Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of important posts, outlining innovative strategies for new infrastructure as part of Congress’ proposed stimulus plan. Please check back with us often in the coming week.

The House appropriations committee released a summary of its stimulus plan last week, including monies earmarked for infrastructural improvements (thanks to smogr for the report).  Gross amounts are as follows:

• $30 billion for highway construction;
• $31 billion to modernize federal and other public infrastructure with investments that lead to long term energy cost savings;
• $19 billion for clean water, flood control, and environmental restoration investments;
• $10 billion for transit and rail to reduce traffic congestion and gas consumption.

We at The Functionality are very concerned with the huge discrepancy in proposed spending on highway construction ($30 billion) vs. mass transit and rail ($10 billion). This is a clear mis-prioritization of our interests in view of the harmful effects that our oil addiction has visited upon our urbanism, environment, economy, foreign policy and culture. The Functionality is first to concede that our highways and roads realistically require new investment and improvement, given that we are so tied to the automobile. However, we will be so tied for years into the future if we mimic the obsolescent infrastructures of the past.  For example, we know for a fact that thoughtlessly adding and widening highways only leads to more congestion and pollution.

We need a new approach. This does not mandate a clean break from the car, but rather, investment in innovative, hybrid infrastructure. This investment will be holistic: it will be accompanied by an ecological vision of a new American urbanism, culture and economy. It will accomodate the transition from fossil fuels to renewables, dumb technologies to smart technologies, sprawl to intelligent growth.

The stimulus may be be paid out as soon as 180 days from now. The window for this huge opportunity is NOW. Let’s get to it!