Developing a Conceptual Life-Cycle Framework for Advancing Equity in Local Capital Improvement Planning

The quality of life and societal outcomes, such as health, education, employment, and wealth, depend on infrastructure, but not all communities benefit equally from infrastructure developments. Some communities experience disadvantages like limited transportation access, unmet infrastructure needs, or outdated electrical distribution infrastructure. Public agencies at different levels have made efforts to advance equity, but approaches to equity-based policies vary within the United States and between agencies. Peer-to-peer learning is one of the most effective ways to identify promising strategies for achieving infrastructure fairness. However, little research has focused on how local agencies incorporate equity into their planning processes. This study conducted a content analysis of local capital improvement plans to propose a conceptual life-cycle framework for incorporating equity into the capital planning process. The framework covers various stages, from formulating a capital budget request to evaluating the project's effectiveness in improving equity if the request is accepted and implemented.