The Strong Towns Podcast Why Infrastructure Maintenance Might Be The Real Megaproject
15 snips
Mar 30, 2026 Geoff Cooper, chief executive of New Zealand’s Infrastructure Commission, leads the National Infrastructure Plan and advises on asset strategy. He explains why maintenance and renewals dominate costs. The plan reframes choices about big new projects, growth on the fringe, and who ultimately pays. It stresses better asset data, portfolio thinking, and realistic spending limits.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Maintenance Is The True Megaproject
- Most future infrastructure needs are renewals and maintenance, not new build; up to 99% of required assets already exist.
- Prioritizing maintenance reduces the apparent need for large new projects because operations and renewals dominate lifecycle costs.
Delay Funding Until Projects Are Fully Ready
- Think slow and act fast: delay funding decisions until projects are fully developed to avoid cost overruns and poor delivery.
- Require robust up‑front business cases (geotech, financials) before committing capital to avoid politically driven premature approvals.
You Can't Plan What You Don't Inventory
- Many central agencies lack basic asset management: half of eight capital‑intensive agencies had no asset management plans or critical asset registers.
- Without knowing what you own and its renewal needs, you cannot credibly plan future investment.