governments are suffering from.
Low-cost, low-risk projects are suited to increased local participation from community leaders and private citizens with a strong knowledge of a neighborhood, that can increase a project's chance of success while potentially reducing its cost.
Repairing America's infrastructure does not need to be a daunting, bureaucratic and hugely expensive process, but it does need to start soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment