korrents
Charles Marohn

What Charles Marohn thinks about infrastructure

@charles-marohn · 9 positions · On ppll ↗

Civil engineer and land use planner, founder and president of Strong Towns, author of Escaping the Housing Trap. Argues that the American pattern of development since the Second World War does not generate enough wealth to maintain the infrastructure it obliges cities to keep.

Charles Marohn did not write this page.

We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.

Filter infrastructure · Newest first
Topic
All 9America 4housing 4infrastructure 4government 1permitting 1public debt 1
Sort
NewestOldest

Only Charles Marohn on infrastructure. See everyone on infrastructure

4 dated positions, 2011 to 2017, in their own words. Our reading of what Charles Marohn has said — not written or endorsed by them.

4 positions so far — this page is not yet offered to search engines.

  1. Our readingAmerican cities built roughly two dollars of public infrastructure for every dollar of private investment, and that ratio is what bankrupts them.

    America

    Their wordsThis thinking is how you end up with two dollars of public infrastructure for every one dollar of private investment.

    ↗The Real Reason Your City Has No Moneystrongtowns.org 1st of 3 in this piece

  3. Our readingNearly every American city is functionally insolvent, because replacing the infrastructure it has built would cost more than its entire private tax base is worth.

    America

    Their wordsIt's a predicament that nearly every American city, with very few exceptions, finds itself in.

    ↗The Real Reason Your City Has No Moneystrongtowns.org 2nd of 3 in this piece

  5. Our readingAmerica's accumulated road, pipe and pavement is a bad investment, and no federal spending programme can make it a good one.

    America

    Their wordsAll this infrastructure is a bad investment. America needs a different model of growth and development.

    ↗The Real Reason Your City Has No Moneystrongtowns.org 3rd of 3 in this piece

  6. 6 years earlier

  7. Our readingThe American suburban pattern of development does not pay for itself: a city takes the cash from new growth and, with it, a maintenance bill it can never cover.

    America

    Their wordsPut these two characteristics together and you have a key insight; Cities routinely trade near-term cash advantages associated with new growth for long-term financial obligations associated with maintenance of infrastructure.

    ↗The Growth Ponzi Scheme, Part 1strongtowns.org 1st of 2 in this piece