Future Ready Features: 4 Things to Know
WSP in the U.S.
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Communities are the connective tissue of society. Working with them, and in service of them, is the connective tissue of our mission and purpose.
Community, thriving
A major obstacle to economic growth in historically disadvantaged communities is a lack of investment in critical infrastructure. Transformative projects like public transit can improve mobility and expand affordable transportation to connect people to opportunities and resources, as well as reduce pollution and support public health.
But those projects require millions, if not billions of dollars in funding — typically via government grant programs — for which under-resourced cities and towns have traditionally struggled to compete.
That is the challenge the U.S. Department of Transportation aims to address through its Thriving Communities Program. Launched in 2022, the program offers no-cost technical assistance and capacity building to communities disproportionately affected by environmental, climate and human health policy impacts.
Community, gathering (Big time!)
Over the next decade, the U.S. will host several major international events and welcome millions to their festivities. These momentous moments that will that bring the world together include the 2026 FIFA World Cup — which will play out in 11 cities across the country, as well as in Canada and Mexico — the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
If a visitor to one of these massive convenings only experiences the joy of international community, competition and spectacle, then the event planners have done their job. But those behind the scenes — responsible for making it appear seamless — know that preparing for and executing a global gathering of this magnitude is a multi-year, multifaceted feat that requires the collaboration of a whole host of stakeholders solving myriad interconnected challenges.
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Community, reorienting
The impacts of COVID-19 are still being felt far and wide, and not only in the halls of hospitals and health clinics.
The work from home and hybrid work policies widely adopted by companies and organizations during the pandemic, have fundamentally changed the landscape of urban centers in cities across the U.S. Consider: according to research firm Statista, in quarter 4 of 2023, the office vacancy rates of our major metros ranged from 12.7% (Manhattan) to 33.4% (Phoenix).
That many fewer people populate these downtown areas during work hours or have moved away entirely in favor of a remote lifestyle, creates a knock-on effect for the entire social and economic ecosystems that have been built around them. As such, there is a real need to reimagine the urban centers of our cities and consider bold ideas to retain — or regain — their vibrancy and economic vitality.
Community, refilling
There are a variety of factors contributing to the increasing issue of water scarcity in U.S. communities, including climate change and drought, pollution, aging infrastructure and increasing demand that exceeds supply.
That last driver is of particular concern in areas experiencing a major influx of new residents, that don’t have the rainfall, geology or watershed to reliably and regularly recharge water sources. See Polk County in Central Florida as a prime example.
The fastest growing county in that state over the past decade, Polk County has added more than 200,000 thirsty individuals to its population, which has dramatically impacted its fresh groundwater supply and created a near-term crisis. To solve this problem, a coalition of forward-thinking water management districts, and state and local agencies, have proactively identified alternative water sources and critical projects to tap them.