The pandemic will have an enormous impact on the design, construction and maintenance of civil infrastructure, from highways and airports to dams and energy systems, says Richard Geddes, a Cornell University expert on infrastructure policy.
For example, sensors that can detect pathogens and other substances will be integrated into the design and construction of schools, prisons and hospitals, he predicts. Innovative finance will be leveraged to renovate the country’s many older hospitals, as a way to save money in the face of the economic downturn.
Global trade will slow, with more precautions and testing at border crossings. And we’ll see more preparations for future pandemics, he predicts.
Geddes is professor of policy analysis and management in the College of Human Ecology. He is the founding director of the Cornell Program in Infrastructure Policy.