#GameChangers Trend – Rapid Bridge Replacement
August 5th, 2015 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
In 2013, America’s bridges earned a grade of C+. In total, one in nine of the nation’s bridges are rated as structurally deficient. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimates that to eliminate the nation’s bridge deficient backlog by 2028, we would need to invest $20.5 billion annually, while only $12.8 billion is being spent currently. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has embarked on the challenge to bundle similar bridge projects together to capitalize on economies of scale to achieve cost saving and quicker construction periods. Here is the game changer for this week. Bundle and Save on Bridges – Harrisburg, PA PennDOT has embarked on an ambitious $899 million Rapid Bridge Replacement Project with construction to begin the summer of 2015 on 558 bridges across the state. The final list of 558 bridges was determined after screening more than 2,000 bridges. The private sector team will manage the bridges’ design, construction and maintenance for 25 years after construction under a public-private partnership (P3) contract. Under the agreement, all 558 bridges must be replaced within 36 months. PennDOT will maintain ownership of the bridges. The P3 contract will allow PennDOT to deliver high-quality bridges and replace the existing bridges more quickly than under the agency’s traditional procurement model. In addition, the project will minimize the impact on motorists during construction. Every day, new Infrastructure #GameChangers are changing how we build and use infrastructure. ASCE collected these game changing trends in energy, freight, transportation and water infrastructure into an interactive, web-based report at ASCEGameChangers.org. Find out more here, share these trends on social media using #GameChangers, or submit your own #GameChangers project!5 Graphics Every Pennsylvania Driver Should See
July 17th, 2014 | By: Infrastructure Report Card
In 2013, Pennsylvania stepped up to start addressing these problems with a transportation funding package, but even with it, there’s still more work to be done than the funding that’s available. Also, if Congress fails to come up with their promised funding by the end of August, this could set Pennsylvania back in spite of trying to catch up on their transportation needs. Pennsylvania has done their part, Congress should really get to work on theirs.
Want to find out more about Pennsylvania’s other infrastructure? Start with the 2014 Report Card for Pennsylvania’s Infrastructure!
Images created by Jason Forbes of McCormick Taylor
Tags: #fixthetrustfund, bridges, congress, Pennsylvania, report card
No Comments »
What They're Saying About the Pennsylvania Report Card
June 30th, 2014 | By: Infrastructure Report Card
Watch clips from the release events speakers here, courtesy of Urban Engineers.
- Engineers grade Pa.’s infrastructure: C-minus – Philly.com
- Engineering Group Gives Low Marks to Pennsylvania Infrastructure -CBS Local – Philly
- Pa. Infrastructure Grades Suffer Due To Poor Roads, Bridges – CBS Local – Pittsburgh
- State’s civil engineers give roads a D- in latest “report card” – Pittsburgh Post Gazette
- Pennsylvania earns seven D’s in engineers’ infrastructure report card – The Express-Times
- Pennsylvania’s new infrastructure report card averages to a C minus – Pennlive.com
- Civil engineers give Pennsylvania low marks on infrastructure report card – WFMZ
- State Report Card: Pa. Nearly Fails in Bridges, Water, Roads – NBC 10 Philadelphia
- Pennsylvania’s new infrastructure report card averages to a C minus -The Patriot-News
- Civil engineers: More infrastructure spending is needed – Allentown Morning Call
- Grades not good in engineers’ study of Pa.’s infrastructure – WFMZ Allentown
- Commonwealth infrastructure reaches almost an ‘F’ -FOX43.com
- Report: 1 in 4 PA bridges structurally deficient – Fox 43
- Pennsylvania earns seven D’s in engineers’ infrastructure report card – Lehigh Valley Live
- Pennsylvania gets seven D’s in infrastructure report – Central Penn Business Journal
- Engineers grade Pa.’s infrastructure: C-minus – Bloomberg Businessweek
- State infrastructure gets a C-minus grade – Delaware County Daily Times
- Pa.’s infrastructure barely makes the grade – Newsworks.org
Tags: news, Outreach, Pennsylvania, report card
No Comments »
Pennsylvania Earns 7 Poor D Grades in New Report Card
June 25th, 2014 | By: Infrastructure Report Card
- Pennsylvania has the highest percentage of structurally deficient bridges in the country. Of the Commonwealth’s more than 22,000 bridges, nearly one in four are considered structurally deficient.
- Pennsylvania has the most combined sewer overflows (CSOs) of any state.
- The Commonwealth must invest $28 billion over the next 20 years to repair existing wastewater systems, meet clean water standards and build or expand existing systems to meet increasing demands
- Pennsylvania’s 1.3 traffic fatalities per 100 million miles of travel is significantly higher than the national average (1.1).
- KEEP UP THE MOMENTUM FOR BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE: In 2013, Pennsylvania’s officials showed leadership by passing a transportation package that will start putting the roads, bridges, and transit systems back into working order.
- AFFIRM PUBLIC SAFETY AS GOVERNMENT’S #1 JOB:Whether it’s repairs to bridges, ensuring safe drinking water, or keeping up on dam safety inspections, public safety must always be the first priority as leaders budget and plan for the future. Ensuring infrastructure is resilient and online 99.9% of the time will keep communities safe and the economy thriving.
- STOP WASTING MONEY BY WAITING: Of the 7 infrastructure categories with D grades, all of these deal with transportation and water systems, and much of the repairs and long-term funding are being short-changed. Waiting will only lead to larger issues that will disrupt lives and cost even more when the bill comes due. Pennsylvania must look at the full cost of decisions and then put savings to use.
Tags: Act-89, grades, momentum, Pennsylvania, report card, states, transportation, water
No Comments »
Will Pennsylvania's Infrastructure Make the Grade?
June 19th, 2014 | By: Infrastructure Report Card
Infrastructure has a direct impact on our lives every day—from the water we drink, to the schools our children attend and to the roads and rails we travel.
Join us for one of ASCE’s release events for the 
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
- State Senator John Rafferty, Jr., Chairman of Senate Transportation Committee
- Harry Campbell, Pennsylvania Executive Director, Chesapeake Bay Foundation
- Randall Over, ASCE National President
- Jason Bowes, ASCE Central PA Section President
- Darin Gatti, Chief Engineer, Philadelphia Streets Department
- Jeffrey Knueppel, Deputy General Manager, SEPTA
- Lester Toaso, District Executive, PennDOT District 6-0
- Daniel Cessna PE, PennDOT Engineering District 11, District Executive
- Dennis Davin, Allegheny County, Director of Economic Development
- Bill Flanagan, Allegheny Conference on Community Development Executive Vice President, Corporate Relations
- Michael W. Rebert, P.E., PennDOT Engineering District 5, District Executive
- Becky Bradley, Executive Director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
- Aurel Arndt, General Manager, Lehigh County Authority, Allentown, PA
RSVP to reportcard@asce.org
Tags: event, infrastructure, media, Pennsylvania, report card
No Comments »
