Infrastructure in the News: Dams, Potholes…
April 29th, 2016 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
A new dam rehabilitation bill introduced in the Senate and continued attention to our nation’s water and surface infrastructure needs marked this week’s infrastructure headlines. The High Hazard Potential Small Dam Safety Act, a Senate bill sponsored by bipartisan lawmakers, would provide the first non-emergency federal grants to help local governments repair or replace aging dams to ensure public safety. The measure would provide $600 million of matching grants to states, local governments, and water districts over the next 10 years, with the federal program picking up 65% of the costs. We believe this act is a great step, as there are 85,000 dams in the U.S. and the average age is 52 years old. Dams aren’t the only facet of infrastructure that needs critical attention. According to Politico Magazine’s fifth national Mayors Survey, nearly 1 in 3 American mayors think that they may have already hurt their own citizens by making cost-saving decisions on critical infrastructure. According to the survey, the top concerns were roads and bridges, followed by water quality and pipe stability. However, mayors are struggling to find the money from their governors and states to properly address their infrastructure maintenance issues. Mayors aren’t the only ones who are fed up with deteriorating infrastructure. A Mississippi resident expressed his frustration with our beleaguered roads by actually throwing a local pothole a birthday party. After several local news outlets reported on the pothole party, city officials finally filled it in, and will proceed to pave the surrounding area. This action, though comedic, is telling of the level to which our nation is collectively frustrated with poor infrastructure. In a little under one month, we will celebrate Infrastructure Week to remind us all of the critical role that infrastructure plays in our economy, quality of life, safety and communities. You can support Infrastructure Week by sharing this thunderclap and remind everyone how #InfrastructureMatters.Infrastructure in the News: Winter Weather Water Woes
January 22nd, 2016 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
With heavy snow targeting the Northeast and a contaminated water crisis in Flint, Mich., our water and transportation infrastructure have become a heavy topic of discussion this week. Besides snow days and curling up by the fire, winter weather brings wear and tear on our nation’s roads, water pipes and power lines. Colorado, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee, have all experienced water main breaks in the past week due to cold weather conditions. This time of year also magnifies the many potholes that plague our nation’s roads. Oregon, New York, South Dakota, Iowa and Idaho all have their fair share of pothole damage that is exacerbated by the cold weather. In Houston, Texas, Mayor Sylvester Turner even launched an initiative to fill potholes that Houstonians report within 24 hours by using a website where residents can track and report potholes. In addition to water main breaks, water infrastructure has also been under scrutiny due to the recent water crisis in Flint, Mich. In his State of the State Address, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder noted that there are pipes underneath Michigan roads that are more than 100 years old. He requested $28 million in additional funds from the state legislature to provide for the residents affected by the crisis, provide additional testing for high risk locations and conduct an infrastructure integrity study to fix the pipes and other connections. In Vermont, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the five-year cost of cleaning up Vermont’s water is about $154 million. Clearly the importance of diligent maintenance and funding cannot be over-stressed when it comes to our nation’s transportation and water infrastructure. It’s up to our elected leaders at the federal, state, and local levels to continue prioritizing investment into the backbone of our economy.This Week in Infrastructure: Continued Cause to Fix the Trust Fund
April 4th, 2014 | By: Becky Moylan
This pothole season is one of the worst in recent memory, thanks to the particularly harsh winter. The freezing, thawing, plowing and salting certainly did not help the D grade roads received in the 2013 Report Card. In the hard-hit Midwestern states, the hope of filled-in potholes and more funding for roads is a daily conversation. This harsh winter was not just frustrating for drivers, it was also untimely as the Highway Trust Fund continues to run out of money, with one estimate now as early as July 1. One blogger referred to it as a “triple layer cake of crisis.” And while referencing cake may seem to sugarcoat it, he certainly did not as he outlined the trebly broken system. Nor did Deputy Secretary of Vermont Department of Transportation Sue Minter, who testified in Congress this week on the impact the impending shortfall would have on states. The New York Times presented the view of prominent companies that see the value in more road funding, and prefer an increased gas tax to tolls. A Huffington Post blogger also called on Congress to act on the Highway Trust Fund focusing on its impact on mass transit riders. As Minter said, state DOTs are being put in a precarious position, exemplified in the search for funding for the Brent Spence Bridge that connects Ohio and Kentucky. This bridge is a vital link between two communities, and leads to a larger discussion about bridge safety across the country, as one in nine of our nation’s bridges are structurally deficient. If you’re interested in learning more about the Highway Trust Fund’s funding concerns, AASHTO put together an excellent resource, “Nations at a Crossroads,” and you can find a list of valuable data sources here.Tags: highway trust fund, Mass Transit, Potholes
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