Motivated Reasoning: The Psychology Behind Big Municipal Projects

In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn talk about satellite communities and the psychological phenomena that incline people toward large projects.

Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsDecember 4, 2024podcast, upzoned, canada, infrastructure cost, suburban experiment

Oh Crap! Dealing With Sewer Upgrades Is a Complicated Mess

Maumee, Ohio, winner of the 2024 Strongest Town Contest, is facing a big sewer infrastructure challenge — and it’s not alone. In this episode, Chuck explains the history of sewer infrastructure, how the Clean Water Act affects cities across North America and the very limited options cities have to handle this kind of challenge.

Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsJuly 29, 2024podcast, transparent local accounting, sewers, infrastructure cost, municipal finance

Counting the Costs

Rethinking car culture is easier once we more broadly measure what we’re giving up.

Owens, Top StoryTiffany Owens ReedMarch 26, 2024transit, transportation spending, rail, infrastructure cost

5 Reasons Why We Should End Highway Expansion

We have to end highway expansion and focus on projects that actually build wealth in our cities. If you’re not convinced, then read on.

Top StorySeairra JonesMarch 15, 2024end highway expansion, highways, highway spending, infrastructure cost, infrastructure, infrastructure maintenance

The Mayor Who Tried to Stop a Highway

When Mike McGinn didn’t see any other mayoral candidates challenging a proposed highway expansion project in Seattle, he stepped up to the plate and won the election. This is the story of his ensuing fight to stop his city from making a costly mistake.

Trending, Top StoryAsia MieleszkoFebruary 26, 2024end highway expansion, washington, freeway widening, infrastructure cost, highways

Is Your City Stopping Highway Expansion? This Press Template Can Help.

And whatever you do, don’t repeat Canada’s mistake.

Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnFebruary 26, 2024end highway expansion, canada, federal government, federal funding, infrastructure cost

Where Do Infrastructure Projects Come From?

Your city just announced a big infrastructure project, one with significant state and federal funding. You and your neighbors are likely wondering: why this project?

Marohn, Top Story, TrendingCharles MarohnJanuary 22, 2024end highway expansion, infrastructure cost, megaproject, public engagement, top-down

For Houston Freeway Fighters, Federal Government’s Actions Speak Louder Than Words

The federal government’s refusal to hold TxDOT accountable for the harm it’s doing in Houston is allowing history to repeat itself—something the current administration pledged it wouldn’t do.

Top StoryAsia MieleszkoMarch 28, 2023highways, transportation, federal government, federal funding, federal transportation bill, infrastructure bill, infrastructure, infrastructure cost, texas, end highway expansion

Financial Outlook for 2023 and Beyond

What kind of financial challenges can our cities and towns expect to face in the new year?

MarohnCharles MarohnJanuary 2, 2023financial solvency, infrastructure, infrastructure bill, infrastructure cost, transparent local accounting

Your City May Be Illegally Assessing You for Routine Infrastructure Maintenance

Part of having transparent local accounting is ensuring that the people living in a community know and understand the public costs associated with their homes and businesses. Right now, that isn’t the case in most places.

Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnNovember 28, 2022public finance, maintenance, infrastructure, infrastructure cost, infrastructure maintenance, financial solvency, transparent local accounting, local economy

What Does $106 Million Get You in Maine? A Redundant Highway Expansion That Nobody Wants.

Maine residents want road maintenance. MaineDOT is giving them more roads.

NewsSeairra JonesNovember 8, 2022Nero Project, infrastructure, infrastructure maintenance, infrastructure cost, highways, highway spending, transportation, transportation spending, Maine, maintenance, end highway expansion

The Highway Boondoggles Report

Frontier Group’s Tony Dutzik comes onto the podcast today to talk about their annual “Highway Boondoggles” report. In light of last year’s infrastructure bill, just how much funding is being wasted on highway expansion?

Podcast, Marohn, Top StoryStrong TownsOctober 24, 2022podcast, highways, highway spending, freeway widening, freeways, transportation, infrastructure, infrastructure cost, end highway expansion

That's Not an Improvement

Engineers who work on municipal infrastructure need to stop ubiquitously describing their projects as “improvements”—especially when the project is actually harmful, not helpful.

Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnOctober 10, 2022traffic engineering, engineers, infrastructure, infrastructure maintenance, infrastructure cost, transportation, transportation spending, freeway widening, end highway expansion, safe and productive streets

Financial Fragility Is To Blame for Jackson’s Water Crisis

The Suburban Experiment is a bad business model, and nothing demonstrates that more clearly than Jackson, Mississippi’s, ongoing water crisis.

MarohnCharles MarohnSeptember 12, 2022infrastructure, infrastructure maintenance, fragility, mississippi, development pattern, infrastructure cost, finance, suburban experiment, local economy, growth ponzi scheme

Flying Blind: Why Public Leaders Need an Investment Grade Analysis

Portland and Oregon leaders shouldn’t commit to a $5-billion project without an investment grade analysis (IGA) of toll revenues.

Top StoryJoe CortrightJune 17, 2022infrastructure, infrastructure cost, infrastructure spending, DOT, washington, transparent local accounting, oregon

Yet Another Exploding Whale: ODOT’s Freeway-Widening Cost Doubles

The Oregon DOT has experienced massive cost overruns on all of its largest construction projects…and has systematically concealed and understated the frequency and scale of those cost overruns.

Top StoryJoe CortrightJune 3, 2022infrastructure, infrastructure cult, infrastructure cost, infrastructure spending, DOT, transportation, oregon

Fixing the Potholes Requires Digging Deeper

When it comes to our places’ roads, we need to start asking: “How much is this gonna cost us?”

Top StoryMichel Durand-WoodJune 2, 2022infrastructure, infrastructure maintenance, infrastructure cost, infrastructure spending, canada, member story, transparent local accounting

A Minnesota Judge Throws the Book at Immoral Tax Assessments

This case shows why local governments need to do a better job accounting for maintenance costs.

Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnMay 9, 2022maintenance, finance, municipal finance, Assessments, local government, infrastructure maintenance, infrastructure, infrastructure cost, Law, minnesota, local economy

Sowing Our Roads with Salt Is No Way to Grow Stronger Towns

Because we depend so heavily on cars, what happens when roads become too icy to drive on? The answer: road salt. But there are serious consequences to relying on salt for road-clearing.