Rebuilding American infrastructure for the 21st century

Infrastructure has always supported America’s economic competitiveness, but demographic, technological, and environmental change have left our outdated systems in peril. The country needs a renewed sense of purpose around—and a commitment to—cutting-edge transportation, water, energy, and telecommunications systems. As evidenced by the enormous response to the Biden-Harris administration’s American Jobs Plan, the country wants a new infrastructure vision.

Coupled with the release of a new Brookings-authored infrastructure strategy, the Metropolitan Policy Program hosted an event on Thursday, April 15 highlighting a forward-looking set of national policy priorities to revitalize the infrastructure systems that move the American economy. Event speakers discussed their vision and priorities for comprehensive infrastructure reform and offer their reactions to the proposals shaping the national debate.

Viewers submitted questions by emailing events@brookings.edu or tweeting to @BrookingsMetro using the hashtag #AmericanInfrastructure.