Might a City's Best Investment Be Something Most People Never Notice?
The most visible benefits are not always the most valuable ones.
A city upgrades drainage systems before a rainy season. Residents may never notice the improvement.
The hidden mechanism is avoided failure. Some investments create value not by producing visible gains but by preventing costly disruptions.
Public discussions often focus on what can be seen rather than what no longer goes wrong.
People celebrate what appears. Cities often benefit most from what quietly continues working.
