Changing decades-old formulas for infrastructure funding and how the money is distributed are not new topics for discussion. As a nation, we have been arguing over this approach for more than a generation. While the importance of infrastructure makes intense debates appropriate, one critical element of such policy is often overlooked: the role and importance of large population clusters — “megaregions” — within and between adjoining states. The infrastructure debate must start including a discussion on how to further empower regional governing bodies to effectively accelerate megaregional infrastructure projects already identified as feasible and desired in local communities.

Some cities are paving the way to getting beyond outdated governance and funding structures, creating viable alternatives to our antiquated institutions for distributing transportation resources.