Moving toward a safe, seamless transportation system
February 19, 2014
The following post was written by guest contributor Pete Rahn, Leader National Transportation Practice at HNTB Corporation. It’s time for America to get moving with needed investments in our infrastructure system. A recent survey from HNTB Corporation shows Americans are looking for a new transportation vision and are ready to get behind leaders who have the courage......
This Week in Infrastructure: The Need for Funding
February 14, 2014
Several states are responding to the impending reality that this fall the Highway Trust Fund “will have insufficient revenues to meet obligations” unless a sustainable revenue source is found. Among those voicing concerns is Tennessee. As a precaution, TDOT prepared two 2015 budgets: one with federal funding, budgeting $1.8 billion and another without, budgeting $900......
Bipartisan Governors Coalition Presses Congress to Act on Transportation Funding
January 31, 2014
This week, 17 Governors signed a letter urging congressional members to act to find a long-term revenue solution for the Highway Trust Fund and avoid a potential nationwide transportation funding crisis. The Highway Trust Fund, the funding mechanism that drives our nation’s investment in transportation infrastructure, is facing its fifth revenue shortfall since 2008. Motor......
January 13, 2014
Georgia’s infrastructure has failed to improve over the last five years. In a new report, titled the 2014 Report Card for Georgia’s Infrastructure, the Georgia Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) awarded the state’s infrastructure a “C,” a grade unchanged from their 2009 Report Card. The lowest grade awarded was a “D-”,......
Celebrating Infrastructure Successes in 2013
December 27, 2013
Looking back over 2013, we have many successes in making infrastructure a priority to celebrate. Here are a few that really made our year: 1. The 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure was launched in March as a tablet and smartphone app gaining more traction with the media and decision makers than ever before and......
Meet IP3, the New P3 Where Citizens Are the Owners
December 19, 2013
If you follow the infrastructure financing debate about how America is going to fund our future infrastructure needs, you have probably heard the term P3 or public-private partnership discussed as an innovative financing structure to utilize private investment in public infrastructure. However, with the release of the American Enterprise Institute’s new report, Road Pricing and......
Lighting Airports Runways with LEDs Saves Big for Raleigh
December 09, 2013
America needs solutions to our infrastructure issues that can work today, and what if it’s as simple as switching out the lights? The replacement of the entire airfield electrical system at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) represents the first major air carrier airport in the United States to complete a full airfield conversion to FAA-certified LED......
Public Opinion Shows Americans Open to Bus Rapid Transit
November 12, 2013
Our friends at HNTB recently conducted their latest America THINKS survey, which polled a random nationwide sample of 1,127 Americans. The conclusion: Americans are open to new approaches to public transportation, such as bus rapid transit. But what is ‘bus rapid transit’? Simply, it is a new way of thinking about community bus service. According......
Infrastructure Investment Wins at the Ballot Box!
November 06, 2013
Yesterday voters in Maine and Texas both affirmed ballot resolutions resulting in increased investment in their local infrastructure. In Maine voters overwhelming approved Bond Question 3, 72% in favor to 28% opposed. Bond Question 3 gives permission to the State to borrow $100 million to fund transportation projects around the state which in turn would......
House Freight Panel Comes Out With New Report
October 30, 2013
The Panel on 21st Century Freight Transportation, established by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in April to examine the current state of freight transportation in the United States and how improving freight transportation can strengthen the U.S. economy, released its final report and recommendations yesterday. The special panel, led by Chairman John Duncan Jr. (R-TN)......