Infrastructure Notes

Infrastructure

• Infrastructure: Physical and organizational structures/facilities needed for a society/system to function.

Examples of Infrastructure

• Power plants

• Electrical grids

• Roads

• Public transportation

• Highways

• Educational institutions

• Hospitals

• Bridges

• Cell phone towers

• Internet

• Airports

• Railways

• Ports

• Water/sewage systems

Importance of Infrastructure

• Quality and accessible infrastructure is key to a successful society.

• Impacts economic growth and social development.

• Investment and maintenance lead to increased economic development and higher living standards.

Infrastructure and Spatial Patterns

• Advancing infrastructure reshapes spatial patterns in cities.

• Shift from large retail in central business districts (CBDs) to middle/low-density areas.

• The interstate system connected cities, causing urban sprawl.

• People can commute from outside the urban core due to robust road systems.

• Businesses followed customers, purchasing cheaper land away from CBDs.

• Smaller stores located in suburbs, boom burbs, and edge cities are possible due to complex road systems.

• A city's infrastructure directly affects economic and social development spatial patterns.

Impact of the Internet

• The internet allows people to access goods/services around the world.

• Investment in fiber optic internet leads to economic development.

• Faster internet enables remote work and efficient information access.

• Increased connectivity can provide telehealth services to underserved areas.

• New businesses form, ideas are shared, and people gain access to different goods/services.

Consequences of Infrastructure Development

• Roadways and internet allow people to live farther from urban areas, expanding suburbs.

• Farmland and green spaces are replaced by concrete.

• Higher reliance on automobiles leads to air pollution and traffic.

• High-density areas use public transportation, reducing travel time and reliance on personal vehicles.

• Expanding public transportation to suburbs increases costs and urban sprawl.

Infrastructure Costs and Challenges

• Infrastructure maintenance and expansion costs increase over time.

• Lack of investment in new or old infrastructure decreases efficiency.

• Failure to maintain infrastructure can lead to disastrous consequences (e.g., bridge collapse).

• Cities and states must prioritize infrastructure projects, considering environmental and community impacts, and funding sources.

• Political and economic debates arise between residents and different levels of government.

Modern Infrastructure Adaptations

• Upgrading old infrastructure and investing in new infrastructure are necessary.

• Roads may need reconfiguration for new cars.

• Public transportation must expand to connect high-density areas and alleviate traffic.

• The Rise of electric vehicles necessitates investments in charging stations and smart green technology.

• This infrastructure allows electric cars to be a more viable option for residents, which can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and encourage new economic development in different regions

Public Services and Infrastructure

• As populations grow, cities must expand public services (healthcare, education, police, fire, trash pickup, water/sewer, electric).

• Infrastructure is important to maintain access to a high standard of living.

• Failure to grow infrastructure leads to deteriorating roads, traffic, overcrowded schools/hospitals, stretched police/fire forces, failing electric grids, contaminated water, and informal settlements.

• Growing and maintaining infrastructure offers more goods/services and economic/social opportunities.