Between Two Shovels Ep.26: James Corless - Why Sacramento Must Think Like One Region

James Corless has spent nine years as Executive Director of SACOG, the regional planning agency for the greater six-county Sacramento area.

Before that he was in Washington D.C. fighting to keep federal infrastructure funding alive through the Tea Party era.

In this episode of Between Two Shovels, Derek Minnema sits down with James for a wide-ranging conversation about what regional planning actually takes. How MPOs work and why they were created.

What it took to build consensus across 28 cities and counties. How Green Means Go went from a $100 million regional idea to a $600 million statewide program.

What the upcoming federal transportation reauthorization means for Sacramento. And why James believes midsize regions like Sacramento are about to carry the next 50 years in America.

Chapters:

0:00 What Is a Metropolitan Planning Organization? How MPOs Coordinate Regional Transportation

3:32 The Fear That Got Infrastructure Into the State of the Union5:20 How 70,000 Deficient Bridges Shaped America's Infrastructure Funding Debate

12:00 Inside SACOG's Sacramento Blueprint: Infrastructure, Housing & Regional Growth Challenges

18:00 How Regional Planning Builds Consensus Across 28 Cities and Counties Through Listening

28:00 Sacramento Housing Crisis: Green Means Go, Infill Development & Infrastructure Funding

55:00 Sacramento Region on the Rise: Midsize Cities, Housing & Transportation Future

Between Two Shovels is produced by the Capital SouthEast Connector Joint Powers Authority and explores transportation policy, engineering, and project delivery through conversations with industry leaders.

Guest: James Corless, Executive Director at SACOG

Title: Between Two Shovels Ep.26: James Corless - Why Sacramento Must Think Like One Region