Why Infrastructure Maintenance Might Be The Real Megaproject
From The Strong Towns Podcast by Strong Towns
March 30, 2026 · 50 min · Episode 695
About this episode
Geoff Cooper and Chuck Marohn discuss New Zealand's infrastructure plan focusing on maintenance and its implications for public budgets and megaprojects.
New Zealand’s infrastructure commission added up every sector’s project wish‑list—and found a bill voters could never realistically pay. In this conversation, Geoff Cooper and Chuck Marohn unpack the national plan that starts by centering maintenance and renewals, then shows how that shifts the debate over big new projects, growth on the fringe, and the pressure on public budgets. Additional Show Notes Geoff Cooper (LinkedIn) Te Waihanga (Site) Te Waihanga National Infrastructure Plan (Site) Chuck Marohn (Substack) This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Thank you!
People in this episode
Guests: Geoff Cooper, Chuck Marohn
Topics covered
- infrastructure maintenance
- national infrastructure plan
- public budgets
- megaprojects
- urban growth
- New Zealand
Keywords
- infrastructure
- maintenance
- New Zealand
- public budgets
- megaprojects
- urban planning
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Te Waihanga
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