Public Infrastructure

Infrastructure like roads, water pipes, and sewage systems, is simultaneously the most crucial element of urban form while also being the least appreciated.  These forms often run below ground and out of sight and are typically paid for by government agencies, so builders and users alike often take their efficient construction for granted.  However, most infrastructure is very expensive to produce, though absolutely necessary for successful urban design.  Though its form is rarely seen, its function can make even the most beautiful of streets an experiential nightmare.  Its represents the building blocks of our built environment, and therefore typically comes first in most urban construction.

The primary discourse on infrastructure planning comes from the suburbs, where low-density developments are built on undeveloped land without previously laying the infrastructure foundation necessary to ensure that the homes are habitable.  The sprawl requires local governments to extend public services out to reach these faraway developments, the cost of which can be exorbitant.  In fact, the square footage necessary to connect these distant communities often yields projects that are too expensive to cover with tax payments.  The current trend in planning toward “smart growth” initiatives encourages building in previously developed areas.  Governments often accomplish this by outlining an area for urban growth, beyond which major infrastructure investment will not be subsidized, as well as offering economic incentives to build within existing neighborhoods.

http://www.public-infrastructure.de/40560?x=1
http://www.elpnet.org/delawarevalleynetwork/envissues.php
www.epa.gov
http://www.stormwaterauthority.org
http://www.phila.gov/water/
www.pgworks.com
www.philaport.com

  

http://www.december.com/places/phil/transport.html
http://www.december.com/places/phil/facilities.html
http://www.december.com/places/phil/human.html
http://www.philaport.com/port_infrastructure.htm
http://www.pgworks.com/
http://www.exeloncorp.com/
http://www.elpnet.org/delawarevalleynetwork/envissues.php