Reconnecting Communities

The Biden Administration unlocked unprecedented opportunities for local leaders to build transportation infrastructure without their state governments getting involved — if they could beat out the competition. We talk to three mayors who cracked the code.

Putting in parks and plazas isn't the only way to reimagine "public spaces" around the needs of people, a new report argues — and if we do it right, these projects can be a powerful tool for equity and health.

"Until we overhaul our transportation system to redirect the majority of funding into community-oriented infrastructure investments, we will keep failing to meet our equity, climate, and maintenance goals."

The Biden Administration funded some very worthy projects, but there were also a few head-scratchers in there.

"We don’t want the infrastructure law to compound our geographic inequalities. We wanted it to be an equalizing moment," said James Anderson of Bloomberg Philanthropies.

"The public is way ahead of the elected officials, and it's way ahead of the transportation officials in [talking about] the kind of future they want to see."

A new program will help smaller communities start the process of redesigning highways and other transportation investments that tore apart their communities — and shine a light on why it’s so hard for them to do it without outside help