ACEC Research Institute and Accelerator for America offer Deep Dives into “A New Playbook of National Infrastructure Policy”

Washington, DC – The ACEC Research Institute, in conjunction with Accelerator for America, offered a complimentary webinar series taking a “deep dive” into a new playbook of national infrastructure policy developed by a diverse group of America’s mayors. Each recommendation has been driven by local innovation, with cities serving as testbeds for experimentation and transferable solutions.

Listen to the entire series now On Demand!

Funding and Financing for Community Serving Infrastructure
Previously recorded on Wednesday, September 16, 2020
Listen to the session On Demand by clicking here.

Funding and Financing for Community Serving Infrastructure focused on the playbook’s funding and financing recommendations. In this session, participants learned in detail about three key policy plays, including the use of pre-development funds, how the federal government can support local bond issuance, and opportunities to increase direct regional funding. For engineering consultants, this subject matter will help firms provide strategic advice to clients on funding and financing opportunities for local projects.

Panelists included:
The Honorable Steve Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina
Stephanie Wiggins, Chief Executive Officer, Metrolink, Southern California
DJ Gribbin, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program & Founder, Madrus LLC
Sylvia Garcia, Principal Consultant for Public Finance Policy, WSP


Project Acceleration Tools and Processes
Previously recorded on Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Listen to the session On Demand by clicking here

Project Acceleration Tools and Processes focused on empowering localities with effective tools and processes to accelerate project delivery. In this session, participants learned in detail about three key policy plays, including successful local approaches to procurement efficiencies, acceleration of environmental reviews, and obtaining federal technical support to fast-track public-private partnerships (P3s). For engineering consultants, this subject matter will help firms provide strategic advice to clients on existing and potential policies to improve the delivery of local projects.

Panelists included:
The Honorable Nannette L. Whaley, Mayor, Dayton, Ohio
James Rubin, CEO, Meridiam NA (former Director of State Operations for Governor Andrew Cuomo)
Andrew Winkler, Associate Director, Bipartisan Policy Center
Manisha Patel, Principal Consultant, Vice President for Environmental Policy Practice, WSP

Innovation in Climate and Water Infrastructure
Previously recorded on Wednesday, September 30, 2020
Listen to the session On Demand by clicking here

This session focused on innovations to address climate change and water infrastructure. Participants went into detail about three key policy plays, including the need to increase administrative and financial resources for the WIFIA financing program, the potential to expand emergency relief funds for “betterments” or increased resiliency, and the need to establish outcome-based permitting for water management. For engineering consultants, this subject matter will help firms provide strategic advice to clients on water infrastructure financing and permitting as well as climate resiliency.

Panelists included: 
The Honorable Debbie Kling, Mayor, Nampa, Idaho
Chuck Chaitovitz, Vice President, Environmental Affairs and Sustainability, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Radhika Fox, CEO, US Water Alliance
Edwin Crooks, Senior Vice President, HNTB
Camille Touton, Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee

 

Holistic Infrastructure Planning and Design 
Previously recorded on Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Listen to the session On Demand by clicking here

This session focused on both existing and potential innovations in federal economic recovery policy plays, including the new concept to establish a federal infrastructure planning council that coordinates multiple agency policies and funding programs, opportunities to expand federal discretionary grant programs to address broader needs and break down infrastructure silos, and the potential for federal leadership to help guide cities with their complete street plans. For engineering consultants, this subject matter will help firms provide strategic advice to clients on innovations in urban planning and design.

Panelists included:
The Honorable David Holt, Mayor, Oklahoma City, OK
The Honorable Henry Cisneros, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development/former Mayor of San Antonio, TX
Robert Puentes, President & CEO, Eno Center for Transportation
Beth Osbourne, Director, Transportation for America