, Columnist
Privatizing Roads Was a Great Idea. Not Anymore.
Trump’s infrastructure vision has plenty of history behind it. It also doesn’t bolster his case.
No shunpikers here.
Photo: Rischgitz/Getty ImagesDuring his State of the Union speech, President Donald Trump laid out a plan to rebuild America’s infrastructure by “tapping into private-sector investment.” Doing so would “permanently fix the infrastructure deficit,” he declared.
Behind this lofty bit of rhetoric was the humble toll booth -- in this case privately owned ones on privately owned roads. As governor of Indiana, Vice President Mike Pence tried out the strategy, turning over an expansion of I-69 to foreign investors. Trump now hopes to take this to the next level, making it the centerpiece of plans to revive America’s infrastructure.