April 29th, 2014 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Washington, D.C. —The following is a statement from Randall (Randy) S. Over, P.E., president of The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) on the GROW AMERICA Act: “We need bold leadership at all levels of government if we are going to solve America’s infrastructure deficit, and today’s four-year draft bill from the U.S. Department of Transportation appears to be a positive step. We welcome efforts to create more robust infrastructure investments that move our country away from simply maintaining the funding and investments of the past. We also applaud the continued streamlining of project approval processes so we can deliver projects on time and on budget, and improved project financing. “The title of the draft bill could not be more appropriate – maintaining and modernizing our nation’s infrastructure enables thriving interstate commerce, job creation, and will quite literally ‘GROW’ America. “Inaction or continued short-term solutions will continue to cost American families and businesses. When our roads prevent trucks from getting from Point A to Point B to deliver goods, our nation suffers. When our ports can’t keep pace with the realities of international commerce, our nation falls behind. Deficient roads, bridges, and ports hurt our GDP, our ability to create jobs, our disposable income, and our competitiveness with other nations. ASCE estimates that deficient and unreliable surface transportation will cost each American family $1,090 a year in personal disposable income by the year 2020.“Any reauthorization of MAP-21 must be focused on modernizing our transportation infrastructure network in order to build a 21st century economy. The American Society of Civil Engineers, representing more than 145,000 civil engineers, believes the authorization should focus on three goals for surface transportation: expanding infrastructure investment and finding sustainable revenue solutions for the Highway Trust Fund; continuing the meaningful reforms started in MAP-21; and positioning our nation to build strategically for the future.
“ASCE is disappointed that long term sustainable revenue sources for the Fund were not identified, and we urge Congress to take immediate action to identify long-term revenue solutions for the Highway Trust Fund to avert this impending insolvency crisis.“We look forward to a more thorough review of the proposal, and it is our hope that the Administration and Congress will work together to advance the policy and the funding needed to keep our transportation system working for our economy.”
Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 145,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America’s oldest national engineering society. For more information, visit www.asce.org.#####
Tags: highway trust fund, MAP-21, President Obama, transportation
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This Week in Infrastructure: Reasons to Keep Advocating for Investment
April 11th, 2014 | By: Becky Moylan
The Opinion Pages of The New York Times presented a series of reasons “We Should Be in a Rage” and among them were—you guessed it—because of the state of our nation’s infrastructure. These grievances, along with suggestions and productive dialogue to change it, appeared in print across the country this week. In Mississippi, one writer named legislators’ neglect as the reason for low grades, and given that the state legislature once again passed on increasing the state gas tax, the frustration is understandable. For, as the Mayor of San Diego demonstrated, improving infrastructure takes time and money. Infrastructure provides a better quality of life, and as the decision-makers continue to appreciate its significance, new ideas for funding are being implemented. The desire to have long-term plans is also a promising development, especially as it could help combat the issues many states—including Oregon and Wisconsin—are currently facing. The watershed law Pennsylvania enacted last fall is proving the value of a strong transportation bill. Such legislation is unfortunately still often only discussed and debated and not enacted, including this week in Illinois and Indiana. New transportation legislation is also currently just a goal at the federal level. However, on Thursday Sen. Boxer and fellow senators announced the Environment and Public Works Committee’s commitment to a six-year bill to replace MAP-21, the current law authorizing the Highway Trust Fund. While only the start of a long process, this at least means state DOTs can rest a little easier, and continue with transportation projects and the jobs that come with them.Tags: congress, highway trust fund, infrastructure, MAP-21, P3
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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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