St. Paul, MN: 4/21/08, Without Solid Infrastructure, a State is Stuck, Star Tribune. Transportation infrastructure is critically important to our country and to Minnesota. As tragic as the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge was, it has brought national attention to an issue that has been neglected too long -- our nation's aging and antiquated transportation infrastructure. Read More... Chicago: April 14, 2008, How's your commute?: Getting worse, poll says, Chicago Sun Times Almost half of Chicagoans surveyed believe their commute is getting worse, and 80 percent expressed concern about the cost of getting to work, according to a poll commissioned by TransitCenter Inc., a nonprofit that promotes mass transit use. Read more... 
California: April 14, 2008, Conserving California?s Water, L.A. Times California needs to set the standard for water conservation. Many communities have already invested in water efficiency and reaped the benefits from such programs as drought-tolerant landscaping and appliances that use less water. Last summer, water agencies throughout the state successfully implemented voluntary conservation programs to curb water use, after one of the driest winters on record. Read more... Kennebec, ME: April 14, 2008, Bridge repair must be priority, Kennebec Journal, Maine's roads and bridges are in rough shape. Some are even in dangerous shape. Anyone who drives across the state, slaloming around potholes and rumbling over the rusty spans that cross streams and rivers knows that. And the state doesn't have enough money to fix them. Read more... 4/9/08: The 10 Pieces of U.S. Infrastructure We Must Fix Now Popular Mechanics No one can predict what bridge, levee or water main will fail next. But some problems are widely known, and work is long overdue. As PM's new special report makes blatantly clear, we need to begin rebuilding the nation's infrastructure somewhere. Here are 10 great places to start. Read more... Philadelphia, PA: 3/18/08, Traffic snarled Tuesday around a two-mile stretch of Interstate 95 that was ordered closed for at least two days for emergency repairs of a crack in a concrete support pillar of the major northeast corridor. Repairs to the crack required closure of both northbound and southbound lanes of the highway north of the city's central business district, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman Gene Blaum said Monday. Click here to read more...Chattanooga, TN: 3/14/08, Waterways funding shortfall puts squeeze on Chickamauga Lock, Chattanooga Times Free Press, The federally administered Inland Waterways Trust Fund could be depleted completely by the end of the year, putting in jeopardy dam upgrades and renovations, including Chickamauga Lock. Click here to read more...Washington, D.C., 3/12/08, TRIP Releases Urban Roads Report, Twenty-three percent of the nation?s major metropolitan roads ? interstates, freeways and other critical local routes ? have pavements in poor condition, resulting in rough rides and costing the average urban motorist $413 annually in additional vehicle operating costs due to accelerated vehicle deterioration, additional maintenance needs and increased fuel consumption, according to a new report released today by The Road Information Project (TRIP), a national transportation research group. Read TRIP?s report, "Keep Both Hands on the Wheel: Metro Areas With the Roughest Rides and Strategies to Make Our Roads Smoother,"
"Keep Both Hands on the Wheel: Metro Areas With the Roughest Rides and Strategies to Make Our Roads Smoother" Tallahassee, FL: Feb. 26, 2008, Rebuilding Infrastructure Is Key to Jobs and Future, Tallahassee Democrat When fears of a national recession are almost palpable, the suggestion of investing huge sums of public money into road and bridge repairs, water and sewer systems and other critical infrastructure may seem counterintuitive. Click here to read more... Marshall, MN: Feb. 27, 2008, All will pay — and benefit — from gas tax, The Independent A gas tax will mean higher costs at the pump when you fill up, but two Lyon County Commissioners said Tuesday it will also mean more money to maintain roads in the county.Click here to read more... Richmond, VA: Feb. 27, 2008, Kaine Attacks "Willy-Nilly" Plan To Re-bid Rail to Dulles, The Examiner, Gov. Tim Kaine on Tuesday attacked a Virginia House measure that would force him to re-bid the ailing Dulles Rail project, arguing it would scrap a contract "willy-nilly" and deter companies from doing business with the commonwealth.Click here to read more... San Francisco, CA: Feb. 27, 2008, 'Dramatic' plan to revamp Muni service unveiled, San Francisco Chronicle, City officials unveiled plans Tuesday for a major overhaul of San Francisco's Municipal Railway transit system that, if enacted, would eliminate some bus lines and truncate, expand or reroute many others.Click here to read more... Denver, CO: February 8, 2008, Sinkhole Closes I-25 for Morning Commute, My Fox Colorado, Northbound Interstate 25 was shut down just north of downtown Denver Friday after a water main burst, briefly flooding the interstate and creating a massive sinkhole. Click here to read more... Fernley NV: January 5, 2008, Levee Break Floods Hundreds of Homes, USA Today An irrigation canal's earthen levee ruptured after heavy rains early Saturday, flooding hundreds of homes and forcing the rescue of dozens of people in helicopters and boats across about a square mile of Fernley, 30 miles east of Reno.Click here to read more...
Lake Havasu City, AZ: Parker Dam turns 70, Today's News Herald, More than eighty years ago, a fast-growing Los Angeles looked to the Colorado River to satisfy an almost unquenchable thirst for water. The result was the Parker Dam and the Colorado River Aqueduct, a 242-mile manmade river that can carry as much as a billion gallons of water per day to the metropolitan areas of southern California.Click here to read more... Hollidaysburg, PA: December 12, 2007, Blair County Bridges Up For Inspection WJAC With small rivers and streams running throughout the Alleghenies, in Blair County there are an inordinate number of bridges. Most of them aren't the big bridges on the highways, but the ones residents cross every day. Nine bridges in Blair County, like the Kladder Station bridge, are due for inspection. Many of them are rust-covered and old, dating back to the early 1900s.Click here to read more...Lancaster County, PA: December 11, 2007, Pa. scrambling to fix bridges on tight budget Lancaster Online PennDOT Secretary Allen Biehler said today that transportation planners are "rejiggering" their priorities in the face of tight budgets to fix the state's more than 6,000 structurally deficient bridges while maintaining highways.Click here to read more...December 11, 2007, $1.6 trillion market in the waiting -- the needed investment in infrastructure Bloggingstocks.comThe report, entitled "Infrastructure: A Global Opportunity for Investors" notes that $41 trillion will be needed to modernize urban water, electricity, and transportation systems globally, during the 2005-2030 period, according to an estimate by Booz Allen Hamilton. In the United States, the figure is $1.6 trillion, according to research by the American Society of Civil Engineers.Click here to read more...Austin, TX: December 12, 2007, Austin to undergo infrastructure changes The Daily Texan Industry and government transportation leaders are warning that a dramatic drop in Michigan road funding next year will result in steadily deteriorating highways and the loss of thousands of construction jobs in Michigan.Click here to read more...Detroit, MI: November 27, 2007, State's road-fix shortage: $300M, The Detroit News Residents can expect to continue to see some new additions around Austin as major city construction projects head toward implementation and completion this winter. Infrastructure improvements from tunnels to bike paths are making Austin a vibrant, livable city. Click here to read more...Montgomery, AL: November 27, 2007, Play Catch up on Bridge Problems, Montgomery Advisor After the Minneapolis bridge collapse in August, infrastructure repair was on everyone's mind. However, time passed and new crises arose and the problem of our nation's infrastructure receded from our minds. However, a new study by The Association of County Commissions of Alabama is trying to rekindle interest by making it clear something needs to be done.Click here to read more... Las Vegas, NV: November 26, 2007, , Study finds Sierra dam in Truckee needs repair Las Vegas SunA small dam in Truckee that provides about one-third of the flood storage capacity for Reno, Nev., on the Truckee River is at risk of collapsing, federal officials warned.Click here to read more...Hartford, CT: November 26, 2007, Connecticut going high-tech with dam safety, Newsday If a major rain storm soaks Connecticut, Wes Marsh will soon know with a click of a mouse or a text message on his cell phone whether any of the 234 dams owned by the Department of Environmental Protection are in trouble.Click here to read more...Auburn, NY: November 26, 2007, State in need of funding for infrastructure repairs, News 10 Now In the old industrial northeast, Auburn is like many other cities. Most of its infrastructure has been in place for 50 to 100 years and it is in desperate need of repair and upgrading. It's a problem faced by most local governments in New York. The need for funding far outstrips the ability to pay, and they are beginning to look to the federal government for help. Click here to read more...Indianapolis, IN: November 25, 2007, Bridges decline, repair costs rise, Indianapolis Star When we drive down the road we tend to notice every pothole, signal and traffic jam. But we usually pay little attention to the bridges we drive over every day. We trust that underneath all the concrete and steel is a structure that is sound, safe and reliable. But what condition are our bridges really in? Click here to read more...Boston, MA: November 24, 2007, Massachusetts falling down: Hefty price tag on infrastructure fixes and Massachusetts: Travel at your own risk, Metro Daily NewsCome February, Massachusetts turns 220, but motorists, park visitors and state officials say the commonwealth has been looking its age for far too long. These stories address some of the problems of trying to start massive infrastructure repair projects without adequate funding. Click here or here to read more...Washington DC: November 9, 2007, Senate overrides Bush's WRDA veto, CNN.com. The Senate on Thursday handed President Bush his first veto override — authorizing $23 billion in new water projects. Click here to read more...Chicago, IL: November 9, 2007, CTA's Other Crisis: Rehab needs Billions, The Chicago Tribunem. The CTA says it is more than $6 billion short of adequately modernizing its rail and bus lines, a staggering number lost in the debate as the agency lurches from one "doomsday" to another searching for the tens of millions of dollars it needs to keep operating. Click here to read more...Tulsa, OK: November 9, 2007, Sales Tax-sharing Plan Wins Council's Support, Tulsa World. The Tulsa City Council approved a resolution Thursday to support the return of a half-penny of the state's 4.5 cent sales tax to municipalities to help pay for street and bridge work. The plan would help the city address the nearly 600 million dollars worth of backlogged infrastructure repairs needed. Click here to read more...Denver, CO: November 7th, 2007, Voters give Denver red-letter day, The Denver Post. The Tulsa City Council approved a resolution Thursday to support the return of a half-penny of the state's 4.5 cent sales tax to municipalities to help pay for street and bridge work. The plan would help the city address the nearly 600 million dollars worth of backlogged infrastructure repairs needed. Click here to read more...For the final results vote here
Oneonta, NY: November 5th 2007, Grant to Fund Bridge Repairs, Oneonta Daily Star. Fifteen bridge approaches on Interstate 88 in Delaware and Schoharie counties will be replaced using a $1 million federal grant, the state Department of Transportation said in a media release. The Highways for LIFE grant is issued by the Federal Highway Administration. Click here to read more...Washington, DC: October 29, 2007, Dam Rehabilitation and Repair Act (H.R. 3224) Which would provide $200 million over five years for the repair, rehabilitation, or removal of publicly owned dams.Washington, DC: October 29 2007, Water Resources Coalition Calls for WRDA Passage, PR New Wire, The ASCE-led coalition formed to advocate for policies that protect Americans from life-threatening floods and sustain a healthy economy and aquatic ecology, urges Congress to support the Water Resources Development Act. Click here to read more...Minneapolis, MN, October 26, 2007, Rep Oberstar: Blaming and Taxing? Lets Check Reality, Star Tribune, House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Jim Oberstar takes on his opponents over bridge repair funding. Click here to read more...Minneapolis, MN, October 26, 2007, After Tragedy Political Resolve Collapses, Stateline.org The Interstate 35 bridge in downtown Minneapolis collapsed on Aug. 1, causing Minnesota and nearly every other state to re-examine the condition of their transportation infrastructure. While construction of a new bridge has already begun, the lingering political mess could derail $200 million in other transportation projects.
Click here to read more...Minneapolis, MN, October 26, 2007, Fatigue Could Loom Large in Bridge Collapses, Design News Discussions of fatigue have gained momentum in the wake of the bridge collapse in Minneapolis in August and following news that the Federal Highway Administration has designated countless bridges across the country as "structurally deficient." Click here to read more...Seattle, WA, October 25, 2007, Solution to Great 520 Bridge Debate Could be...A Tunnel Seattle Post-Intelligencer A team of engineers has been asked to determine in the next month whether that kind of tunnel technology could be used to replace the Seattle segment of the state Route 520 corridor -- to the delight of many. Click here to read more...Madison, WI October 22 2007, Wisconsin at Infrastructure Crossroads, Wisconsin State Journal, Our economy, measured by gross domestic product, has quadrupled since 1980, going from about $3 trillion to $13 trillion. However, our investment in airports, highways, ports and rail networks has not kept pace with this growth. Without adequate investment in infrastructure, our economic growth cannot be sustained. Not surprisingly, our infrastructure is decaying.Click here to read more...Seattle, WA: October 5, 2007, Say Yes to Progress, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer Roads and Transit will fund major new investment in light rail, buses, bridges and highways throughout King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. These are investments our region needs to ensure that economic growth benefits us all. Read more...Flint, MI: Decaying Dam Gets Mayor's Attention, Flint Journal, It appears the Hamilton Dam could finally be rising to the top of the priority list for dealing with the city's aging infrastructure. Read more...Washington, DC: Oct, 2 2007: Water Main Impedes Battle with Fire The Washington Post, A public agency has known for at least seven years that many of the District's water mains need to be replaced but failed to make upgrades in such areas as Adams Morgan, where firefighters had trouble drawing enough water to fight a major fire early yesterday
Read more...Washington, DC: September 24, 2007, Senate Passes WRDA Bill, The Senate voted overwhelmingly (81-12) to approve the conference report on the Water Resources Development Act, a measure that is more than 7 years overdue.
Read more...Washington, DC: September 20, 2007, ASCE Testifies on Bridges, Transportation Secretary and Senator Clash, A Senate committee chairwoman challenged the president's transportation chief Thursday for saying the country does not face a safety crisis despite last month's deadly bridge collapse in Minneapolis. ASCE also testified at this hearing.
Read more...Read ASCEs Testimony
Washington, DC: September 20, 2007: House Passes Aviation Bill, By a vote of 267-151, the House today passed a bill to reauthorize federal aviation programs for the next four years, provide funds for upgrading air traffic control facilities, and protect the rights of passengers during air travel emergencies.Read more...
Trenton, NJ: September 25, 2007, ASCE New Jersey Section Releases State Report Card, New Jersey's infrastructure is barely making the grade. That's according to engineers from the American Society of Civil Engineers who gave the state a grade of C minus.
Read more...New Jersey Section Report Card
Kalamazoo, MI: September 24, 2007, State Still has Too Many Bad Bridges Kalamazoo Gazette, Michigan is ranked sixth-worst in the nation when it comes to structurally deficient bridges. That ranking means that 14 percent of national highway system bridges in Michigan are structurally deficient.
Read more...September 12, 2007: As Commutes Begin Earlier, New Daily Routines Emerge, USA Today Americans are leaving home earlier and earlier to beat the rush and get to work on time. Census data released today document the ever-lengthening commutes: In 2000, 1 worker in 9 was out the door by 6 a.m., the new data says; by 2006, it was 1 in 8. That might not seem like a big change, but it has put more than 2.7 million additional drivers ? for a total of 15 million ? on pre-dawn patrol.
Read more...September 11, 2007: Overweight Vehicles Pounding Roads, Costing Arizona Money The Associated Press State & Local Wire Overweight vehicles are shortening the life span of Arizona's roads and bridges and leaving behind millions of dollars in damage each year, according to state officials. Illegally overweight vehicles cause an estimated $12 million to $53 million a year.
Read more...September 3, 2007: States Act Swiftly on Bridge Repairs, USA Today The bridge collapse in Minneapolis a month ago has prompted states and cities to speed funding for bridge repair and replacement, expand inspections and close dangerous spans. Congress will take up the issue this week.Read more...
Kentucky: August, 29 2007, If the Feds can't Fix the Bridge, Should We? Cincinnati Post, Kentucky Senate President David Williams last week pre-filed a bill that would allow for the creation of local finance authorities for mega-projects like the Brent Spence renovation or replacement and the Ohio River Bridges project in Louisville. Since Kentucky has primary jurisdiction over the Ohio River, in most cases it is responsible for building and maintaining the bridges that carry traffic across it.
Read more...
Louisville, KY: August 26, 2007 When Leaders Lead Badly, The Price Is High Louisville Courier-Journal, When I had to book a summer-afternoon flight with a close connection and a Washington arrival 45 minutes before the event I wanted to attend, I knew better than to expect to reach my objective. Read more...August 21, 2007: Paying the Price; Finding money for bridges, highways and much else that America needs The Washington Post The cause of the deadly bridge collapse in Minneapolis on Aug. 1 is still unknown. But since the span plunged into the Mississippi River, the question of how to finance a generation's worth of needed infrastructure repairs and new construction for the nation has begun to get the attention it deserves. Read more...Fayetteville, AR: August 20, 2007, The Infrastructure Squeeze Official Blog of Fayetteville Mayor Dan Coody, Last year during the 2006 US Conference of Mayors in Las Vegas, NV, I introduced a resolution requesting an increased Federal role in the assessment, development, and financing of critical national infrastructure. Read more...August 17, 2007: Poll: Americans worried but reject higher taxes to fix bridges, Cnn.com, Nearly half of all Americans are worried about the collapse of a bridge somewhere in the United States, yet nearly two-thirds reject higher taxes to inspect and fix them, according to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Thursday. Read more...August 8, 2007 Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Announces Bridge Plan Chairman Oberstar (D-MN) announced his intention to introduce the National Highway System Bridge Reconstruction Initiative to fund improvements to the nation's structurally deficient bridges.Read more...
Visit the Committee's website for more information
August 2, 2007: Senate Passes Infrastructure Improvement Act, the Senate late Thursday night passed the ASCE-endorsed National Infrastructure Improvement Act (S. 775), a bill that would establish a national commission to assess the physical condition of America's infrastructure and recommend ways to improve it. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously approved the bill at a committee markup session Tuesday.August 1, 2007: WRDA Passes House, the House of Representatives approved the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (WRDA) by a vote of 381-40, more than enough votes to ensure the House can override a promised presidential veto. The bill authorizes approximately 400 new water resources projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including projects for flood control, navigation and environmental restoration. The total cost of the bill was put at about $20 billion.August 1, 2007: Infrastructure Bank Legislation Introduced in Senate, Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) joined with Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) this week to introduce a bill to establish a National Infrastructure Bank to provide funding for qualified infrastructure projects, including wastewater and drinking-water plants, public transit systems, roads and bridges, and public housing. The bill, S. 1926, would create the National Infrastructure Bank as an independent entity of the federal government. The bank would be required to evaluate and fund "capacity-building infrastructure projects of substantial regional and national significance."August 2, 2007: House Passes Transportation Funding, the House this week approved a technical corrections bill for the 2005 SAFETEA-LU surface transportation law for the second time this year. The corrections are minor, the most significant being an extension of the deadline for a federal commission exploring future financing options for the nation?s surface transportation systemsBoston, MA: July 31, 2007, A Legacy Of Neglect The Boston Globe, One hundred years ago today, more than 100,000 people attended the grand opening of what is now the Longfellow Bridge, which connects Boston and Cambridge. A century later, there is little to celebrate, as this grand structure has become a symbol of Massachusetts's failure to maintain the $25 billion worth of its infrastructure assets. July 22, 2007: ASCE Featured on NBC Nightly News, Nation's crumbling infrastructure will take trillions to upgrade, That underground pipe explosion this week here in New York that killed one person and injured dozens has focused new attention on the state of the underpinnings of our cities and towns from coast to coast, systems and structures that many of us use every day, but hardly ever think about. And fixing the problems will cost a lot of money, perhaps more than $1.6 trillion.Watch the video...
Washington, DC: July 11, 2007, House Transportation and Infrastructure Leaders React to OMB Report on Transportation Trust Fund Shortfall T&I Leaders Question Numbers? Accuracy, Plan Hearing. According to OMB, the Trust Fund will experience considerable funding shortfalls in the next few years. The agency projects that the Highway Account of the Trust Fund will have a deficit of as much as $4.3 billion by the end of FY 2009.Read more...
Washington, DC: June 28, 2007: House Committee Approves $66 Billion Aviation Bill. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved a bill on Thursday that would provide $66 billion over the next four years to help rebuild U.S. airports and modernize the aviation system. The legislation would: Provide $15.8 billion in new funding for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and authorize $13 billion for the FAA facilities and equipment program, among other things.Click here to read more...
Baltimore, MD: July 17, 2007, New Thinking Needed On Floods, The Baltimore Sun, Floods are the most destructive, most frequent and most costly natural disasters on earth. And they're getting worse.Read more...
Boston, MA: July 17, 2007, The Road Ahead for Mass. Transportation Policy, The Boston Globe, A look at the system reveals aging infrastructure, insufficient coordination between agencies that shape transportation policy, and a funding structure perpetuated by previous administrations that left a $15 billion to $19 billion shortfall for maintenance alone - before any new projects are considered. Read more...
Sacramento, CA: July 16, 2007, Governor goes where there's flow in bid to tackle state water crunch; Tour will study dams, canal around the Delta and more conservation, Sacramento Bee, As budget wrangling continues at the Capitol, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will head out to reservoirs and waterways this week to pressure lawmakers into approving water storage, conservation programs and a canal around the Delta later this year. Read more...
Indianapolis, IN: July, 16 2007, Down the drain; City's water system wasted a billion gallons last year, Indianapolis Business Journal, , two of the biggest culprits, amounting to at least 1 billion gallons, are leaky water mains and service line breaks and unknown/invisible water loss.Read more...
Jefferson City, MO: July 9, 2007, Missouri bridge repair plan delayed, Associated Press, A plan to repair 800 of the state's worst bridges is being delayed by legal questions, Missouri transportation officials said Monday.Read more...
Fosston, MN: July 9, 2007, Dollars without scents, Grand Forks Herald, The solution here is an anaerobic wastewater treatment program that cost about $2 million. Roughly half of the money was supplied by state and federal grants and the rest from city-issued bonds that MDV is paying off.Read more...
Sacramento, CA: Growing pains, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, The increased growth in the state's overall population is expected to put new pressures on infrastructure, from highways to schools to water supply. Government officials and urban planners are already having trouble keeping up with current growth, and many say the state will have to significantly boost its spending on infrastructure to accommodate 60 million people. Read more...
Atlanta, GA: July 5, 2007, MARTA to kick off major review; The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Possibility of systemic changes long overdue, critics say. Riders say buses, trains often are late, hard to learn about and don't go where they need them.Read more...
Alamo Heights, TX: July 4, 2007, City looks at funding options for projects, San Antonio News Express, City officials are considering options for financing long-ignored infrastructure projects they say need to be addressed soon, but they say no decisions will be made without more public meetings.Read more...
Tempe, AZ: July, 2 2007, Out with the old electronic technology ... but where to?, The Arizona Republic, Feeling that it's time to toss out that old computer for a newer, faster model? You're not alone. Electronic waste, or "e-waste," is the fastest-growing sector of American trash, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Read more...
St. Louis, MO: July 1, 2007, In deep water Drainage woes flood Broadway, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, A stretch of Broadway in St. Louis is awash with sewer problems, and it's causing serious flooding just about every time it rains. Read more...
Harrisburg, PA: June 28, 2007, House Passes Transit Funding Bill Sent To Senate Uses Taxes And Fees To Fix State's Roads, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. A deeply divided House yesterday agreed to a plan to fix highways and bridges and to improve mass transit using a menu of taxes and fees, including tolls on Interstate 80. Read more...
New Orleans, LA: June 28, 2007, Bill includes SELA in 100-year defenses; Local governments could be reimbursed, New Orleans Times-Picayune. New Orleans and Jefferson Parish leaders are pinning their hopes for an estimated $822 million in critical drainage improvements on a congressional spending bill that directs the Army Corps of Engineers to consider the work part of the region's 100-year defenses against hurricanes and floods. Read more...
Detroit, MI: June 28, 2007, Road ahead is full of potholes, Transportation funding shortfall looms long-term, Detroit Free Press. The number of major state roads and bridges in good condition will peak over the next year or two, then steadily decline over the next 20 years as the state grapples with a $44-billion shortfall in transportation funding, according to a study the Michigan Department of Transportation released Tuesday. Read more...
San Francisco, CA: June 25, 2007, What will they say about us in 2057? Inside Bay Area. Now BART is contemplating its next 50 years with the knowledge that those guys in 1957 were pretty sharp. Freeways did not solve our congestion problems, and a robust rapid transit system is now integral to getting people around, especially when the odd freeway ramp collapses in flames or an earthquake takes out a bridge. Read more...
Boston, MA: June 13, 2007, A Green Line summer slowdown Repairs, roadwork will delay commute, The Boston Globe. Commuters in the western suburbs will face a double dose of trouble starting later this month when the Green Line's D branch between Newton and Boston is closed for track repairs, while a major nighttime repaving project continues on Route 9 from Wellesley to Brookline. Read more...
St. Paul, MN: June 12, 2007, Minn. health officials outline water quality problems, The Associated Press. Water problems in Minnesota last year included industrial contamination in Bayport, fecal coliform bacteria in St. Augusta, and high arsenic levels in 18 communities including Blaine and Warroad, the state Health Department said Tuesday. Read more...
Grand Forks, ND: June 12, 2007, Water plant needs $1.9M fix, Grand Forks Herald. City staff are recommending the City Council spend $1.9 million to keep the water treatment plant running for another decade, even though, by that time, the city might need to build a new plant. Read more...
Fort Lauderdale, FL: June 12, 2007. A long and bumpy road: With money running short, paving streets might take a while, South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Living on unpaved roads isn't easy. And getting them paved is getting harder. The county money set aside to turn bumpy shellrock roads into smooth asphalt is running low, with no money coming. Read more...
Casper, WY: June 13, 2007, Airports' needs outpace funding;, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. By the numbers 37.4 percent of growth for commercial air service in Wyoming from 2002-2006 $99 million worth of airport improvement projects that will go unfunded in the next 5 years. Source: Aeronautics Division, Wyoming Department of Transportation. Read more...
San Antonio, TX: June 6, 2007, Kerr County Seeking Millions For Center Point Sewer Service, San Antonio Express-News, Billed as Kerr County's most ambitious infrastructure project, work is under way to bring sewers to this riverside town where scores of septic systems are failing. Read More...
Chatham, MA: June 6, 2007, Gap In Chatham Beach Widens Officials Consider Plan To Fill Breach, The Boston Globe, The break in the barrier beach, which protects much of mainland Chatham from the Atlantic, is only getting deeper and wider. If it continues to erode, officials say, it could eventually expose more than 100 North Chatham waterfront homes to the ocean's relentless pounding. Read more...
Denver, CO: June, 2, 2007, EDITORIAL, The Denver Post, Pay me now or pay me later Routine municipal maintenance is something that can cost more if left unattended. Denver voters should approve some level of infrastructure bonds for upkeep ? and offer their input at meetings. Read more...
Baton Rouge, LA: June 6, 2007, Construction budget financing stalls in House amid partisan dispute, The Associated Press, A partisan fight over state spending heated up Tuesday when Republican lawmakers in the House stalled a construction financing bill to force further negotiations on tax breaks they want passed this session. Read more...
Bergen County, NJ: June 1, 2007: Mayor: Dredge river or else; Army Engineers blamed for flood problems, The Record, Frustrated residents hit with flooding in April's nor'easter blamed everything from aging infrastructure to overdevelopment for the nasty mixture of raw sewage and storm water in their basements. Read more...
Suffolk, VA: May 27, 2007, Stuck at a crossing? Get comfortable, The Virginian-Pilot, Beginning this summer, train traffic through the city will dramatically increase, lengthening the time intersections are blocked and raising concerns about public safety, clogged roads and where to get money to fix the problems. Read more...
Shenandoah, TX: May 31, 2007, Shenandoah sets plans for street, sewer project; Voters passed bond election for infrastructure improvements in May elections, The Houston Chronicle, The city of Shenandoah is moving forward with plans for a major street and drainage upgrade, now that voters have approved the project's primary funding in the recent $19.5 million bond election. Read more...
Saginaw Bay, MI: May 26, 2007, Final resting spots for dredging spoils mired in controversy, then and now, Bay City Times, The Saginaw Bay confined disposal facility was built out of river dredgings in the 1970s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Read more...
May 25, 2007: Phoenix, AZ, Bill called threat to rail yard, commuter service, The Phoenix Examiner, A bill nearing a final vote in the Arizona Legislature could jeopardize a major railroad expansion project and possibly deter Union Pacific from considering use of its tracks for commuter rail service between Phoenix and Tucson. Read more...
May 23, 2007: Grand Forks, SD, City leaders want water plant fixed, Grand Forks Herald, The city of Grand Forks should spend $1.9 million as soon as possible to fix deteriorating infrastructure at the water plant, a City Council committee is recommending to the council. Read more...
May 28, 2007: Tampa, FL, Ethanol Faces Big Hurdle: Water Use, St. Petersburg Times, Flooding the country with a corn-based biofuel has its unforeseen downsides. Among them is the huge water consumption required by ethanol plants. Read more...
May 28, 2007: Anchorage, AK, Rural communities welcome state public works projects, Anchorage Daily News, The $1.8 billion state capital budget has municipal officials in rural Alaska excited about the prospects of adding or repairing infrastructure in their communities. One of the largest capital budgets ever will help fix old schools, add plumbing to homes and build airports. Read more...
Bethesda, MD: May 19, 2007, Suddenly, Montgomery Is Hit By Wave of Water Line Breaks The Washington Post, Just hours after workers from the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission completed repairs on the 70-year-old section of pipe that broke in the 5100 block of Bradley, a pipe burst about two miles away. Read more...
Washington, DC: May 21, 2007, Federal highway fund could run dry in two years, Seattle Times A cash crunch is fast approaching for the government trust fund that pays to build and repair highways and bridges. Read more...
Providence, RI: May 16, 2007, Sewer collapse creates sinkhole on Wood Street, The Providence Journal The hole was created when corrosive gas bubbling up in the sewer pipe and caused it to collapse after many years, according to Joe Federico, an associate with Beta Engineering. The repair is expected to take a week Read More...
Washington, DC: May 16, 2007, Congress Passes Water Resources Development Act. Commonly known as WRDA, the bill passed the Senate with a 91-4 vote and will provide up to $14 billion for a wide range of water projects, most overseen by the Army Corps of Engineers. Congress has not passed a WRDA in 7 years due to arguments over expense and placement of the projects; Congressional sponsors expect similar pushback from the White House this year as well.
Hartford, CT: May 15, 2007 Governor Seeks Halt In Gas Tax; House Leader: Proposed Moratorium `Irresponsible', The Hartford Courant With gasoline prices skyrocketing, Gov. M. Jodi Rell and House Republicans called Monday for the suspension of the state's 25-cents-per-gallon gasoline tax for the summer driving season. The gasoline revenues help to fund the state's $1.1 billion special transportation fund.Read more...
Brooksville, FL: May, 16 2007, Gas Tax Rise Sought To Fix Roads. St. Petersburg Times, Even before the threat of tax cuts, the county's road program was strapped for cash due to rising prices of cement and petroleum, the main ingredient of asphalt. The county needs the money or the roads ahead will be bumpy.Read More...
Chicago, IL: May 14, 2007, City may borrow $1 bil. for O'Hare; Would pay for new runway, refinancing The Chicago Sun Times, Mayor Daley is asking the City Council to authorize a $1 billion O'Hare Airport bond issue to finance construction of a new runway, refinance existing O'Hare debt and bankroll $100 million in airport improvements.Read more...
Atlanta, GA: May 14, 2007, Infrastructure report gloomy about roads, other public works, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution American investment in infrastructure, or the lack thereof, paints a grim picture for the future of roads and other projects, according to a new study by the Urban Land Institute. Read more...
North Port, FL: May 12, 2007, Project to repair worn roads could start this summer and end in '09. Sarasota Herald-Tribune The city's road repaving program, the most expensive in its history, will take months longer than anticipated and begin at the worst time of year for laying asphalt and revamping the drainage system. Read More...
Salem, OR: May 11, 2007, Oregon Senate OKs development tax to fund school construction The Oregonian School districts in rapidly growing towns will get the power to tax development and use the money to ease overcrowding and fix crumbling classrooms, under a bill that won approval from the state Senate on Thursday. Read more...
Kent, NY: May 11, 2007, Schumer, Hall back $350M dam-repair bills Lower Hudson Journal News, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer and Rep. John Hall yesterday announced support for federal legislation that would provide $350 million for dam repair and replacement around the country, saying deterioration is accelerating due to global climate change. Read more...
Merton, WI: May 3, 2007, Pond will be preserved, officials say; Dam removal is not part of bridge reconstruction Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the dam will stay in place and receive a refurbished spillway - where water flows over the dam -as part of the $467,000 project. Read more...
Los Angeles, CA: May 2, 2007 Taxpayers should have a chance to vote on spending billions for a bullet train. It may not be such a bad deal. Los Angeles Times, What looks today like an overpriced toy might someday become one of the state's best weapons for fighting gridlock and pollution.Read more...
Seattle, WA: May 3, 2007, Pipe break, sinkhole keep University Bridge closed through Thursday evening Seattle Times, The University Bridge will remain closed at least through Thursday evening's commute after a street south of the bridge collapsed this morning when a large water main broke and sent two cars into a sinkhole.Read more...
Jasper, TN: May 1, 2007, Costs challenge road builders, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Small counties like Marion get the lion's share of their funding from state gas tax revenues. The tax is 21.4 cents per gallon, and counties get a nickel of that.Read more...
Atlanta, GA: April 30, 2007, C-a-r-tography in right direction, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Engineers in Atlanta's Department of Public Works are now using a quickly updated, computerized map that makes it easier to spot potential bottlenecks when streets and sidewalks are closed for construction or water and sewer line replacement.Read more...
Sacramento, CA: April 29, 2007, Public safety is priority in levee management The Sacramento Bee, A levee breach in the Sacramento Valley could have consequences comparable to those seen in New Orleans. Thousands of lives, homes and jobs could be jeopardized.Read more...
Pittsburgh, PA: April 23,2007, Group Draws Up Plan To Fund Transit, Road Repairs Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The highway and bridge construction industry that benefits from multibillion-dollar public works spending in Pennsylvania has its own ideas -- some old, some new -- about how growing transportation needs should be funded.Read more...
Chicago, IL: May 2007 CREATing a Plan All Aboard! Initiatives Seek Upgrades for Midwest Transit McGraw-Hill Construction A 22-in. snow in January 1999 in Chicago was the spark for an ambitious, $1.5 billion plan, the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program.Read more...
Washington, DC: April 17, 2007, Maria Lehman, P.E., F.ASCE, testifies on Public Private Partnerships: Innovative Contracting before the Highways and Transit Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.Click here to read her testimony
San Francisco, CA: April 18, 2007, Mediocre grades for Muni; Residents unimpressed by transit system's punctuality, vehicle cleanliness, safety The San Francisco Chronicle Unreliable service and dirty vehicles top the list of reasons city residents are increasingly disenchanted with San Francisco's public transit system, according to a report issued Tuesday by the City Services Auditor.Click here to read more...
Fort Meade, MD: April 14, 2007, Roads Will Expand Years After Jobs Start at Fort Meade; School Construction Priorities Adjusted, The Washington Post, Many of the roads that will deliver these new workers to their jobs at Fort Meade in Anne Arundel County and other bases as early as 2011 will not expand to meet the new traffic until years later.Click here to read more...
Hartford, CT: April 13, 2007, New England States May Form Rail Alliance; At Transportation Summit In Hartford, Lieutenant Governors Agree To Explore Options, The Hartford Courant, The lieutenant governors of Rhode Island and Massachusetts pledged Thursday to partner with Connecticut in a regional mass transportation alliance aimed at securing the ``connectivity'' deemed key to New England's economic vitality.Click here to read more...
Cranford, NJ, April 11, 2007: Corps will evaluate Cranford flooding, The Star-Ledger, The Army Corps of Engineers, which had concluded earlier that there was not enough evidence to support federal flood control initiatives in Cranford, will now study the issue further. »Click here to read more...
Pittsburgh, PA, April 13, 2007: Authority may fix more beams at Pittsburgh convention center, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, A city-county authority may fix more support beams at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center following the Feb. 5 collapse of a concrete floor. »Click here to read more...
Nashville, TN, April 12, 2007: Corps of Engineers post potential dam flooding maps online, The Tennessean, The Army Corps of Engineers has posted online for the public viewing maps that predict flood damage on the Cumberland River if the Wolf Creek Dam in Kentucky failed. »Click here to read more...
San Antonio, TX, April 12, 2007: Contract awarded to extend River Walk, San Antonio Express-News, he extension of the San Antonio River Walk upstream to a museum district took a giant leap forward Wednesday with the awarding of a $49.8 million contract for construction that is scheduled to begin next month. »Click here to read more...
Portland OR., April 5, 2007: Cities look to expand water supply. The Oregonian, City officials say a partnership that allows Tigard to tap into Lake Oswego's surplus water supply is the best option for both cities. »Click here to read more...
Louisiana, April 5, 2007: State contribution sought to raise, widen Louisiana 1. Times-Picayune, Louisiana 1's boosters hope to snag $63 million of the state's budget surplus to complete a plan to elevate and widen the roadway. »Click here to read more...
Baltimore, MD., April 2, 2007: Public Schools and Smart Growth. The Baltimore Sun Amid growing concerns about longer commutes to school and increased distances between schools and the communities they serve, Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration should offer more incentives to ensure that schools are located in planned growth areas throughout the state. »Click here to read more...
San Diego, CA., April 7, 2007: Imperial Valley canal can be lined, federal court rules. The LA Times, The project will decrease seepage of Colorado River water flowing to San Diego County.»Click here to read more...
Virginia, April 6, 2007: Transportation Package Nears Approval in Northern Virginia, The Washington Post, Local elected officials in Northern Virginia say they are likely to approve a groundbreaking, multimillion dollar regional transportation package -- including higher taxes and fees -- that was a key part of the comprehensive bill passed by the General Assembly this week. »Click here to read more...
March 9, 2007, Washington, DC — The House of Representatives passed the Water Quality Financing Act (H.R. 720), legislation that would provide $14 billion over four years in low cost loans for wastewater infrastructure improvements through the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (CWSRF)
March 13, 2007, Seattle, Wash. — In the city's first mail-only election, Seattle residents will vote on hotly contested replacement options for the earthquake-sensitive Alaskan Way Viaduct: a tunnel or a new viaduct. » MORE INFORMATION
March 1, 2007, Richmond, Va. — After nearly two years of debate, the Virginia legislature reached a compromise on the state's transportation funding. It is now up to Gov. Tim Kaine to approve or veto the legislation. » VIEW FROM THE STATE CAPITAL
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