The Economics of Public Infrastructure

2019

Delivering for America - The Economic Impact of Reinvesting in America's Infrastructure Systems

Inforum worked with Business Roundtable to examine the effects of infrastructure investment on the economy. Investing in infrastructure pays for itself several times over. Every additional $1 invested in infrastructure delivers roughly $3.70 in additional economic growth over 20 years. Investing an additional $737 billion over 10 years adds $5.9 trillion to real GDP over 20 years as a result of a 0.10 percentage point increase in the average annual real GDP growth rate over that period. Increased infrastructure investment also boosts labor productivity, job growth, and wages.

Resources

More information and the full report are available.

2018

2018 Inforum World Conference

At the 2018 Inforum World Conference, Ronald Horst (USA) presented work on the challenges of economic analyses of public infrastructure.

Resources

Public Infrastructure: Economic Data and Modeling

2017

2017 Inforum Outlook Conference

At the 2017 Inforum Outlook Conference, Ronald Horst presented work, in cooperation with study partners at the U.S. Department of Commerce, on the economic implications of the FY2018 Trump Administration proposal for public infrastructure.

Resources

Great Again: Improving U.S. Infrastructure

2014

Catching Up: Greater Focus Needed to Achieve A More Competitive Infrastructure

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) worked with Inforum to investigate the economic benefits of a renewed effort to meet the United States' infrastructure needs. The report, "Catching Up: Greater Focus Needed to Achieve A More Competitive Infrastructure," also documents the history of infrastructure investments to reveal steep declines in the past decade.

Inforum Executive Director, Jeffrey Werling, asserts that "well-planned infrastructure investments can provide high, long-term returns to investment, and they can also boost jobs and growth in the short term. It is time to cut through the political smoke and mirrors to make a commitment to stronger and smarter infrastructure investment."

Resources

A press release and Executive Overview is available.

Media Coverage: Wall Street Journal, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, The Hill, Roll Call, American Shipper, Industry Week, and Civil+Structural Engineer.

2012

Failure to Act: The Economic Impact Of Current Investment Trends in Airports, Inland Waterways, and Marine Ports Infrastructure

Inforum and the Economic Development Research Group investigated the economic impacts of the deterioration of airports, marine ports, and inland waterway transportation infrastructure over the next 30 years. The work was sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Resources

The full report, entitled "Failure to Act: The Economic Impact of Current Investment Trends in Airports, Inland Waterways, and Marine Ports Infrastructure", is available online.

2011

Failure to Act: The Economic Impact of Current Investment Trends on Surface Transportation Infrastructure

Inforum and the Economic Development Research Group investigated the economic impacts of deterioration of roads and other transportation infrastructure over the next 30 years. The work was sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Resources

The full report, entitled "Failure to Act: The Economic Impact of Current Investment Trends in Surface Transportation Infrastructure", is available online.

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