Smart Growth America is out with a new report, "The States and the Stimulus: Are they using it to create jobs and 21st century transportation?" According to Smart Growth America, the "120-day mark is significant because it is the point by which states and territories are required to have obligated 50 percent of the flexible money granted them for transportation projects by the federal government." This money is part of "the $787 billion stimulus bill that became law in February, [under which] Congress provided states and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) with $26.6 billion in flexible funds for transportation projects." Smart Growth America evaluates how this money's been spent so far, focusing on several "stimulus performance measures" and examining whether or not the projects accomplish the objectives set forth by this "smart growth" group. Here are the depressing - but not surprising, given the emphasis on "shovel ready" as opposed to "long-term, smart growth-oriented investment" - results.1. Create and Save Jobs: "Yes, but they will not create as many or as quickly as they could have. For instance, studies suggest spending another $2 billion on repair would have created 4,300 new jobs, more quickly."
This is exactly what I thought would happen if the emphasis was on getting things done FAST rather than doing this RIGHT. The entire conceptual problem with "shovel ready" from the outset was that it took the failed model we've been using, one that encourages sprawl and profligate oil consumption, and "stimulates" it. That's a huge mistake.
2. Fix our crumbling infrastructure: "Yes, but not as much as it could have. The 62.9% share for repair and preservation is a vital investment in catching up. But states and regions will now have $6 billion more miles of roads to maintain...when they could not afford to maintain the ones they already have."
Same comment as in #1. Huge mistake.
3. Provide a balanced transportation system "No. Less than 7% of spending is going to projects that will increase transportation choices for people and freight."
This is about as stupid as you can get. At at time when we should be spending almost all our transportation dollars on creating a smart, environmentally friendly system that slashes our consumption of oil, we're doing the opposite here. Also, at a time when people are hurting economically, we're only spending 7% on increasing peoples' transportation choices, providing inexpensive and reliable rail, trolley, bus, etc? My god, can we get any more short-sighted and foolish?
4. Improve public transportation: "No. The ARRA's $8.4 billion in capital grants for public transportation elsewhere in the ARRA will certainly help. [But] Spending 0.9% of flexible funds for public transportation will have little additional overall effect."
Did I mention stupid, short-sighted and foolish yet? Oh yeah, I guess I did.
5. Reduce the nation's energy dependence: "No. Required roads were marginally more efficient. But the spending going to roads, accounting for 93% of the total, will not reduce oil consumption in any meaningful way. And the 30% going to new roads will generally increase consumption."
The exact opposite of what we want to be doing. Let me add "insane" to my list of derogatory adjectives.
6. Promote long-term economic growth: "Mixed...the 31.3% for new roads will, for the most part, go to a category of investments whose economic returns have been falling, while missing high-return investments in system management and public transportation, coordinated with growth."
In short, we've missed a huge, historic opportunity here. Great job, guys.
7. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions: "No. For the same reasons as #5."
I'm out of derogatory adjectives for now. Make up your own.
8. Not contribute to additional sprawl: "No...the number, type, and location of many of the new and widened roads planned will almost certainly contribute to sprawl."
Fail. Fail. Fail. Oh yeah, then there's "Fail!"
9. Reduce commute times and congestion: "Mixed. In the short run, additional lanes may ease congestion. In the long run, the congestion-reducing benefits of additional public transportation generally outweight those of additional lane miles, which fill up again."
One more adjective: pathetic.
In sum, this is close to complete FAIL. The only question is, are there other parts of the stimulus package that counteract the almost unmitigated adverse impacts of this portion? To some extent, that may be the case, but that's certainly no excuse for complete FAIL on this part. But again, this is exactly what was inevitable when the decision was made to go with conceptually brain-dead "shovel ready" projects as opposed to taking more time and investing carefully in areas that will provide long-term benefits economically, environmentally, and in every other way. Instead, it was "hey, look at all this money, let's spend it like a bunch of drunken sailors - yeehaw!!!!" And you know how well that usually works out. (snark)
P.S. By the way, here in Virginia, we come in at 39 out of 51 on Smart Growth America's ranking factors. On the positive side, we've spent 60% of the total road money allocated so far on "system preservation" - shoring up bridges, roads, and other infrastructure that's falling apart - and another 40% on "new [road] capacity" which will encourage sprawl and which we can't afford to maintain. Duhhhh. Meanwhile, we've spent 5.2% of the funding on "public transportation and non-motorized projects." That may be better than many other states, but it's still completely inadequate. In my ideal world, I would have spent all the money on two things: shoring up our crumbling bridges, public transportation systems (e.g., Metro) and roads, with the rest going to new public transportation projects. Obviously, we're not living in my ideal world, or anyone's ideal world if you care about "smart growth," slashing our oil consumption, protecting our environment, and getting the most long-term "bang for the buck" from our transportation investments. In sum: this is an example of almost complete systemic FAIL. Which, sadly, is exactly what I thought would happen.
