This Week in Infrastructure: One Year Anniversary of the Report Card
March 21, 2014
One year ago this week, we released our 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. Our nation’s D+ infrastructure grade is an important piece of data to share as we advocate for infrastructure investment, especially as the United States approaches the Highway Trust Fund’s financial cliff later this year. Over the past year, ASCE and the......
March 19, 2014
Today, Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx spoke in front of over 200 civil engineers outside of Washington, D.C. Secretary Foxx spent his time urging ASCE members to tell their Members of Congress about America’s infrastructure needs and how the impending insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund will hurt our nation’s economy and global competitiveness.......
Not in D.C. No Problem. Make Your Voice Heard.
March 18, 2014
Can’t travel to Washington for the ASCE’s Annual Legislative Fly-In this week? You can still participate through the Fly-In @ Home. Here are some great ways you can interact with Members of Congress in from your state: Attend a town hall or other local events with elected officials. Visit your representative’s website or check local......
This Week in Infrastructure: Some Attention for the Highway Trust Fund
March 14, 2014
The USDOT now anticipates the Highway Trust Fund balance will dip below $4 billion by July, in the heat of summer road repair season. As the fund continues to decline, the DOT will be slowing its funding programs, limiting the funding dollars states rely upon to help pay for projects though matching dollars. This week......
New Report Shows $1 Spent on Parks Means $10 for Local Economies
March 11, 2014
The National Park Service has released a new report showing the impact of parks on local economies. Here a few of the top level findings of the report: In 2012, the nation’s 401 parks attracted more than 280 million visitors. National parks generated more than $26 billion in economic activity in 2012; visitors spend on......
This Week in Infrastructure: Investment Gets New Advocates
March 09, 2014
What do a comedian, a country music singer, and a businessman all have in common? You may have thought this was a joke, but in fact it’s what happened this week in the news, as the call for infrastructure investment came from some unexpected spokespersons. Comedian Jim Gaffigan assessed Los Angeles’ infamous congestion problems while......
New Report Estimates $200B Needed to Fix America’s Schools
March 07, 2014
After more than a decade, this week the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released an update to the Condition of America’s Public School Facilities report highlighting the condition of America’s school facilities. This report echoed the school facilities findings of the 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure and showed the estimated need to bring......
This Week in Infrastructure: Funding Conversations Get a Front Seat
February 28, 2014
Over the past few weeks, stories have been trickling out about the financial cliff the Highway Trust Fund is heading toward, with too few conversations about finding solutions, given the importance of the topic. This week that shifted. President Obama called attention to the Highway Trust Fund and the need for investment during a trip......
State Legislatures Continue to Charge Ahead with Transportation Investment
February 27, 2014
Lawmakers at the state level continue to seek transportation funding solutions. Already early in 2014, several state legislatures are considering proposals to increase revenue or dedicate more funds to transportation projects. While a proposal to increase New Mexico’s gas tax by 3-cents per gallon failed to pass before the legislature adjourned this week, several other......
Statement on President Obama’s Proposed Transportation Plan from ASCE
February 26, 2014
Washington, D.C. — The following is a statement from Randall (Randy) S. Over, P.E., president of The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): “President Obama’s proposed $302 billion transportation plan is an encouraging step forward in addressing the impending cliff our nation faces this year with the Highway Trust Fund. When the Highway Trust Fund becomes insolvent......