Low and Slow: Learning a Thing or Two in Kansas City
At their headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., staff members of the American Public Works Association greeted ENR's "Low & Slow" tour reporters Aileen Cho and Dan McNichol. They have visited public-works officials in nine cities, large and small, so far—with more to come in their coast-to-coast infrastructure tour.
David Dancy, APWA director of marketing, says the tour "sends a strong message that is similar to the work required to keep the 1949 Hudson drivable: Our infrastructure is in a critical state that citizens, public-works professionals and government leaders cannot ignore. Without proper investment and funding, public-works and other infrastructure professionals will not be able to maintain our roads and bridges, water and sewer systems or utilities."
Cho, ENR's transportation editor, adds, "I've often seen that smaller DPWs are held even more accountable by their constituents than larger agencies—for instance, in Abilene, Kansas. In a smaller town, seemingly small infrastructure problems are magnified in the eyes of the community."
Having reached Denver, the travelers are heading to Salt Lake City, Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Read more about their journey online at www.enrlowslow.com and follow them on Twitter (#enrlowslow) and Facebook.
