Affordability is the word du jour, from grocery stores, our utility bills and factories all the way to the halls of Congress. It’s no different in the infrastructure sector and our lead story digs into some of the factors—BABA included—that are creating pressure. But we also have more upbeat looks in the lineup: AI is embedding itself in construction work in various ways, two North Carolina cities are effectively combining green and gray infrastructure and California is making real progress on battery capacity. As always, there’s lots to catch up on.

— Geert De Lombaerde