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Smarter Infrastructure Investment with Regional Planning

Investing in infrastructure is investing in the future. But like anything else, without a plan, the effort is wasted. Real investment and good planning is more important than ever, as critical transportation and water systems age and break, climate change increases the burden on existing assets, from schools to levees, and global competition increases. Regional infrastructure and resiliency planning commissions find solutions for entire regions with long-term strategic planning.

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Passed In
Indiana Kentucky Ohio
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this high cost to the state?
No. Regional Infrastructure Councils make sure that infrastructure dollars are spent more wisely. Some federal lawmakers are also using the success of such projects (like the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments) to push for a federal structure that would make private financing of regional planned projects even easier.
Who will this help?
By prioritizing resiliency planning, these councils will seek funds and ensure that infrastructure investment is designed for economical and environmental sustainability from conception to execution, which will mean a more secure future for everyone.
Partners
  • Regional planning advocates
  • Businesses
  • Municipal and local leaders
  • Rural communities
  • Communities with high infrastructure needs
  • Universities
Opposition
  • Local Development Corporations that work in isolation
In The News
Governing
Why a Regional View of Infrastructure Is Crucial
'We wanted to get beyond a simple letter grade for the condition of our infrastructure . . . . We cr...
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Boston Business Jour
Mayor Walsh launches citywide plan to protect against coastal flooding
'Making investments in this type of work is key to the future of our city,” [Boston Mayor Martin W...
Read The Article
Model Policy
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SECTION 1 (TITLE):
This act shall be known as the Regional Strategic Infrastructure and Resiliency Planning Act
SECTION 2 (PURPOSE):
This bill creates regional infrastructure councils of businesses, local and state government leaders, and community members that can work with state and federal agencies to prioritize projects to make existing and future infrastructure resilient to environmental demands and damage, secure funding, and encourage life-cycle cost and revenue analysis for large infrastructure projects.
SECTION 3 (PROVISIONS):

(a) It is the goal of STATE to create multi-service entities made of representatives from local and state government, private businesses, community organizations and others, to address existing gaps and long-term resiliency planning in transportation, water, and other infrastructure.

(b) Regional infrastructure councils will have five goals:

-(1) Prioritize infrastructure needs in the region they serve.

-(2) Seek federal, private, and other funds and work with federal, state, and local officials to coordinate infrastructure projects.

-(3) Explore and promote infrastructure policy designed to be resilient to natural disasters and scientifically-projected changes to the environment.

-(4) Develop long-term, public-private partnerships to finance and expand infrastructure that will benefit the region each council serves.

(c) Regional infrastructure councils shall include members of state and local government, private businesses, and communities, and local universities. The number of regional infrastructure councils to be created in STATE and a process for appointing members, reporting, and liaising with existing state entities shall be [should be determined based on local needs or through regulation by DEPARTMENT].

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