Seventh Annual Land Policy Conference June 3-5 to focus on infrastructure

Lessons from the Big Dig, Chicago Skyway, privatization, "green infrastructure"

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 7th Annual Land Policy Conference, Infrastructure and Land Policies, will be held June 3-5, 2012 at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge.

Nearly 90 leading researchers and practitioners will explore topics including the role of infrastructure in developing urban land, the privatization of infrastructure, sustainability and infrastructure, the impact of "mega-events" such as the Olympics, involuntary resettlement policies, and impacts from the growing use of mobile phones in developing countries.

The papers presented at the conference will be compiled in a single published volume and also made available online. The most recent conference volume, Value Capture and Land Policies, was published this month and was based on the Land Policy Conference in May 2011.

Fred Salvucci, the former Massachusetts transportation secretary and chief architect of Boston's $15.6 billion Big Dig, will be the speaker at the opening dinner Sunday, June 3, discussing lessons from that megaproject. After welcoming remarks by Lincoln Institute president Gregory K. Ingram Monday, June 4, Katherine Sierra, fellow at the Brookings Institution, will deliver the keynote address on sustainable infrastructure for urban growth.

Infrastructure has changed with advances in technology, and climate change concerns are increasing the movement towards sustainable, green infrastructure development. Urban areas in particular face growing populations along with increasing energy needs, congestion, and pollution-creating complexities for service delivery. These challenges are being compounded by looming shortages of water and available energy relative to current and projected usage in many areas. Sierra will draw on experiences from developed and developing countries to explore the implications of urban growth and climate change on future sustainable infrastructure development.

The topics and presenters, in order of appearance, include:

• Infrastructure and urban development: Evidence from Chinese Cities, Yan Song, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Economic activity and infrastructure, Cesar A. Calderon, The World Bank
• The unit approach to the taxation of railroad and public utility property, Gary C. Cornia, Brigham Young University; Lawrence C. Walters, Brigham Young University; and David J. Crapo, Crapo Smith
• Economic regulation of utility infrastructure, Janice A. Beecher, Michigan State University
• What is the value of infrastructure maintenance? Felix Rioja, Georgia State University
• Density and cost in financing infrastructure services, Nancey Green Leigh, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Chicago and Its Skyway: Lessons from an urban megaproject, Louise Nelson Dyble, Michigan Technological University
• Assessing the infrastructure impact of mega-events in emerging economies, Victor A. Matheson, College of the Holy Cross
• Understanding infrastructure impacts on greenhouse gas emissions and key mitigation strategies, Anu Ramaswami, University of Colorado Denver
• The location effects of alternative road pricing policies, Alex Anas and Tomoru Hiramatsu, State University of New York at Buffalo
• How and why does the quality of service delivery vary within and across countries? George R. G. Clarke, Texas A&M International University
• Involuntary resettlement in infrastructure projects: A development perspective, Robert Picciotto, Kings College London
• Evaluating the performance of the private sector in infrastructure development, Vijaya Ramachandran and Ross Thuotte, Center for Global Development
• Mobile telephony in Africa, Mirjam de Bruijn, Leiden University

The complete agenda can be viewed here.

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is a leading resource for key issues concerning the use, regulation, and taxation of land. Providing high-quality education and research, the Institute strives to improve public dialogue and decisions about land policy.

Contact: Anthony Flint 617-503-2116  

SOURCE Lincoln Institute of Land Policy