Pathways to regional prosperity

For the better part of a decade, America’s two largest political parties have put forward platforms to rebuild and renew the country, with bipartisan consensus to invest in infrastructure. The economic case for maintenance and modernization, such as fixing the country’s bridges or extending its broadband networks, continues to be clear. An emerging political consensus also reflects an underlying philosophical alignment: reinvesting in our cities and towns can uplift households, businesses, and entire communities.  

On Wednesday, May 14, Brookings Metro held a public event to explore how the federal government can support greater investment in regions, localities, and their infrastructure systems. Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) joined Senior Fellow Adie Tomer for a fireside chat about his plans for this upcoming Congress and transportation reauthorization, specifically.  

Leading up to that conversation, Presidential Advisor and Senior Fellow Amy Liu moderated a panel with practitioners from the Chicago region, who discussed the importance of regional collaboration to harness infrastructure as an economic engine. Then, a second panel of infrastructure leaders from the San Diego and Broward counties described how federal Washington can better support their unique visions.