Expert Insights

Public-private partnerships (P3s) of all sizes and types are becoming more common throughout America and this type of project delivery model is being use for all types of initiatives. Many federal funding programs now require some amount of private-sector investment,...

Officials at every level of government procure hundreds of professional services to meet specific needs. These types of contracting opportunities are abundant, and many industry sectors fall into a professional services category – planning, design, legal, consulting,...

America has water problems. Water stress can be found in almost every state. New Mexico falls into the category of extremely high ‘water stress’ for multiple reasons, including climate change, limited rainfall and reduced volume of water in both the Rio Grande and...

Transportation systems nationwide are undergoing significant change. Emerging technologies and innovative mobility options are changing all modes of transportation, and soon both people and freight will be transported differently. Intelligent transportation systems...

Cities and counties throughout the U.S. are benefitting from funding that is readily available for transit-oriented development (TOD). Economic development teams have seen the boost of economic vitality that this type of initiative brings to local communities, and the...

Cities and counties throughout the U.S. are expanding and modernizing public safety facilities. Many are long overdue for upgrades. The urgency to upgrade is because well-maintained and strategically placed facilities contribute to lower response times by police, fire...

The U.S. Federal Transit Administration recently awarded $300 million for upcoming projects designed to expand and modernize the nation’s ferry systems. Specifically, the funding will support 18 new projects in 14 states, including replacing old vessels with electric...

Just over a decade ago, a sweeping trend was very noticeable as state agencies, cities, counties, transit authorities and higher education institutions added Innovation Officers at the executive levels of organizational charts. These individuals were hired to play a...

Rarely does Congress pass a bill that allocates $50 billion to cities and counties to support water infrastructure projects. But that happened when the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was passed by Congress several years ago. That funding was made available because of...

A brownfield property is an abandoned site that has been contaminated by previous industrial use. Many brownfield properties are the former sites of dry-cleaning firms, manufacturing plants or gas stations. To be used, the site must be remediated and made safe. The...

The U.S. is experiencing a significant surge in population growth in certain regions, increasing the demand for enhancing or expanding basic infrastructure. Public officials in high–growth regions struggle to expand housing, water, roadways, education facilities,...

The sustainable construction market in the U.S. was valued at $99.8 billion in 2023, and that number has continued to grow in 2024. Billions in funding are currently available in 2024 for these types of projects, and more could be allocated soon because Congress is...

Public officials at the local government level are initiating large, innovative, and forward-thinking projects aimed at enhancing economic prosperity in various regions of the country over the next few decades. Many of the projects are funded by federal programs, with...

School district construction throughout the U.S. is rampant currently, and it promises to be the same in 2025. That’s probably because a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office noted that 54% of all schools in America were in dire need of updates or...

At a time when project needs are so great throughout America, it is hard to understand why some cities and states have not endorsed public-private partnerships (P3s). Billions of funding support is available for critically needed efforts, but many of the federal...

Technology is changing the world as we know it! It seems new technological advances are emerging at the speed of light – and the world shifts a bit with each new development. Sensors and advanced technology now monitor public officials' activities in hundreds of ways,...

There is a significant trend to watch as cryptocurrency gains momentum and acceptance. If this trend continues, it will bring about many changes throughout America. The total global value of cryptocurrency now is approximately $3 trillion, and while that may sound...

Clean and renewable energy continues to get abundant attention, and the funding support flowing to support clean power projects is historic. Approximately $3 trillion is invested in energy globally each year, and $2 trillion of that amount is devoted to renewable...

Light Detection and Ranging technology (LiDAR) delivers critical data to protect the health of our ecosystems, and government officials use it extensively. This particular type of technology is not well known to everyone, but the benefits it provides make it worthy of...

Congress continues to allocate billions to a long-overdue effort to make the country’s bridges safer. About 50,000 bridges in America recently were deemed structurally unsound, and weather-related events are taking a huge toll on bridge structures. Last week, the U.S....

Unexpected disasters of every type are extremely costly. It might be surprising to realize that earthquakes in the U.S. cost about $15 billion annually in economic losses. While earthquakes are less common, there have been 28 earthquakes reaching a magnitude of 6 or...

Universities throughout the country are investing significant capital in existing campus facilities. National statistics show these types of initiatives are increasing significantly. The state of Texas is an excellent example of this emerging trend. A report by the...

Earlier this month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced $1 billion for 656 new climate resiliency projects. The capital was awarded to support projects that address infrastructure risks and prepare for future natural disasters, including flooding,...

Courthouses and other municipal buildings are being renovated and upgraded throughout the U.S. That’s because funding for them continues to be available, and that is good news. But even better is the fact that many upcoming projects carry projected costs representing...

The most notable recent news in American infrastructure broke last week when the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $1.8 billion in new funding for 148 infrastructure projects. My previous column covered many of the projects already selected for that funding....

Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $1.8 billion in funding for 148 infrastructure projects. Most of the funding is available for projects that make streets safer for people who travel on them in any way.  Work on these projects should be under...

Two months ago, the federal government announced that $2.4 billion is available to support rail infrastructure projects in America. Hundreds of public officials interested in rail projects have already submitted applications for funding, and decisions about the...

It is not a new concept, but transit-oriented development (TOD) has become a sweeping trend, as evidenced by new projects being launched throughout the United States. Congress has allocated billions to support the development of attractive residential and retail...

The federal government allocates approximately $1.9 billion annually for maintenance projects related to buildings, roads on land owned by the federal government, parks and every other public asset. That may sound like a lot – until it is noted that a deferred...

Water resources are a critical component of any region's ecosystems. But, perhaps even more important is the realization that water is also essential for human survival. Its needs cannot be ignored. In 2023, the U.S. market for only drinking water treatment and...

Approximately $14.4 billion is spent each year to repair, rehabilitate or replace bridges in America. However, that annual amount has increased and will continue to increase because the backlog of critically needed bridge repairs is estimated to be $125 billion. Of...

April has been a big month for airport infrastructure funding. Two separate announcements of new funding awards were made. The first announcement, on April 5, was for $148 million. On April 25, the second announcement allocated another $76 million to support airport...

Economic development initiatives have always focused on boosting local economies, but now they are commonly designed to deliver revenue to budget-restrained cities and counties. Attracting tourists and visitors is still a key focus of economic development efforts, but...