Assessing equity in infrastructure investment distribution among U.S. cities
Zhenhua Chen, Donghwan Ki, Zekun Li, Kailai Wang
Abstract
Infrastructure plays a pivotal role in driving economic growth and elevating the quality of life. However, conventional approaches to infrastructure planning and investment decision-making have predominantly focused on maximizing economic efficiency and investment returns, often overlooking the broader impact on diverse regions and social groups. This study delves into the intricate relationship between socio-economic disparity and infrastructure investment within US cities. Using the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and municipality-level data on infrastructure expenditure from the Census, we investigate both spatial and temporal variations in social vulnerability and infrastructure expenditure on public health, housing, water and sewerage, and transportation. Using advanced statistical analysis rooted in deep learning, we also estimate the potential implications of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on socio-economic equity. Our findings reveal a compelling narrative: a shift from an equality focused to an equity-driven allocation of infrastructure expenditure among municipalities engenders an enhancement in socio-economic performance. These findings highlight the need to incorporate equity into the impact appraisal framework to support equitable infrastructure planning and investment decision-making. • Introduces a deep learning framework to assess infrastructure investment impacts in U.S. cities. • Analyzes spatial and temporal shifts in socioeconomic outcomes across 394 U.S. municipalites. • Explores statistical ties between infrastructure spending and socioeconomic performance. • Finds equity-focused spending improves socioeconomic outcomes over equality-based approaches.