Public Works & Infrastructure
Public Works & infrastructure are essential components of local and state government responsibilities. They involve the construction, maintenance, and management of vital public facilities and services such as roads, bridges, water supply, and waste management. Effective infrastructure planning ensures communities have the necessary resources for economic growth and quality of life. This directory provides articles on public works and infrastructure and related topics like Transportation, which explores the development of efficient systems for moving people and goods.
Under the Transportation and Climate Initiative, transportation emissions are projected to decline by up to 25% from 2022 to 2032.
The project illustrates a rising industry trend of municipalities playing a greater role in funding repairs and upgrades to local infrastructure to meet the needs of their constituents and the local economy.
Rural residents experience mental disorders and drug addiction just as much as their urban counterparts, and their need for mental health services is similar. But rural suicide rates are greater than urban ones, and the gap has grown steadily since 1999.
A new 10-unit public housing project being built in the city of Rome, Georgia, demonstrated that public housing can be both affordable and sustainable. Details, and other similar projects around the country, are inside.
The City of Lowell recently seized an abandoned property, aided by a Massachusetts regulation, and in four months had the building renovated and on the market for sale. Details, the process, forms, and more are inside.
The cash-strapped city of Detroit, which is facing a staggering deficit of a quarter billion dollars, is considering turning off half of its streetlights in sparsely populated areas to save money. Details, pros, cons, and related research is inside.
When the road to a Hawaiian park was damaged, the state pegged long-term repairs at $4 million and balked. Local residents took over, and made the repairs themselves. In eight days. Details and examples of harnessing local volunteers are inside.
The city of Indianapolis has figured out how to generate revenue from its rooftops, not to mention great PR. Extensive details are inside, as are resources to assist cities and towns in considering similar moves, including sample RFPs, reports, studies, and “key considerations.”
Thinking about consolidating your public works and public utilities departments? See how one city is approaching the challenge, and learn what other cities have gone through the process.
The Public Works Department of South Bend, Indiana, has teamed up with the University of Notre Dame to create a high-tech flow-management system that brings unprecedented insight into a notoriously low-tech region: the sewers.
Utilizing research from failed public toilet facilities in other cities like Seattle and San Francisco, the city of Portland, Oregon, has designed, patented, built, and even sold its portable public toilets.
A combination of retirements and reorganization will save the city of Sheboygan, WI, hundreds of thousands of dollars if the plan succeeds.
Three Wisconsin communities decided to merge their health department in an effort to save more than $350,000 per year. Inside are the details, savings, and downloadable versions of the agreements.
On July 1, the city of Sparks, Nevada, began outsourcing a majority of its street sweeping duties to a private, California-based contractor. The move will save the city approximately $107,000 in the first year.
The State of Louisiana has announced $10 million in grant money for both its Louisiana Government Assistance Program (LGAP) and its Community Water Enrichment Fund (CWEF) for FY 2019 to 2020.
The Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams Grant Program was authorized by a 2016 federal law to supply $445 million over 10 years. But Congress didn’t fund the $10 million annual allotment for 2017 or 2018, and funded just $10 million of the $25 million authorized for 2019.
Through the Ohio Coastal Management Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration coastal management assistance grants will address five projects in the Lake Erie region.
FEMA’s High Hazard Potential Dam grants provide assistance to non-federal dams in danger of failing and threatening human life and water infrastructure.
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