Brookings Institution infrastructure authority Adie Tomer will speak in Des Moines April 22 as part of the Tomorrow Plan Speaker Series. Tomer notes that economies that grow tend to be places where people want to live — and public transit is a big draw, along with parks and areas that make walking easy. Tomer is a fellow at the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. “We used to build really big stuff — everything from the canals to the transcontinental railroads and the highways,” he said in a news release. “What are we building now? How can we make sure our transportation builds the kind of economy we want going forward?” Tomer will speak at noon at the State Historical Building. The event is free but an RSVP is required, which you can send from here. You can order a lunch from Baratta’s here. The Tomorrow Plan focuses on sustainable development.