# The Escalator Test: Great Cities Fix What Is Broken

> Great cities fix broken escalators and infrastructure to maintain prosperity.
- Title: The Escalator Test: Great Cities Fix What Is Broken | Shortify
- Summary: Great cities fix broken escalators and infrastructure to maintain prosperity. Great cities and states preserve wealth by fixing routine maintenance, not…
- Keywords: dallas, tarrant, fort worth, metroplex, escalator, maintenance, infrastructure, texas, government, public services, news, politics
- Source: Dallas Express — https://dallasexpress.com/opinion/john-scott-op-ed
- Author: Dallas Express
- Published: 2026-10-07T14:00:15+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: dallas, tarrant, fort worth, metroplex, escalator, maintenance, infrastructure, texas, government, public services, news, politics
## Paris Airport Experience
My wife and I recently traveled through Portugal and Spain, but the impression from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport stood out.
## Broken Escalators
Escalators that did not work, broken moving sidewalks, and equipment left idle were common at Charles de Gaulle Airport.
## Invisible Maintenance
Maintenance is invisible until it is not done, as politicians cut ribbons for new bridges but ignore old ones.
## The Escalator Test
When something ordinary breaks, does someone know it is broken, own the problem, or have money to fix it?
## Texas Growth
Texas is growing with the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, but growth creates dangers for infrastructure.
## Government Responsibilities
Government must keep people safe, maintain streets, provide water, deal with drainage, and respond to broken things.
## The Escalator Test Applied
The Escalator Test works for potholes, broken streetlights, clogged drains, and government projects that seem never to end.
## Fixing What Is Broken
Great cities and states preserve wealth by fixing the street, clearing the drain, finishing projects, and answering the phone.
## Key takeaway

Great cities and states preserve wealth by fixing routine maintenance, not grand projects.