This past summer I worked in Mumbai, India, researching ways to help offset the cost of their 195.25 billion Rupee ($4.2 billion U.S. Dollars) metro system. What I discovered was that governments need to make smart planning choices when it comes to infrastructure, and often large, attention grabbing capital projects are not the best bang for the buck. While a metro system would solve some of Mumbai's urban mobility problems, 25% of the population cannot afford transit fares and 33% either walk or bicycle.

Fixing transportation infrastructure now avoids rough breaks later

There's another approach that would have a bigger, more equitable impact: fix-it-first, which prioritizes rehabilitation and operation of existing transportation investments, such as repaving roads and preventative bridge maintenance.

The U.S. needs to be wary of this, too. With unemployment at a 26-year high, Democrats in the House are suggesting jobs legislation by the December recess, and it is hinted that some of the funding might be spent on our nation's transportation infrastructure.

Numerous voices are in favor of using these dollars to repair our crumbling roads and bridges, including a recent Brookings Institution article, Oregon Representative Earl Blumenauer's USA Today Op-Ed, and Transportation for America's (T4) letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Fixing our existing system instead of funding new capital projects, such as adding new highways or financing bottom-up projects, is a win-win for American jobs, the environment, and safe transportation. Here's why:

• Fix-it-first creates immediate jobs: Money enters the economy within months because funds are not spent buying new land or acquiring right-of-ways. Unlike capital projects which require skilled engineers, fix it first projects, like repainting bridges and sealing cracks, require less intensive training, and most state employees are already trained to do maintenance work and are familiar with the needs of their region.
• Fix-it-first is better for the environment: By maintaining existing infrastructure, states avoid unnecessary highway expansion and road widening projects, which boost vehicle miles traveled, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and negatively impact public health.
• Fix-it-first is safer: Every day millions of Americans rely upon our nation's highways and bridges to get to work and transport goods across the country. Maintaining our existing investment is the responsible choice. The safer choice is the smarter choice, too, as the cost of proactive repairs are between 1/6 and 1/14 the cost of a complete overhaul once a bridge or road is in poor condition.

The transportation sector is responsible for approximately 28% of domestic greenhouse gases emissions, and smart transportation spending policies that improve mobility and reduce vehicle miles traveled are the kind of transportation policies we need for the 21^st century. Fix-it-first is the smarter choice for our infrastructure investments, American jobs, our environment, and our safety.