This Week in Infrastructure: The High Cost of Insufficient Funding
March 28th, 2014 | By: Becky Moylan
On Tuesday, TRIP issued a report on the condition of North Carolina’s roads, bridges and traffic conditions. The bottom line: traffic is bad and the poor condition of roads costly. As the 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure shows us, this TRIP report, along with one released this week in Minnesota, is a microcosm of the state of our nation’s roads, bridges and infrastructure as a whole. While former Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood predicts a short-term extension of MAP-21, states are making other plans as the Highway Trust Fund’s money dwindles. For example, in Nebraska, a bill allowing bond financing for road projects pushed through a filibuster to advance the bill. A Rhode Islander considered an infrastructure bank as a way to provide funding. Similarly, Secretary of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Mike Hancock, wrote “the real issue is not whether drivers want to pay tolls; it’s whether drivers want to keep paying the price of lost time, lost productivity and daily highway hazards with the corridor as it is,” as explanation for why Kentucky and Ohio need new funding tools and a fix for the Trust Fund. Pleads to fix the Trust Fund did not end there. A south Florida mayor visited Washington to ask for funding. The Georgia DOT prepared motorists for a continued bumpy ride because of the lack of funding to repair the Dawsonville Highway bridge and the state’s Chamber urged congressional action in response, along with 30 other states’ Chambers of Commerce. The National Lieutenant Governors Association also asked Congress to take action in a unanimous, bipartisan resolution. And even members of the Canadian government are asking Congress for highway funding. A California columnist noted “Sadly, America’s crumbling infrastructure is like the weather: Everyone complains, but nobody does anything about it.” Here’s hoping the states above get what they asked for and that sentiment doesn’t ring true much longer. There’s no free ride on infrastructure. The North Carolina and Minnesota TRIP reports prove it, as does everyone’s unique but shared experience of traffic during a commute.Tags: highway trust fund, MAP-21, TRIP
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This Week in Infrastructure: One Year Anniversary of the Report Card
March 21st, 2014 | By: Becky Moylan
One year ago this week, we released our 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. Our nation’s D+ infrastructure grade is an important piece of data to share as we advocate for infrastructure investment, especially as the United States approaches the Highway Trust Fund’s financial cliff later this year. Over the past year, ASCE and the Report Card have had more than 16,000 media mentions, a majority of which discuss the findings of the Report Card, including the grades of 16 infrastructure sectors covered in the Report Card and the $3.6 trillion investment needed by 2020. We are proud that nearly every day the hard work of our Report Card Committee members earns the attention of the media and the public. To celebrate a successful year of coverage and meaningful conversations here is a compilation of a few of our favorite media mentions. Daily Rundown Colbert Report Washington Post Huffington Post live New York Times NPR Fast CompanyTags: highway trust fund, infrastructure report card
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DOT Secretary Foxx Calls for New, Long-term Thinking on Infrastructure Investment at ASCE Legislative Fly-In
March 19th, 2014 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Today, Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx spoke in front of over 200 civil engineers outside of Washington, D.C. Secretary Foxx spent his time urging ASCE members to tell their Members of Congress about America’s infrastructure needs and how the impending insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund will hurt our nation’s economy and global competitiveness. Secretary Foxx thanked the civil engineers for their work, saying “you are the ones that do the work in helping America’s infrastructure.” As part of ASCE’s ongoing efforts to advocate for sustainable, long-term infrastructure investment, the ASCE Legislative Fly-in allows civil engineers from across to country to come together and make their voice heard in Congress. Of note, the Secretary focused his time explaining the consequences of America’s infrastructure deficit. The Secretary mentioned that “there is massive uncertainty…about how we’re going to meet the growing needs of our country.” As ASCE members know all too well, this uncertainty hurts our ability to plan in the long-term and fix our pressing infrastructure needs. To conclude his remarks, the Secretary said that projects are already being put on hold due to the dwindling Highway Trust Fund. He argued that Congress must get off of its “extension addiction,” and create a long-term solution to boost our economy and leave future generations a better country. As ASCE members head to Capitol Hill, we are excited to have the Secretary as an ally in advocating for a long-term, sustainable solution to closing America’s infrastructure deficit.Tags: Anthony Foxx, highway trust fund, infrastructure
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This Week in Infrastructure: Some Attention for the Highway Trust Fund
March 14th, 2014 | By: Becky Moylan
The USDOT now anticipates the Highway Trust Fund balance will dip below $4 billion by July, in the heat of summer road repair season. As the fund continues to decline, the DOT will be slowing its funding programs, limiting the funding dollars states rely upon to help pay for projects though matching dollars. This week Arkansas announced 10 projects will not move forward in anticipation that the federal matching funds won’t be available, and Georgia shared similar concerns. The financial cliff the Highway Trust Fund is moving toward won’t just impact roads and bridges. Despite what the name might suggest, it also funds mass transit, which Americans are frequenting more than in the past few years, according to research the American Public Transportation Association shared this week. Finding the funding to fix the Trust Fund is obviously at the crux of the debate. In a Colorado paper, the editorial board reminds readers “there is a cost to letting our highways turn to rust and dust” and that communal investment in infrastructure is better than the alternative, which is individual investment in vehicle maintenance and the cost of time spent in traffic. After the winter we’ve seen, vehicle maintenance is certainly a concern because potholes have been problematic enough that Michigan (a particularly hard-hit state, but likely not alone in this) predicts the process to fill them will last until June. New Jersey is even considering a raise in the gas tax specifically to fund pothole repairs. If Congress was looking for a metaphor for the current state of the Highway Trust Fund, or yet another reason to act, then stories like these lend themselves nicely. Similarly, the tragic explosion in New York highlighted the need for investment, just days after a report estimated the city needs $43.7 billion to bring the quality of its infrastructure to a respectable level. Rolling Stone is even advocating for infrastructure investment, as it lists crumbling water pipes and roads as one reason America is like a third-world country, echoing Joe Biden’s remarks last month. As the Highway Trust Fund’s numbers continue going in the wrong direction, at least the awareness of the issue increases. Hopefully, getting attention is the first step in fixing the Trust Fund.This Week in Infrastructure: Investment Gets New Advocates
March 9th, 2014 | By: Becky Moylan
What do a comedian, a country music singer, and a businessman all have in common? You may have thought this was a joke, but in fact it’s what happened this week in the news, as the call for infrastructure investment came from some unexpected spokespersons. Comedian Jim Gaffigan assessed Los Angeles’ infamous congestion problems while stuck in traffic at 10:30 on a Wednesday night.“Maybe if we do nothing about the traffic problem it will go away?” – Los Angeles
— Jim Gaffigan (@JimGaffigan) March 6, 2014
While Gaffigan’s tweet isn’t entirely accurate—LA has been working to ease congestion—everyone has experienced a frustrating traffic jam and pondered what could be done to fix it.
Kip Moore, a rising country singer, joined with CASE Construction Equipment to promote infrastructure investment, particularly in underserved communities.
The president of C&J Bus Lines, a private professional motor coach company located in New Hampshire, advocated for an increase in the gas tax, as the state legislature considers it. The op-ed received praise from another resident, who agreed that the need for maintenance was worth the cost.
Bill Chameides, blogger on Huffington Post and dean of Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, also made compelling arguments, pointing out that “while Americans seem ever eager to get the latest iPhone … we seem behind the curve when it comes to basic upkeep” of our nation’s infrastructure. The piece then moves on to discuss the Highway Trust Fund and the search for a reliable funding mechanism, an issue also explored in an interview on Boston NPR.
Furthering the case on the need for investment, the U.S. Department of Transportation released a report last Friday assessing aging infrastructure, and urging spending to fund improvements. In a Wall Street Journal article about the report, ASCE’s Casey Dinges echoed the report’s findings, stating “Just the status quo is not going to work” when it comes to funding.
As the discussion for funding the Highway Trust Fund continues, it’s nice to see a wide range of advocates for the cause.
This Week in Infrastructure: Funding Conversations Get a Front Seat
February 28th, 2014 | By: Becky Moylan
Over the past few weeks, stories have been trickling out about the financial cliff the Highway Trust Fund is heading toward, with too few conversations about finding solutions, given the importance of the topic. This week that shifted. President Obama called attention to the Highway Trust Fund and the need for investment during a trip to Minnesota, by proposing a $302 billion transportation plan. During his speech, he stressed the link between transportation infrastructure and job creation. Furthermore, Rep. Dave Camp also announced his plan for a corporate tax overhaul, which would dedicate $162.5 billion to the Highway Trust Fund over the next eight years. ASCE and several other infrastructure advocates are encouraged by both proposals, and look forward to being part of the discussion. Rep. Bill Shuster, chair of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, was also “encouraged” by both plans. As states, including Alabama, Rhode Island and North Dakota, continue to plan for a lack of federal dollars, it is essential to find a sustainable funding solution. Meanwhile in Wisconsin, a bipartisan group in the state legislature began exploring the idea of toll roads. The Washington Post celebrated the other well-known form of funding’s 95th birthday with “A (Very) Brief History of the State Gas Tax.” And in a similar spirit, the National Journal wrote about how Oregon, the state which originated the gas tax, now may be the one to find its replacement. Discussions on funding are beginning to take center stage, an indication of progress in the quest to fund the Highway Trust Fund.This Week in Infrastructure: Winter Weather Gets People Thinking About the Cost of Underinvestment
February 21st, 2014 | By: Becky Moylan
Perhaps between Disney’s box office hit Frozen and the Sochi Olympics you feel as though you’re living in a winter wonderland. Or perhaps it’s because you actually are, given this year’s record snowfall in cities across the country. In addition to the snow days and need for shovels and boots, this winter has done a number on roads across the country. Cities are running out of salt, pothole-dodging could be an Olympic sport, and finding places to mound all that snow is proving a challenge. This all comes as state DOTs are already worried about funding as the Highway Trust Fund is on a path to insolvency. The weather’s impact doesn’t end with Americans’ commutes. The electric grid has also taken a hard hit, with tens of thousands still without power in Georgia and South Carolina. The cold weather has also ravaged pipes, including in Iowa, where there has been a record number of water main breaks in the past six weeks. As all of these problems become more than the sum of their parts—especially true as infrastructure works as a system—this piece in a California paper asks if “our nation can handle freaky weather?” Meanwhile, West Virginia’s chemical spill last month continues to draw concerns about the safety of drinking water across the country. The weather’s impact on infrastructure (and the media attention surrounding it) has certainly shown the need for funding and attention for our nation’s roads, electric grid, water pipes, and much more.Tags: Drinking Water, Electric Grid, highway trust fund, surface transportation, transportation
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Moving toward a safe, seamless transportation system
February 19th, 2014 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
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 to promote a workable plan paid by user fees. Yet many Americans also believe the issue is only pushed to the forefront after a structural failure (38 percent) or natural disaster (37 percent) has caused destruction. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stay in the news for long. We’ve often seen that played out in the media, whether it’s an emergency closure due to safety concerns, such as the original 80-year-old Lake Champlain Bridge connecting Crown Point, N.Y., and Chimney Point, Vt., in 2009; an accidental impact and resulting damage, such as the collapse of a portion of Interstate 5 over the Skagit River near Mount Vernon, Wash., last year; or the devastation wreaked by modern natural disasters, such as in the Northeast during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Such acute damage and resulting closures threaten communities’ safety and economic healthy, vividly reminding us of the importance of maintaining the nation’s infrastructure.
In fact, nearly 2 in 3 (65 percent) Americans fear a local infrastructure failure will occur within a year, and 1 in 5 (20 percent) are “extremely concerned” about a potential failure. Perhaps more striking for those of us in the transportation industry, 9 in 10 think at least one mode of U.S. transportation needs a spark of innovation and nearly half (47 percent) believe physical infrastructure damage is more likely to be caused by lack of maintenance than age, faulty construction or even a natural disaster.portion of Interstate 5 over the Skagit River near Mount Vernon, Wash., last year; or the devastation wreaked by modern natural disasters, such as in the Northeast during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Such acute damage and resulting closures threaten communities’ safety and economic healthy, vividly reminding us of the importance of maintaining the nation’s infrastructure.
Most Americans want the nation’s transportation network and key infrastructure facilities to be improved, yet we’ve struggled to identify a compelling vision that will drive future state and federal investments and spur future growth. Clearly identifying the risks associated with inaction and underinvestment does resonate with the majority of the country.
Perhaps another, more positive lynchpin for our vision of America’s transportation future is focusing on how we can make all of our transportation options work better as a system, or what we call multimodalism.
Many Americans are unhappy with local transportation options because they don’t work together as well as they should. More than half (53 percent) think it’s difficult to access different modes of transportation. Better scheduling and seamless transferability would push drivers to leave their cars behind and hop aboard transit more often. Nearly 2 in 3 (63 percent) Americans think the modes of transportation in their area need to be more efficient.
We need to get better at preparing for the future before our needs become acute. Envisioning a multimodal system where American’s transportation choices maintain safety and become seamless and sustainable can encourage the support we need to fund vital infrastructure priorities at the federal, state and local levels.
This Week in Infrastructure: The Need for Funding
February 14th, 2014 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
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 million. Minnesota also grappled with the transportation funding gap through a hearing that included testimony from ASCE’s own Brian Pallasch, who spoke on the consequences of underinvestment. Delaware Gov. Markell proposed an increase to the gas tax that would be tied to inflation. Though it was met with criticism from the state legislature, this editorial aptly points out highways don’t pay for themselves. Idaho’s Transportation Department’s Scott Stokes warned that the state relies heavily on federal funding for its department’s budget. Stokes predicted “At current funding levels [bridges] will have to last 120 years, two to three times their expected life,” given the current funding trajectory. Michigan is facing a more immediate funding crisis, due to the frequent snowfall. To put it into perspective, snowplows were needed on the southwest part of the state’s roads for 67 straight days, a doubly costly endeavor because money is needed to fund the plowing and to repair the roads afterward. The Daily Iowan called to raise the state’s gas tax in an editorial, explaining the “tax would generate $230 million annually, money that can be used to substantially upgrade Iowa’s roadways and would close the state’s $215 million annual shortfall in road funds.” On the federal level, Ohio Reps. Tim Ryan and Dave Joyce, called upon their colleagues to revitalize infrastructure and create jobs in the process. The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing Wednesday to consider the best funding options for the Highway Trust Fund. Sen. Boxer said her goal is to have a “five- or six-year bill.” This week demonstrates the need for a sustainable funding source is gaining attention. Now the next step is finding a solution and taking action.Tags: highway trust fund, Idaho, infrastructure, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, surface transportation, Tennessee, transportation
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Bipartisan Governors Coalition Presses Congress to Act on Transportation Funding
January 31st, 2014 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
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 fuel and truck excises supporting the Highway Trust Fund have not been adjusted in 20 years. As a result, the trust fund will be insolvent by the end of the year. “If Congress does not act to address this shortfall, we expect Federal support of highway and transit projects led by state transportation departments will cease in October,” said North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory. “Without renewed federal funding, states are left in a very serious financial crisis that impacts public safety and local economies,” McCrory added. Added Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber, “Investment in our transportation system is part of the backbone of a strong national economy. The Federal Government should do all it can to avoid the insolvency of the Federal Highway Trust fund. These dollars directly fund construction and maintenance projects, and provide needed construction jobs in states across the country.” On January 14, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin (R-OK), testified before Congress in her capacity as Chairman of the National Governor’s Association and urged Congress to take action. “States need federal funding stability and certainty to pursue long-term planning and project delivery,” said Governor Fallin. “All funding options must be on the table for evaluation because existing resources are no longer adequate,” she added. The following 17 governors signed the letter urging congress to act: Governor Mike Beebe (D-AR), Governor John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Governor Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Governor Patt Quinn (D-IL), Governor Martin O’Malley (D-MD), Governor Mark Dayton (DFL-MN), Governor Steve Bullock (D-MT), Governor Pat McCrory (R-NC), Governor Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Governor Jack Dalrymple (R-ND), Governor John Kitzhaber (D-OR), Governor Tom Corbett (R-PA), Governor Lincoln Chafee (D-RI), Governor Dennis Daugaard (R-SD), Governor Peter Shumlin (D-VT), Governor Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Governor Scott Walker (R-WI). ASCE is an active member of the National Transportation Coalition, a bipartisan group of governors and transportation advocates working together to push Congress to take immediate action on vital federal highway legislation.Tags: congress, Funding, governors, highway trust fund, leadership, transportation
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