Financial Post A New Approach to Infrastructure Apr 10, 2012 – 8:24 AM ET
A few excerpts from the article which can be read in its entirety at:
The Baby Boom did
more than create an aging and overabundant population. It generated the birth
of often hastily established municipal infrastructure that has long been
showing its age.
Today’s
infrastructure is no longer up to the task of handling population growth, urban
intensification and climate change. For the most part, experts say, it is
outdated, overburdened and too “heavy” for the 21st century world.
“If we re-imagine
the way people work, we can reduce the amount of highways and bridges that need
to be built,” Mr. Ferrara says. “Or, what if we designated a bus-only lane on
the 401 [in Toronto]? That could take cars off the road and mean we wouldn’t have
to spend $2-billion per subway stop. Technologies like permeable paving allow
water to percolate through and go to the earth naturally so you don’t need huge
sewer systems.”
Whatever the issue,
city planners need to begin examining infrastructure development from a more
holistic perspective rather than engineering their way out of each challenge as
it emerges.
“That means breaking
down silos between departments,” says Ms. Ligeti. “Right now we’re missing the
cross-sectoral dialogue. Roads, for example, shouldn’t be doing things without
talking to Public Health.”
While there is a
number of technologies under development to support more sustainable infrastructure,
Mr. Toope notes that it’s in the hands of “a whole cadre of young people who
don’t have a lot of power when dealing with those who have a vested interest in
doing it the old way.”
Perhaps Ms. Ligeti
says it best: “We need a roll-up-your-sleeve attitude to bring innovation to
solving infrastructure problems.”
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