Thinking about Systems

While infrastructure is built and restored one project or facility at a time — particularly when the job is turned over to a private entity— it is essential we plan the entire infrastructure system as an integrated whole. This requires making sure that components function effectively together at every point in their life cycles, delivering a livable, sustainable environment to the community. A city, large or small, is not just a single highway, transit network, or new recreation center; it is the entire collection of facilities and systems that work together to support the economy, the society, and the environment of that place. This demands systems thinking.