Analysis of Federal Bridge Data Confirms ASCE Report Card Bridge Grade
February 02, 2018
The American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) released its Bridge Report based on the data in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) 2017 National Bridge Inventory database. ARTBA’s Bridge Report confirms the “C+” grade given in ASCE’s 2017 Infrastructure Report Card. Both reports illustrate that while the overall number of bridges deemed structurally deficient......
December 29, 2017
Between the release of the 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, the implementation of a gas tax in states across the country, and waiting for President Trump’s highly-anticipated infrastructure plan, 2017 has been a full year for ASCE. Take a look at our 5 most read blog posts from 2017: 1. Legislation to Create National Infrastructure Bank Reintroduced......
Driving In A Winter Wonderland: States Prepare Infrastructure For Winter Conditions
December 22, 2017
Dreaming of a white Christmas? Or maybe you’re hoping to escape the cold this holiday season? No matter what your perfect holiday looks like, each winter we turn on our TVs and check our weather apps to see snow and hail coming down across America. These storms create poor visibility for drivers, icy roads, and......
The Transportation of Tomorrow: Self-Driving Vehicles
December 15, 2017
General Motors, Alphabet Inc., and other innovators are racing to the finish line with the latest in transportation technology: autonomous vehicles. This week Florida, Montana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota made headlines for showing interest in this new technology, with some cities heading to the streets for a test-drive. Across the country, we are seeing what was......
10 Years After the I-35 Bridge Collapse: What’s Changed With the Nation’s Bridges?
August 01, 2017
It’s been 10 years since the I-35 bridge going west over the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring 145 more. The eight-lane bridge was Minnesota’s third busiest, carrying 140,000 people a day. Its failure opened many people’s eyes to the danger of taking our infrastructure for granted and led leaders......
July 17, 2017
While all areas of infrastructure are important to address, with its “D-” grade—the lowest in the Report Card—transit would benefit from a little extra attention. For proof, look no further than two of our nation’s most prominent cities’ subway systems. Reliable transit systems are critical for thriving cities. Yet the subway systems in our nation’s......
Rural Transportation Facing a Rough Road
June 30, 2017
This week, TRIP, a national transportation research group, released a new report, Rural Connections: Challenges and Opportunities in America’s Heartland. With the nation’s roads as a whole receiving a “D” grade in ASCE’s 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, the condition of rural roads is a major contributing factor to the low grade. TRIP’s new report outlines......
Majority of House Signs Letter Asking to Fix the Highway Trust Fund
June 13, 2017
Yesterday 253 congressmen sent a letter to the leadership of the House Ways & Means Committee asking that a long-term fix for Highway Trust Fund be included in their tax reform efforts. “As the Committee on Ways and Means continues to work toward a much-needed update of the U.S. tax code, you have an opportunity......
A Chance to Fix the Highway Trust Fund
May 01, 2017
President Donald Trump gave the idea of raising the federal gas tax a boost today, saying in an interview with Bloomberg News that raising the tax to fund infrastructure is “something that I would certainly consider.” So far this Congress, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) has introduced legislation to raise the federal gas tax, while fellow......
Senate Commerce Subcommittee Explores Multimodal Transportation System Needs
February 16, 2017
Wednesday, the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security convened their first hearing of the 115th Congress. “Moving America: Stakeholder Perspectives on our Multimodal Transportation System” was billed as an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss strategies for improving the efficiency and safety of the nation’s multimodal freight network. In......