President’s Address Includes Infrastructure
March 1st, 2017 | By: Becky Moylan
On Tuesday night, President Trump addressed a joint-session of Congress for the first time in his presidency. Infrastructure was among the many issues he discussed. The President highlighted the interstate highway system as a the “last truly great national infrastructure program,” before calling for a “new program of national rebuilding” and vowing to ask Congress to pass legislation for $1 trillion in infrastructure investment, “financed through both public and private capital.” Infrastructure investment was one of the President’s core campaign promises. While there still needs to be much more shared about the infrastructure legislation described, including what the mix of public and private capital will be and how this investment will be allocated across our nation’s significant infrastructure needs, this is an encouraging step toward fulfilling what the President pledged during the campaign. The speech came just 10 days before ASCE will release its new 2017 Infrastructure Report Card. The report will again provide grades and analysis of 16 categories of infrastructure and offer key solutions and category solutions to raise the grades. One of the core solutions you can expect to read and hear about is the need for investment, and even more specifically government funding. To have lasting progress for our infrastructure, the federal government must commit to not only financing infrastructure programs but funding them. Funding must supplement – rather than replace – long-term solutions, regular appropriations, and scheduled reauthorizations. This tenet is one ASCE also focuses on in its Principles for Infrastructure Investment, released during the Presidential Transition. Americans recognize our infrastructure needs are significant—a new investment gap number will also be released on March 9 in the Report Card. They are also solvable, beginning with federal infrastructure legislation that:- Includes investment that provides substantial, long-term benefits to the public and the economy;
- considers the cost of an infrastructure project over its entire life span;
- ensures projects are built sustainably and resiliently;
- does not replace existing federal, state, local, or private infrastructure funding.
#InfrastructureMatters Hits the Hill
May 18th, 2016 | By: Becky Moylan
The message that #InfrastructureMatters made its way to Capitol Hill today, as American business, labor, citizen groups, and more met with members of Congress and their staffs. Mid-day, the group took a break from Infrastructure Week Advocacy Day meetings to come together at a congressional briefing. Building America’s Future Co-Chair Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) started the day by pointing out the high percentage of state initiatives to improve infrastructure that are approved by voters. The briefing included remarks from all four of Infrastructure Week’s Congressional Co-Chairs: Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sen. Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), Rep. Garett Graves (R-LA), and Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY). Each Member of Congress took a few minutes to talk about why #InfrastructureMatters and highlighted the important work Infrastructure Week and its participants are doing. Sen. Cardin talked about the importance of the issue, and shared his personal experience of the commute from Baltimore to D.C. being far longer than it should be—typically over 2 hours, rather than 45 minutes. Sen. Capito talked about a successful grassroots campaign in her state launched by a local radio personality, known as #FTDR—fix the (censored) roads. Rep. Graves trumpeted how preventative investment is more cost effective than emergency repairs, both from a safety and economic standpoint. And Rep. Maloney shared the policy idea of increasing our investment in infrastructure to align with 5% of our nation’s GDP. After Rep. Maloney set the stage well, ASCE’s Casey Dinges presented the new Failure to Act study, highlighting that poor infrastructure is costing every American household for $9 a day, and posing the question (and solution) “Would you be willing to pay $3 a day per family for better infrastructure?,” as we could close the investment gap in 10 years if we invested $3 more a day per family. Members from the business and labor communities, including Liuna, Case, and AECOM, also shared perspectives on the importance on infrastructure investment. A wide variety of interests were represented in the room, but as Infrastructure Week more broadly showcases, all these voices strongly agree on the need to rebuild and renew our infrastructure because it matters to our economy and quality of life.Infrastructure Week Events to Check Out
May 12th, 2016 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
There’s a great line up of events happening for Infrastructure Week! See what’s happening near you!Infrastructure Week Calendar of Events
The High Cost of Underinvesting in Infrastructure: $9 a day
May 10th, 2016 | By: Becky Moylan
Today’s release of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Failure to Act: Closing the Investment Gap for America’s Economic Future reveals that inadequate infrastructure is costing every American family $3,400 a year in disposable income.
The economic study, an update to the initial series ASCE released prior to the 2013 Report Card, identifies the 10-year needs across 10 categories of infrastructure is $3.3 trillion, including a $1.4 trillion investment gap.
The $1.4 trillion investment gap comprises:
- $1.1 trillion throughout the surface transportation network including roads, bridges, transit, and commuter rail.
- Electricity infrastructure requires an additional $177 billion.
- The third highest investment gap is $105 billion for water and wastewater infrastructure.
- Airports, including the highly anticipated NextGen technology upgrade, require an added $42 billion.
- America’s inland waterways and ports need an additional $15 billion to close their funding gap.
- $3.9 trillion in GDP, more than the 2013 GDP of Germany
- $7 trillion of business sales
- 2.5 million job losses in the year 2025
- $3,400 in a family’s annual disposable income each year from 2016 to 2025, equal to $9.33 a day.
Closing America’s Infrastructure Gap
May 9th, 2016 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Failure to Act – 2016 Report
- GDP
- jobs
- personal disposable income, and
- business sales.
#FixTheTrustFund This Week: Keeping the U.S. from Driving into Potholes
June 22nd, 2015 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
The Highway Trust Fund (HTF) was set up in 1956 to fund the build and maintain a transportation network nationwide. Today, it is the national bank account for roads, bridges and transit that reimburses states for eligible projects. Inaction by Congress has put the Highway Trust Fund in jeopardy, and with a month left before the temporary funding fix runs out on July 31st, Congress is nowhere near to closing a deal to generate sustainable revenue for the nation’s highway, bridge, and transit systems – investments vital to the health of our recovering economy. #FixTheTrustFund is a call to action to solve this transportation problem today. This week Congress is slated to step up hearings on transportation. Here’s what we’ll be watching in national campaign to #FixTheTrustFund this week: June 23, 10 a.m.: Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee markup of a fiscal 2016 transportation spending measure. (Listen live) June 24, 9:30 a.m.: Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to mark up the Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy, or DRIVE, Act. (Info) What to watch for: With the current strong bipartisan consensus, we expect the mark-up to go smoothly. That action will put pressure on the other authorizing committees and the Senate Finance Committee to secure their pieces of the bill before the July 31 legislative deadline. The Senate the Finance Committee will hold a hearing on private sector investment and public-private partnerships with the former Indiana governor Mitch Daniels and current Colorado DOT chief Shailen Bhatt. Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) is expected to highlight his new bipartisan bill that would expand tax-exempt private activity bonds and create a new federal infrastructure tax credit. June 24, 2 p.m.: House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures hearing on the “taxation of the repatriation of foreign earnings as a funding mechanism for a multiyear highway bill.” (Info) What to watch: Across the Capitol in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures will hold a hearing on the prospect of taxing U.S. corporate foreign earnings – otherwise known as repatriation – for deposit in the HTF, which the Obama Administration supports. This funding fix does not have unanimous support on either the Republican or Democratic side of the aisle, so expect some internal party disagreements on this as a solution along with some opposition from large, multinational corporations who will be on the hook to pay the tax. June 24, 2 p.m.: House Transportation and Infrastructure Highways and Transit Subcommittee hearing on “Meeting the Transportation Needs of Rural America.” (Watch live) June 25, 10 a.m.: Senate Finance Committee hearing on exploring ways that private financing could back infrastructure projects. (Info) Help Us #FixTheTrustFund 1. Tell Congress that it’s time to fix the Highway Trust Fund and increase our investment into transportation before the July deadline. 2. If you’re in MD, OR, CO, TX or WI, attend a Town Hall Meeting this week and ask your Member of Congress about their ideas on how to fix the Highway Trust Fund.| 6/24/2015 | Rep. Harris (R-MD-1) | This meeting is conducted by telephone.For more information on this meeting, follow this link: vekeo.com/event/congressman-andy-harris-06242015/?awesm=vekeo.buzz_t1u/ | Starts at 6:45 pm |
| 6/27/2015 | Sen. Wyden (D-OR) | Hood River Valley Adult Center2010 Sterling Dr.Hood River, OR 97031 | Starts at 1:00 pm |
| 6/27/2015 | Rep. Perlmutter (D-CO-7) | Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage4900 Kipling St.Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 | Starts at 10:00 am |
| 6/27/2015 | Rep. Sessions (R-TX-32) | Richland CollegeGarland Campus675 West Walnut StreetGarland, TX 75040-5023This meeting requires an RSVP. Register online.For more information on this meeting, follow this link: sessions.house.gov/index.cfm/june-town-hall | Starts at 11:00 am |
| 06/28/2015 | Rep. Sensenbrenner (R-WI-5th ) | Brookfield Public Safety Building 2100 North Calhoun Road Brookfield, WI 53005For more information on this meeting, follow this link: sensenbrenner.house.gov/contact/ | Starts at 7:00 pm |
2015 Report Card for Iowa’s Infrastructure Arrives Next Tuesday
February 19th, 2015 | By: Infrastructure Report Card
The Iowa Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) will release the inaugural 2015 Report Card for Iowa’s Infrastructure on Tuesday, February 24. The report includes evaluations of Iowa aviation, rail, inland waterways, roads, bridges, dams, levees, drinking water, wastewater, electrical energy, and solid waste.News conference on release of the 2015 Report Card for Iowa’s Infrastructure
WHO: American Society of Civil Engineers – Iowa Section
Speakers:
- Joe Spradling, P.E., president, Iowa Section ASCE
- Aaron Granquist, P.E., author and member, Report Card Committee
- Director Debi Durham, Iowa Economic Development Authority
WHEN: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at 10:30 am
WHERE: Wallace Building Auditorium, 502 E 9th Street, Des Moines, Iowa
Tags: bridges, economy, infrastructure, Iowa, report card, roads, transportation, water
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Investment in Water Infrastructure Works
September 12th, 2014 | By: Becky Moylan
So often, our water infrastructure goes unnoticed until a pipe bursts. Lately, there have been several events drawing attention to the water sector’s significance, including the water main break at UCLA, algae in Toledo drinking water, and drought in California. Water infrastructure deserves our attention and investment for many reasons, beyond the most recent media attention. This week, ASCE co-hosted Water Works!, a day of events highlighting the economic value in the water sector. The legislative day in Washington, D.C. included the release of a report, which emphasizes the economic impact of water, wastewater and storm water utilities.
Rep. Bob Gibbs, Mayor Kevin Faulconer, and Sen. Ben Cardin sharing their thoughts on the importance of water infrastructure for our economy.
The report, National Economic & Labor Impacts of the Water Utility Sector, reveals the sector supports $524 billion in economic activity. Furthermore, in the next decade the utilities will include 289,000 jobs.
Congressional leaders and public officials shared their thoughts on the importance of investment in infrastructure during a press briefing, which emphasized the bipartisan agreement of water infrastructure investment. “Water infrastructure is a priority we cannot allow to remain unaddressed,” remarked Rep. Tim Bishop, Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, as a call to action to “build on the accomplishments of WRRDA.” The importance of the water sector was underscored in Sen. Ben Cardin’s comments, as he pointed to the sector’s role in public safety and job growth. Rep. Bob Gibbs, Chair of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment echoed those sentiments, and noted that the aging infrastructure is costing us millions of dollars as valuable water is being lost each day through leaky pipes and breaks. Following the press briefing, a panel of local water leaders shared their water infrastructure investment success stories. The conversation centered around ensuring safe, reliable and affordable water. Wednesday’s events showcase the continuous effort and conversation surrounding improving the nation’s D grade water infrastructure. You can get involved and increase the ripple effect by learning more about the report and utilizing the data to showcase the economic benefits of water infrastructure investment. As Mayor Kevin Faulconer of San Diego said at the event, “There is no better time to invest.”Tags: economy, jobs, Water Works, wrrda
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Missourians Asked to Vote “Yes” on Sales and Use Tax Increase
July 8th, 2014 | By: Maria Matthews
On August 5, Missourians go to the polls to weigh in on the future of the state’s transportation fund. Rather than enacting a temporary fix through an incremental gas tax hike, the Missouri Legislature put the matter in the hands of constituents in the form of Constitutional Amendment 7 which will appear on the August 5 ballot. If passed, the constitutional amendment will increase the sales and use tax three-quarters of one percent for a period of 10 years. This increase will establish a dedicated funding source not only for the state wide transportation system but, also county and city roads. With the exception of everyday expenses like, food, gas, utilities, or home and car payments, an additional three-quarter of one percent tax will be added to the existing state sales and use tax. In fact, during this 10-year period the state will be prohibited from raising the gas tax! It is estimated the proposed sales tax increase could lead to $5.4 billion over the lifetime of the tax — approximately $600 million of which will be diverted to county and city transportation projects. To put this into perspective, the Missouri DOT Long Range Transportation Plan estimates that over the next 20 years, Missouri has at least $70 billion of infrastructure projects requested throughout the state, but only $17.3 billion of available funds are expected to be available. A “yes” vote will ensure a reliable and sustainable source of revenue for the Missouri’s transportation fund. When August 5th arrives we ask that voters remember this: ✓ Money from the tax will only be spent on the improvement of roads, bridges, and other priority transportation projects in Missouri. ✓ 90% of the revenue will fund priority transportation projects, statewide, through the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). ✓ 5% will be given to counties and 5% given to cities for local transportation projects. ✓ All projects completed through MoDOT will be voted on by the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission and completion will be constitutionally guaranteed. ✓ This sales tax will only apply to non-essential items, specifically exempted are: groceries, gas, utilities, mortgage and car payments, healthcare, prescription drugs, education, and retirement savings. ✓ Creating the tax through a constitutional amendment prevents future politicians from diverting funds to non-transportation spending. In anticipation of the additional funding, MoDOT has even updated its project list. Failure to increase the sales tax will mean status quo when it comes to Missouri’s transportation infrastructure. For this reason it is critical Missourians vote “yes” on Constitutional Amendment 7 and help lawmakers direct much needed funds toward maintaining, and improving, statewide transportation systems.Tags: ballot, economy, Missouri, state government, transportation, vote
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