Making Room for the Future: Rebuilding California's Infrastructure

Publication Date: March 2003

Publisher: Public Policy Institute of California

Author(s): David E. Dowall; Jan Whittington

Research Area: Economics

Type: Report

Coverage: California

Abstract:

This report identifies the state’s most pressing infrastructure problems and shows how policymakers can address them more effectively. In particular, it analyzes the issues and opportunities confronting three of the state’s major infrastructure responsibilities-education, water, and transportation-and identifies a range of policy tools that can be used to improve infrastructure service delivery. After surveying the key institutions in each sector, the authors offer a list of recommendations for addressing the state’s infrastructure challenges. They also suggest a three-step approach to implementing these recommendations: immediate measures to relieve costly congestion and infrastructure impaction; near-term efforts to address infrastructure service shortfalls; and a long-term overhaul to remove structural and institutional impediments to infrastructure provision.