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Broadband internet is considered an important determinant of economic growth and development. A number of studies have examined the impact of broadband on migration, firm location and economic growth. However, the relationship between broadband infrastructure and new firm formation in the USA has not been sufficiently described. This chapter fills that gap by empirically examining the relationship between broadband internet and new firm formation. It is found that single-unit firm births and the provision of broadband are positively and significantly related across almost all industry sectors in the USA. However, the impact of broadband provisioning on new firm formation is sensitive to agglomeration and aggregate and growth patterns of states and economic sectors.

Transportation investment policy faces an unprecedented critical moment especially when traditional public funding sources shrink. How to allocate the limited funding source among different modes of transportation infrastructure to maintain their quality and function is not only a challenging decision, it also requires the knowledge and understanding of the relationships between transportation infrastructure and regional economic development. This study conducts a comparative assessment investigating this relationship with a focus on a multimodal perspective. Through the comparison of the authors’ previous evaluation studies conducted at different geographic scales in the US and using different data and methodologies, the regional economic impacts of different modes of transportation infrastructures are contrasted and discussed. Although transportation infrastructure is found to have a consistent positive impact on regional development across different studies, the effects vary considerably among different modes of transportation. Issues of impact assessment and policy implications are raised and discussed.