October 11, 2013
The government shutdown continues to loom over our nation’s infrastructure, causing uncertainty, hurting key services, and further showing the costs of Congressional intransigence. Much like the government itself, our infrastructure has to get out of the short-term mindset, and start planning for long-term growth. Only then will we find success. The good news is businesses......
October 09, 2013
We are on day 9 of the federal government shutdown with no end in sight, and our nation’s critical infrastructure is starting to feel the impact. At a press conference yesterday Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman, Barbara Boxer (D-CA), joined transportation stakeholders to stress the effects the shutdown is having on the nation’s critical......
ASCE Testifies Before Senate EPW
September 26, 2013
ASCE President Greg DiLoreto, P.E., P.L.S, D.WRE, F.ASCE, testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee yesterday about the state of the nation’s surface transportation infrastructure. The hearing entitled “The Need to Invest in America’s Infrastructure and Preserve Federal Transportation Funding” brought together infrastructure heavyweights to discuss revenue solutions for the Highway Trust Fund. During his......
September 19, 2013
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously approved the $10 billion Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRDA), H.R. 3080, today. The mark up of the legislation went smoothly with limited debate on amendments. During mark-up several members of the committee provided amendments to speed up the expenditure of funds out of the Harbor Maintenance......
September 11, 2013
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (H.R. 3080) with much fanfare today. As the title proves, the bill is one of the most policy and reform focused Water Resources Development Acts (WRDA) to be introduced in the past few decades. Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA)......
September 10, 2013
Congress returned from its August recess yesterday to a mountain of unfinished business. With 22 days remaining in the fiscal year, Congress plans to go all in and be in session for nine of them. Nine days to: Avoid a government shut down by passing a FY 2014 budget; Address the federal debt limit or......
I-35 W: Six Years After the Bridge Fell
August 01, 2013
On August 1, 2007, the I-35 W span over the Mississippi River collapsed, killing 13 people, injuring 145, and severing a vital lifeline for many towns. Only 382 days later, the bridge had been replaced and was open to traffic once again. Six years after this tragedy, the question remains whether we have done enough......
Can-Do States Who Tackle Infrastructure Are Just What the U.S. Economy Needs
July 24, 2013
Sometimes you just have to do it yourself. That’s the message some states seem to be sending as federal infrastructure bills like the Water Resources Development Act keep getting sidelined by Congress or only seeing short-term efforts like the MAP-21 Transportation Reauthorization. The Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings has called these states that have decidedly......
Mr. Civil Engineer Goes to Washington
July 17, 2013
Happy 4th of July, America! Baseball’s All-Star break is this week. These and more serve as reminders that we have reached the “mid-point” of the summer. Are your summer advocacy plans in place? If you are an ASCE member, you should start your advocacy plan by signing up for the next Key Contact Briefing Conference......
How WRDA Can Reduce Risks and Costs of Future Floods
June 06, 2013
In a Monday briefing, representatives from the Association of State Floodplain Managers, National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies, and the Nature Conservancy gathered to discuss the opportunities in the proposed WRDA bill to reduce flood risks and the potential damages from flood disasters. The nation’s dam and levee system is characterized by low......