FAST Act Summary Part Four: Rail
December 16, 2015
This is the fourth and final in a series of summaries posted over the past two weeks on the contents of the newly-passed five-year federal surface transportation authorization law, Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The first part explored the law’s funding and the future fiscal health of the Highway Trust Fund. The second part......
FAST Act Summary Part Three: Transit
December 14, 2015
This is the third in a series of summaries over the next few weeks on the contents of the newly-passed five-year federal surface transportation authorization law, Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The first part explored the law’s funding and the future fiscal health of the Highway Trust Fund. The second part described the highway......
FAST Act Summary Part Two: Highways
December 09, 2015
This is the second in a series of summaries over the next few weeks on the contents of the newly-passed five-year federal surface transportation authorization law, Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The first part explored the law’s funding and the future fiscal health of the Highway Trust Fund. The next sections will focus on......
FAST Act Summary Part One: The Funding
December 06, 2015
This is the first in a series of summaries over the next few weeks on the contents of the newly-passed five-year federal surface transportation authorization law, Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The next sections will focus on policy changes to highways, transit, and federal passenger rail programs. The backbone of federal transportation funding is......
Obama Set to Sign 5 Year, $305 Billion Transportation Bill
December 04, 2015
Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate both approved a five-year, $305 billion highway, transit and railway authorization bill. The overwhelming, bipartisan vote was 359-65 in the House and 83-16 in the Senate. President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law later on today. Thank you, infrastructure supporters, for contacting your......
For Michigan Roads: 8 is Great!
November 10, 2015
Last week, Michigan’s legislature passed into law a 7.3 cent per gallon fuel tax increase becoming the 8th state in 2016 to increase investment in its transportation infrastructure. Today Governor Rick Snyder (R) signed this bill into law outside of the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association headquarters. Today’s bill signing is at least one year......
Infrastructure in the News: A Major Bill Goes to Conference
November 06, 2015
With the Surface Transportation Reauthorization & Reform Act of 2015 moving to conference committee and elections on Tuesday, news headlines have been buzzing with wishes and concerns for our nation’s infrastructure. The House has officially approved the Surface Transportation Reauthorization & Reform Act, a six-year bipartisan bill that will provide flat-level funding. The bill must......
Dagher to be recognized by White House for Composite Arch Bridges
October 09, 2015
Could it be possible to construct a bridge in two weeks that lasts up to 100 years, has similar costs as a regular steel and concrete bridge, and requires minimal maintenance? It may seem farfetched, but ASCE member and Founding Director of the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center Dr. Habib Dagher, invented......
New York Infrastructure Report Card
September 29, 2015
In the inaugural 2015 Report Card for New York’s Infrastructure released today, the state received an overall grade of “C-” from the New York Council of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Assessing nine categories, the report finds that the state’s roads and bridges are among the categories most in need of repair, receiving grades......
Despite Senate Transportation Action, House Stymies Progress
July 30, 2015
During the last two months, the Senate made good use of its time to craft a multi-year surface transportation bill with an increase in funding. As is often the way for Congress, it still came down to the wire. For over a week, the U.S. Senate has been in a mad dash to complete its......