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          TRANSPORTATION

          ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

          That empty space next to highways? Put solar panels on it.

          Roadside solar fields across the country could power up to 12 million electric vehicles.

          ECONOMIC & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

          The Economic Potential of the Great American Rail-Trail

          The completion of a cross-country bike trail in old railroad corridors could add nearly a quarter-billion dollars a year to local economies.

          FLYING / AVIATION

          The Quiet Competence That Makes the Country Run

          Being "inside the clouds" is stressful. But when you break into the clear, you see things you might not have noticed before. A view of the "soft skills" part of America's human infrastructure, and their difference from those in China and elsewhere.

          RURAL & REGIONAL

          Americans Are Again Remaking Their Landscape. What We Know About Where We Are Headed.

          The 1880s, the 1930s, the 1950s—they dramatically reshaped America. The 2020s are likely to do so as well.

          TRANSPORTATION

          Reviving the economy, restoring community, and helping sustainability: a plan.

          Two Republican presidents -- Abraham Lincoln, and Dwight Eisenhower -- offered bold new approaches to transportation as part of their national strategy. A proposal

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          This is the site of the Our Towns Civic Foundation, dedicated to connecting innovators, reformers, civic-patriots, and dreamers across America. The reports here are based on travels and interviews over the past decade by Deborah and James Fallows. The ongoing accounts will emphasize local voices on how communities are adjusting to the economic, environmental, and technological opportunities and challenges of the era.

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