Courtney Iseman’s story on the beer scene in New York City brings back a lot of memories. While many of the trailblazing places she writes about have shuttered, some are still around, and there are loads of newer places carrying on.
New York has come a long way, but there’s so much more that can be done to improve our streets. Paris is a great example of what’s possible. They had to claw back space from street parking and vehicle lanes just like we do. More than anything, it takes political courage.
One reason big public works projects are hard to execute is that they often take years to complete, making them less appealing to politicians looking to deliver quick, obvious results to constituents and to take credit for a finished project.
Granted, there are many other issues that make massive public works projects difficult execute. But, the perceived need for our leaders to chalk up quick wins during their terms keeps these projects from even getting started. Stringing together quick wins will not yield the sort of infrastructure improvements needed in this country. We need our leaders to have the foresight and courage to think beyond their next election and into the future.