Infrastructure in the News: Looking ahead to high-speed rail
September 02, 2016
High-speed rail (HSR), offers a plethora of benefits; Day-long commutes accomplished in hours, congestion relief on the roads, and helping the environment by reduced oil consumption and emissions. With the first HST originating in Japan 50 years ago, more than 20 countries currently use HSR and experience stunning benefits. Despite the growing popularity and success......
Updates to the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard
August 31, 2016
The Federal Emergency Managed Agency (FEMA) recently released a proposed rule the could transform how the federal government funds infrastructure built in flood prone areas. The draft rule, formally known as Updates to Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands Regulations To Implement Executive Order 13690 and the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard was published for......
Happy Birthday, National Parks!
August 25, 2016
Today marks the 100th anniversary of an American treasure: the National Park Service (NPS). With 412 areas covering more than 84 million acres, located in every state, the National Park System includes national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks and sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails, and the White House. In......
Innovations in Infrastructure: Reinventing Travel Convenience
August 19, 2016
According to the Chicago Tribune, Americans spent about $15 billion in fares on public transit in 2014. Public transit use has been steadily growing over the past few decades, with ridership increasing by nearly 39 percent since 1995. Yet, according to a recent article in Forbes, more and more people are losing confidence in public......
New Report Highlights Limitations of National Levee Safety Initiative
August 17, 2016
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a new report surveying the progress the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have made carrying out the National Levee Safety Program. The conclusion: the Agencies “have made little progress in implementing key national levee-safety-related activities required in the Water Resources Reform and Development......
Innovations in Infrastructure: Appreciating the Value of Water
August 16, 2016
With the 2016 Summer Olympics in full swing, water quality is at the forefront of viewers’ minds. Obstacles of polluted water, trash and pollution-related illness are hindering the Olympic games and remind us all of how critical clean water and effective water treatment is to the health and welfare of society. In contrast to Brazil,......
National Conference of State Legislatures Legislative Summit Talks Infrastructure
August 11, 2016
This week the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) held its annual Legislative Summit in Chicago. Approximately 5,000 state legislators, legislative staffers, federal officials and others gathered to gain invaluable knowledge from experts and fellow legislators to take back to their respective states. Attendees participated in an array of policy-producing committee meetings, issue forums and deep-dive sessions, including on......
With Gas Prices Low, Congress Has Opportunity to #FixTheTrustFund
August 08, 2016
Last month’s average gas price in the U.S. was the lowest for July since 2004. Cheap gas coupled with an improved economy is spurring Americans to drive more. After a decrease during the recession, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is climbing again. Summer is the busiest time on U.S. roads and many drivers will find themselves......
Innovations in Infrastructure: Necessity is the mother of invention
August 05, 2016
With 42 percent of the major urban highways in the U.S. congested and the problem only predicted to increase, there is a great need for our road and traffic systems to be modernized to prepare for and accommodate this congestion. Fortunately, cities around the nation have started utilizing technological solutions to help alleviate some of......
TIGER Grants: They’re Grrrrrreat!
August 04, 2016
Last Friday the U.S. Department of Transportation announced the 40 projects that will share $485 million in TIGER grants in FY16. This is the eighth round of TIGER grants (properly called the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program). The program was authorized as a part of the 2009 recovery act to support innovative projects that......
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