Replay: In a Bad State

Replay: In a Bad State

Author: The Overhead Wire January 1, 2026 Duration: 1:00:23

Hey everybody!  I want to wish everyone a happy new year!  We're doing our second replay episode at the end of the year featuring one of my favorite discussions over the last few years with David Schleicher about his book In a Bad State. This is one of the foundational ideas for me of late because of how we fund transportation infrastructure with bonds but also how those bonds are backed up!  I think about the Tri-lemma often and how many of the fiscal issues with climate change and transportation can be traced back to the topics in this discussion. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy hopping back to 2023 and Episode 439. 

This week we're joined by Yale Law professor David Schleicher to talk about his new book, In a Bad State: Responding to State and Local Budget Crises. We chat about how historic fiscal crisis shape similar responses today and how infrastructure funding plays out in the United States.

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Each week, Talking Headways: A Streetsblog Podcast digs into the conversations shaping our cities and streets. Host Jeff Wood, from The Overhead Wire, guides these discussions, which sit at a unique crossroads where the practical realities of urban planning meet the urgent goals of sustainable transportation and thoughtful economic development. Rather than offering abstract theory, the episodes connect policy to the pavement, exploring how decisions made in government offices and community meetings directly affect how people live, move, and work. You’ll hear from a range of voices-planners, advocates, officials, and journalists-who are actively working on these fronts. The dialogue in this podcast is grounded in current events and news, providing context and depth to the week’s most pressing topics in urbanism. It’s for anyone curious about why their city looks and functions the way it does, and for those invested in building more equitable and accessible communities. The tone is engaged and informative, turning complex, interconnected subjects into clear, compelling conversation. Tune in for a regular dose of insight on the forces designing our public realm.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 101

Talking Headways: A Streetsblog Podcast
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