Infrastructure Week 2025... Highlighting Cleveland's Cuyahoga Riverfront

As you sit along Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River, you might spot a couple of kayakers paddling past—just as a massive freighter silently rounds the bend. Above, one of the city’s many movable bridges lifts to make way for the ship, while bikers, joggers, and visitors wind through pathways carved between river and rail. This view is more than a snapshot. It’s a living cross-section of time, revealing how infrastructure investments along the riverfront have shaped—and continue to reshape—this city.

The Cuyahoga—from the Mohawk word Cayagaga, meaning “crooked river”—has long been a trading route linking the Great Lakes to inland communities. Years before it housed steel mills and freight lines, the river served as a vital waterway for Native communities and early settlers alike. By the 19th and 20th centuries, the riverfront became Cleveland’s industrial engine. Thousands of ships hauled iron ore, coal, and manufactured goods along its winding path—supported by a complex web of bridges, docks, and rail spurs.

But industry had a cost. By the mid-1900s, the river had become so polluted that it caught fire—famously in 1969. That blaze helped ignite the national environmental movement, spurring the creation of the Clean Water Act and the EPA.

Today, the Cuyahoga reflects both its industrial legacy and its environmental rebirth:

• Freighters still arrive daily, supported by dredged shipping channels and reinforced steel bulkheads

• Cleveland Metroparks has invested in miles of bike paths, promenades, and greenway trails

• Boathouses now line the riverfront, offering direct kayak access to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park

• Portions of the river have been renaturalized, restoring habitats and improving public access

From commerce and industry to recreation and entertainment, the Cuyahoga Riverfront shows how these uses are becoming better integrated in a way that pays tribute to the city’s past and leading the way to Cleveland’s future. Two such projects highlight just this: Irishtown Bend and the Cuyahoga Riverfront Development

On the river’s western bank, Irishtown Bend stretches between Ohio City and the water’s edge. In the mid-1800s, it was home to Irish immigrants living in hillside shanties—earning the area its name. As Cleveland industrialized, the slope remained neglected. Over time, it became dangerously unstable, posing landslide risks that threatened trails, rail lines, and public safety.

Now, thanks to a $100M+ partnership led by Cleveland Metroparks, the Port of Cleveland, and civic organizations, Irishtown Bend is being transformed into a 26-acre public park. This is about more than greenspace—it’s about stabilizing the slope, protecting infrastructure, and returning a critical piece of the riverfront to public use.

Just across the river bend, Tower City sits atop a historic railyard. Opened in 1930 as the Cleveland Union Terminal, it was a pioneering multimodal hub: part train station, part office tower, part civic landmark. While most rail lines have since disappeared, the site now serves as a hub for RTA transit, connecting the city through light rail and buses.

And today, Bedrock is leading a transformation of the site into a mixed-use civic gateway rooted in public space, mobility, and equity. Plans call for a revitalized riverfront district, leveraging RTA’s transit service to enable a true transit-oriented development. In 2023, work began on a new bulkhead to protect the shoreline and prepare the land for future development—laying the foundation for what's to come.

Here along the Cuyahoga, you can see centuries of infrastructure layered in one place. From Native trade routes to iron bridges, from coal docks to bike paths, the riverfront tells Cleveland’s past—and its future.

#InfrastructureWeek #EconomicDevelopmentWeek
#CuyahogaRiver #IrishtownBend #TowerCity
#ClevelandRevitalization #UrbanWaterfronts
#TransitOrientedDevelopment #PublicPrivatePartnerships
#BuildingBetterCities #EquityByDesign #ResilientInfrastructure

All picture sources are hyperlinked above… just click on the image to go to the source.

Welcome to Infrastructure Week Highlights! Starting with... Valencia Street, SF

Welcome to Infrastructure Week 2025!
This week, we are celebrating the places we love—and the infrastructure decisions that helped make them great. First up: Valencia Street, San Francisco—a corridor that’s constantly evolving to reflect the city’s changing values. And, it’s fitting to start with this street which serves as an infrastructure investment and economic development hub for SF, supporting many small businesses. Because, this week isn’t just Infrastructure Week, it’s also Economic Development Week!

Valencia Street, known for its mix of retail and housing, access to transit and public parks (Dolores Park anyone?), sits at the heart of SF’s Mission District. Over the last 250 years, the corridor has become home for Latinx families, LGBTQ+ communities, and small businesses shaped Valencia’s identity. Its mixed-use activity made it a hotspot for cultural expression, activism, and economic resilience.

But before there was concrete or cable, this area was home to the Yelamu, who walked and traded along the routes that now crisscross the Mission District. Later, Valencia was named after José Manuel Valencia, a Californio land grantee whose family was tied to Rancho San José.

In the late 1800s, electric streetcars and cable cars helped turn Valencia into a vibrant connector, fueling the growth of working-class housing and retail. But that promise of progress was halted with the 1906 earthquake, exposing deep infrastructural vulnerabilities when parts of the street collapsed. Even though transit returned to Valencia, service diminished in the 1950s with the removal of street cars.

Over the past two decades, Valencia has become a testbed for people-centered infrastructure:
→ Home to numerous parklets
→ A Slow Street during COVID to support safe mobility and outdoor life
→ And more recently, the site of hotly contested center-running protected bike lanes which are currently being dismantled in favor of curb-side protected bike lanes

Valencia’s not perfect. Its future is still being debated. But it reminds us that the investments we make in transit and place builds economic growth and community strength.

#InfrastructureWeek #EconomicDevelopmentWeek
#ValenciaStreet #MissionDistrict #UrbanInfrastructure
#PublicSpaceMatters #SlowStreets #ParkletPower #MobilityJustice
#BuildingBetterCities #ResilientDesign #TransitHistory

Shaping Our Cities: November Ballot Measures to Watch (with Post Election Update)

Post election update (12/01/2024): The election postmortem is well underway and this year provided plenty of material for reflection. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), infrastructure performed exceptionally well in state and local elections citing the billions of dollars that voters approved or renewed at the ballot box. However, the approval rates among ballot measures impacting city development reflect nuanced voter priorities.

While the rising cost of living was a significant concern for many voters, it’s notable that many still showed a willingness to tax themselves to sustain critical investments in infrastructure. Today, we’re revisiting the four ballot measures we discussed in October to explore how they fared and what their outcomes mean for the future of cities. See the italicized updates in each section below:

As election season heats up, we’re exploring local ballot measures that will shape the future of our communities—especially when it comes to land use, infrastructure investments, and housing. With hundreds of local initiatives on the table, I’ve sifted through dozens of land use and infrastructure measures to give you insights into key issues communities are grappling with. These ballot measures are hoping to 

• Increase resources via bond issuances and new tax structures. For instance, Charlotte’s three ballot measures aim to issue $400 million in bonds for infrastructure, housing, and neighborhood investments. (all three measures these passed!) 

• Prioritize investments that mean the most to voters. In Honolulu, voters will decide whether to allocate 0.5% of property tax revenues to a new Climate Resiliency Fund. (voters approved with 57% of the vote)

• Streamline processes to get projects done more efficiently. California’s Prop 5 aims to speed up projects by reducing voting thresholds from 67% to 50% for infrastructure and development initiatives. (this initiative failed 55% to 45%)

Out of all of those, I picked four that showed a range of voters topics. Here are four that could make meaningful change for the cities they are approved (or denied) in:

A New Infrastructure Financing Mechanism for Oklahoma?

This November, Oklahoma voters will have the chance to weigh in on a new type of infrastructure financing tool with State Question 833. This measure, which received overwhelming support in the state legislature, proposes the creation of Public Infrastructure Districts (PIDs). PIDs would allow property owners to fund public improvements by issuing bonds, which would be repaid through property taxes. However, the key here is that 100% of the property owners within a proposed PID must agree to its creation.

Although property taxes for these PIDs would be capped at 10 mills (or $10 per $100,000 of assessed property value), some critics have voiced concerns over the measure’s vague language and potential lack of safeguards. And, opponents worry that PIDs may complicate future efforts to pass larger city- or county-wide bond measures. Despite these uncertainties, supporters argue that PIDs could offer much-needed resources for affordable housing and other critical public infrastructure projects.

Oklahoma’s State Question 833, which proposed the creation of Public Infrastructure Districts (PIDs), failed to gain voter approval. With 62% voting "nay," Oklahomans opted to stick with citywide financing tools for infrastructure improvements. Taxation fatigue appears to have played a significant role, with voters showing reluctance to layer additional property taxes on top of existing burdens.

Outcome: Failed, 62% to 39%

Will voters upzone South Pasadena to increase housing stock?

While much of the country grapples with housing supply chains, California has taken aggressive steps by issuing mandates for cities to increase their housing supply. To build its required 2,067 units by 2029, South Pasadena is asking voters to eliminate building height limits in certain areas to promote development and diversify housing options.

With South Pasadena’s well known local charm and low profile, it’s not hard to see why this ballot measure has sparked heated debate. Headlines like “South Pasadena… Way of Life is Being Tested” capture the concerns of those worried that these changes could alter the character of the city. Beyond that, opponents fear supporting this ballot measure will take away residents' future ability to vote on building height restrictions.

Supporters of this measure trust in South Pasadena’s Housing Element and argue that this measure is necessary to avoid legal consequences. If the measure doesn’t pass, South Pasadena risks being subject to the "Builder’s Remedy," a legal tool that could give developers the authority to bypass local zoning and design standards, potentially reshaping the city without much local input.

South Pasadena voters chose to approve upzoning measures aimed at increasing housing stock, with 58% supporting the initiative. Renters and housing advocates saw this as a critical step toward creating more opportunities for affordable housing and pathways to ownership in the community.

Outcome: Approved, 58% to 42%

Nashville tests voters with Mobility initiative- will it work this time?

Nashville’s "Choose How You Move" initiative, led by the city’s mayor, aims to improve transit frequency and focus investments in four key areas: sidewalks, signals, service, and safety. These investments are definitely warranted as the city faces a population boom, growing traffic congestion, and increasingly dangerous streets.

This measure, backed by a proposed half-cent sales tax surcharge projected to raise $100 million annually for 15 years, translates to about $6 per month for Nashvillians. Learning from Nashville’s failed 2018 ballot measure for light rail transit, the "Choose How You Move" initiative has pivoted away from transit rhetoric, embracing a more multimodal approach. We will find out on November 5th if that makes a difference.

Nashville’s scaled-back transportation initiative, Choose How You Move, succeeded with strong voter approval. Learning from the failure of the 2018 transit referendum, this effort focused on practical investments in roads, sidewalks, and multimodal infrastructure. The smaller scope earned the Mayor and the city a double-digit win.

Outcome: Approved, 65.5% to 34.5%

NYC’s waste problem is going to the voters- will they decide to expand sanitation services?

New York City’s waste problem is hard to ignore—you can smell it on most summer days. While the stench is unpleasant, the city’s waste mismanagement has contributed to a growing rat problem. This prompted Mayor Adams to appoint a Rat Tsar in 2023. And that wasn’t all—NYC commissioned a $4 million study to tackle the issue head-on. The results, published this summer, delivered a clear solution: containerization (surprise surprise). No more piles of trash bags left on sidewalks for rats to feast on.

The Mayor’s office has already launched a containerization campaign, but this November, voters will decide whether to expand the Department of Sanitation's powers to enforce these policies citywide. The ballot measure would grant the department greater jurisdiction and enforcement abilities to manage containerization across the city. Sounds like a no-brainer, right? Well, not quite. The proposal includes provisions that would also give the Department of Sanitation the authority to ticket street vendors. This raises concerns for vendors who are already struggling to operate in an increasingly tough city environment.

New Yorkers decided to tackle their city’s waste problem by expanding the Department of Sanitation’s powers to enforce containerization and ticket street vendors. With 62% voting in favor, the city takes a significant step toward managing its waste and reducing its rat problem, though concerns remain about the impact on street vendors.

Outcome: Approved, 62% to 38%

These measures are just some examples of what you could find on your own election ballot. There’s still time to dive into your local ballot measures. I highly recommend checking out Ballotpedia.org, my go-to resource during election season. Let’s make sure we’re all ready to shape the future of our cities!

Original article was posted on October 22, 2024.

The Untapped Power of TIFIA: How to Fuel TOD with Federal Financing

In 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation introduced new guidance referred to as TIFIA 49 which allows infrastructure dollars to support real estate projects. With a housing shortage looming, this bold move could help the U.S. meet the demand for 4.5 million homes. Yet, despite strong support at all levels of government, only one TOD project has secured DOT’s TIFIA financing so far.

Why aren’t more TOD projects leveraging this funding? Here are the key challenges:

• Outdated Land Use Policies: Many cities are grappling with outdated policies that restrict development near transit. Within the last year, Washington and Colorado have created TOD-friendly policies, enabling cities to better engage developers and streamline projects.

• Financing Standards Misaligned with Reality: A significant hurdle to TIFIA financing is proving creditworthiness. Most TOD projects are financed through special purpose vehicles (SPVs) with no financial history, making it nearly impossible to meet federal credit standards. To over come this, developers can rely on a city’s (or agency’s) credit score made possible through a public-private partnership agreement.

• Project Structuring and Team Setup: Navigating regulations like Davis-Bacon, Buy America, and competitive procurement rules adds complexity (and costs) to developer processes. Aligning with wage laws and competitive standards during predevelopment is essential to keep projects eligible.

• Environmental Regulations: Federal financing requires compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which reviews projects for environmental and social impacts. Recent streamlining efforts under the Biden administration have made it easier for infill and adaptive reuse projects to advance.

• Underwriting Complexity: Construction loans for infrastructure assets are typically paid back through user fees, developer assessments, and taxes. Since TOD projects integrate real estate and infrastructure projects, property taxes and/or real estate rents become part of the infrastructure’s project revenue (and risk) making underwriting more complex. Depending on which project components are publicly financed adds complexity for creating a complete capital stack.

TIFIA is an untapped resource that could drive critical TOD projects forward. But to unlock its potential, we need targeted policy changes in the upcoming legislative session. And, for this tool to have the most impact, developers need to anticipate such moves and establish the right structures to seize this opportunity.

At Building Better Cities, we’re committed to helping cities and developers navigate the complexities of transit-oriented development. If your project could benefit from expert guidance in leveraging federal financing tools like TIFIA, or if you need support structuring your TOD initiatives, don’t hesitate to reach out. Let’s work together to turn bold ideas into transformative, sustainable urban projects.

Energy that packs a (lot of) punch

When we think of cleaning or greening the grid, we often think first of solar, wind and hydro energy. Renewables make up 20% of the national grid and growing investment will only up that percentage. But how do we get to a carbon free grid as fast as possible? 

We need to look at clean energy sources that pack a lot of punch… and keep on punching. What do I mean? Nuclear.  

I’ve previously talked about nuclear fusion and the distant future of making it commercially viable. But we haven’t talked about nuclear fission, an existing technology that we’ve known and used for decades. In the years following Fukushima and Chernobyl, nuclear has become a lot safer and public sentiment has warmed to the idea of expanding nuclear power. These trends parallel the growing interest in small modular reactors (SMRs).

How can SMRs help us build better cities? 

Safer and more modular: SMRs provide up to 300 MW(e) per unit, about ⅓ of the energy generated by traditional nuclear power reactors. Because of their size, SMRs don’t require intensive cooling operations that typically involve active cooling, pumps, power, or computer/human intervention, making them safer than traditional nuclear reactors. Their size also offers more flexibility for deployment in utility grids with constrained transmission and distribution lines.

Consistent baseload: The sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow. Until energy storage solutions can scale up and provide consistency to renewable energy, the grid is still dependent on fossil fuel energy sources. Because of their consistent energy supply, SMRs are great substitutes for fossil fuels, providing baseload and peak energy needs. 

Power density: Renewables are land-use intensive. To power ⅓ of the national grid using solar energy, we will need up to 4250 square miles- the equivalent of 14 times the area of New York City. And solar is most efficient when located near sunny urban centers. Now, for the same amount of energy supply, SMRs require a fraction of that land mass- up to 580 square miles (about 2 x NYC). 

So, what’s the next step?

In 2023, over 12 states passed legislation that allow for the development of nuclear reactors, including West Virginia, which lifted a ban on nuclear reactors put in place to protect the coal industry. On top of this legislative effort, the US federal government has pushed billions of dollars into the development of SMRs because of its theoretical viability to rival fossil fuels. 

Just this month the IAEA (the International Atomic Energy Agency) reviewed Estonia’s plans to get to a zero carbon grid by 2050 which relies heavily on the use of SMRs. With the IAEA’s feedback, Estonia will progress their plans to develop SMRs. 

Despite growing momentum, 2023 did see some setbacks for SMRs deployments. NuScale and the Utah Associated Municipal Power System canceled their SMR pilot project at the Idaho National Lab. The project was planned to deliver 462-MW reactor(s) to energize communities throughout the mountain west. After years of progress, the project’s budget pushed the quoted price for a MWh of nuclear energy from $58 to $89, making it noncompetitive with the grid energy prices. The project couldn’t fill enough subscriptions to ensure the project would remain financially viable. 

There are still multiple pilot projects underway throughout the world. Even Microsoft has hired experts to develop nuclear energy sources to power data centers. The DOD has awarded a contract option to X-energy to develop transportable micro nuclear reactors. And, if energy storage cannot scale and regulatory environments become even stickier for fossil fuels, there’s a growing chance that the economics will work and utilities will turn towards small nuclear to clean the grid.