Get to Know North Carolina’s Mediocre Infrastructure
June 5th, 2013 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Today, North Carolina’s civil engineers released a new Infrastructure Report Card. After spending a year diving into the details of the state’s infrastructure – from bridges to beaches to dams – they determined that North Carolina’s infrastructure only deserved a mediocre C grade. Like many areas of the country, North Carolina has some work to do to make sure maintenance gets done, aging parts of the system get a modern overhaul, and the infrastructure keeps up with the state’s growth.
The state-wide report examined eleven categories of infrastructure, grading their capacity, resiliency, funding, and reliability. Here’s what they found:
- Aviation earned a D+, in part due to an estimated $763 million needed to bring all airports in the system to a state of good repair.
- Beaches and Inlets were awarded a C-. Many shoals and inlets are functioning at significantly less than authorized depths. Continued erosion of federal and state funding has a significant impact N.C.’s beaches and inlets.
- Bridges earned a C-. North Carolina’s bridges require $281 million more per year in order to make significant strides in raising the grade of North Carolina bridges.
- Dams earned the lowest grade of a D. Ten percent of North Carolina’s high hazard dams are deficient and only 34 percent have Emergency Action Plans. One-third of North Carolina’s dams are over 50 years old.
- Drinking Water earned a C+. North Carolina has over 530 public water systems which serve approximately 7.3 million North Carolinians (75 percent of the state’s population).
- Energy was awarded the highest grade in the report of a B+. North Carolina has a solid foundation of energy and energy infrastructure to meet its current and 20-year planning horizon needs.
- Rail earned a C+, in part due to only 30 percent of the state’s short lines being able to accommodate new, heavier rail cars. It is estimated that freight rail investment needs over the next 25 years will total $545 million.
- Roads earned a C. The scale of the state maintained highway network, current economic circumstances, and the trend of reducing the state transportation agency’s resources and personnel have been challenges to providing and maintaining a sustainable quality of service.
- Schools earned a C. Over 58 percent of North Carolina schools will require renovations in the next five years. Additionally, approximately 10 percent of students are in mobile classrooms. The projected cost to meet facility needs for the next five years is approximately $8.2 billion.
- Stormwater earned a grade of C-. Most of North Carolina’s population lives in communities that have no dedicated source of funding to improve stormwater quality. Statewide sources of funding such as the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund are being reduced and North Carolina’s communities have fewer and fewer options when trying to address their stormwater improvement needs.
- Wastewater earned a C. North Carolina has documented a need of over $4 billion of additional wastewater infrastructure investment needs through the year 2030. These funds are needed to replace aging facilities, comply with mandated Clean Water Act regulations, and keep pace with economic development.
Tags: bridges, continuing education, dams, energy, infrastructure, infrastructure report card, ports, rail transportation, roads, state report cards, transportation, wastewater, water infrastructure
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TCC Members Hit Capitol Hill
June 5th, 2013 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Members of the Transportation Construction Coalition hit Capitol Hill this morning as a part of the organization’s annual Fly In. With over 500 construction, engineering, and equipment experts coming into Washington DC, the plan it to make Members of Congress understand the dire impact on their states, districts and the National economy if Congress fails to take action to address the long term financial solvency of the Highway Trust Fund. Fly In attendees will also tell Congress that a timely reauthorization of MAP-21 must be a priority.
Fly In events kicked off yesterday afternoon with a series of high profile transportation speakers. Attendees heard from Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA), House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA), Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, House Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Nick Rahall (D-WV), and Past Senate Environment and Public Works Ranking Member Jim Inhofe (R-OK). Each spoke about the importance of the nation’s surface transportation system and acknowledged the needs ahead. While no one spoke in detail about how to make up the shortfall for the Highway Trust Fund, it is clear that the issue is will be a top concern as Congress works to reauthorize MAP-21 next year.
Secretary Ray LaHood told the crowd that he wants a long-term bill that spends $600 billion, however he went on further to acknowledge that even $600 billion “is just going to scratch the surface” of what the country needs. The secretary also stated that President Obama will offer a way to pay for the 2014 transportation bill after legislation dealing with guns, immigration and the sequester is dealt with. According to LaHood, “the president is going to be big and bold about what his vision is for infrastructure”.
Senate Passes WRDA
May 15th, 2013 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
ASCE applauds the Senate today for passing the Water Resources Development Act (S. 601). The 83 – 14 vote on final passage caps off a huge bipartisan effort from Environment and Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Ranking Member David Vitter (R-LA). The final $12 billion package includes several of ASCE top priorities for WRDA such as the reauthorization of the National Dam Safety Program, the creation of a National Levee Safety Program, the eventual move toward trust in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, and reforms to accelerate project review and delivery. With Senate passage, attention now turns to the House, where things are moving at a slower pace. Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) has said his committee hopes to produce a bill by “summer-ish”, while some Republican aides have said that the committee hopes to take action in June on a WRDA package. For now ASCE is pleased to see that WRDA is out of the Senate and urges the House to not be too far behind.Civil Engineer and Inventor John Hillman Named by White House as Transportation Champion of Change
May 8th, 2013 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Imagine holding four U.S. patents for a landmark and unique bridge technology, more than a dozen foreign or pending patents and winning every major design and construction award available in the nation. Now imagine all of this being accomplished by one individual – civil engineer John Hillman.
In a White House ceremony today, Hillman and 10 other notable individuals were recognized as Transportation Champions of Change for their exemplary work and leadership in developing and implementing transportation technology solutions to enhance performance, reduce congestion, improve safety and facilitate communication across the transportation industry at the local, state and national levels.
A structural engineer with more than 27 years of experience, Hillman’s more noteworthy achievements include managing the construction of a 1,263-foot incrementally launched bridge in Puerto Rico and the design and management of the award-winning 35th Street pedestrian bridge over Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Ill. He has also been the engineer of record for almost every type of bridge structure imaginable, including a cable-stay, an arch, a truss and a suspension bridge, as well as numerous conventional structures.
Despite an impressive array of world-class bridge designs, Hillman’s crowning achievement is the invention of the Hybrid-Composite Beam (HCB®), a new type of structural beam developed for use in bridges and other structures. This unique technology is a tied arch of concrete and steel contained in a composite shell that optimizes the structural performance of each material in the composition. What results is an economical structural beam for railroads, highways and marine structures that offers a service life of more than 100 years.
The HCB provides for an economical application of advanced composites in infrastructure bridge technology, resulting in bridges that are stronger, safer, lighter, faster to install and much more sustainable than conventional bridge technologies. To date, 24 HCB bridges have been constructed in seven different states, with many more in various stages of planning, design and construction.
According to Hillman, he became a civil engineer because he loves building things. He said he gravitated towards bridges because literally and figuratively he gets to help people stay connected.
Hillman’s goal with the invention and development of the HCB is to provide a revolutionary bridge technology that not only remedies the state of the nation’s decaying bridges, but also provides a solution to the problem that will reduce the burden of infrastructure rehabilitation costs for future generations.
Here’s a video about other Champions of Change featuring an ASCE Past President, Kathy Caldwell.
ASCE Statement on the Nomination of Mayor Anthony Foxx for Transportation Secretary
April 29th, 2013 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The following is a statement from Gregory E. DiLoreto, P.E., P.L.S, D.WRE, president of The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), regarding the nomination of Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx for U.S. Transportation Secretary:
“We are very encouraged by Mayor Foxx’s nomination. Now is the time to reaffirm our commitment to improving our nation’s infrastructure and building a 21stcentury
Anthony Foxx, Democrat, mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. Taken during his 2009 campaign for mayor. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 140,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America’s oldest national engineering society. For more information, visit www.asce.org.
Obama FY14 Budget Proposal Focuses on Infrastructure
April 12th, 2013 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
President Obama released a federal budget plan for Fiscal Year 2014 this week that calls for spending of $3.77 trillion. The budget plan would reduce the federal deficit by $1.8 trillion over 10 years, the White House said. The FY 2014 budget proposal includes $50 billion for infrastructure investments, including $40 billion to cover what are called “Fix it First” projects; to invest in repairing highways, bridges, transit systems, and airports nationwide; and to provide $10 billion for competitive programs to encourage innovation in completing high-value infrastructure projects. “The budget invests in repairing our existing infrastructure and building the infrastructure of tomorrow, including high-speed rail, high-tech schools, and power grids that are resilient to future extreme conditions,” the White House added. “These investments will both lay the foundation for long-term economic growth and put workers back on the job now.” The president’s budget would reduce spending on other infrastructure, including programs designed to finance improvements to wastewater and drinking-water systems. The budget also seeks to restructure the current Highway Trust Fund by renaming it the Transportation Trust Fund and adding a dedicated funding source for rail. In regards to the Highway Trust Fund solvency, the budget proposes transferring $214 billion over six years to handle the issue and pay for increased outlays in the transportation bill after MAP-21 expires. This could set up the next reauthorization with funding levels 25% higher than its predecessor. However, there is no indication of how the expanded Trust Fund would remain solvent for the long term. The budget plan also includes $40 billion for rail over the next five years, focused on creating new corridors and improving current networks, including Amtrak. As part of the changes, the budget once again proposes to move Amtrak out from under the annual appropriations cycle and instead allow it to receive grants from the new transportation trust fund. For fiscal 2014, Amtrak would receive $2.7 billion, a large increase over last year’s $1.3 billion appropriation. The budget would also allocate $6.6 billion to the Federal Rail Administration, a large increase from the $1.7 billion it received in fiscal 2012. The Federal Aviation Administration would see a small increase under the FY 14 proposal with the President proposing $16.4 billion versus the $15.8 billion enacted last year. However, the capital grants program sees a cut in the Obama proposal with $2.9 billion for the Airport Improvement Program, compared with the $3.4 billion it received in FY13. To account for the cuts, large hub airports would be able to increase the non-federal Passenger Facility Charge; however there is no language on how much these fees can or should be increased. In a statement this week, ASCE Presdient Gregory E. DiLoreto, P.E., P.L.S, D.WRE, praised the 2014 budget proposal and its focus on investing in America’s transportation infrastructure: “The American Society of Civil Engineers applauds President Obama’s continued push for robust transportation funding, including $50 billion in immediate investments to address highway repair and construction, airports, rail projects and other transportation initiatives. “While this proposal certainly is a step in the right direction to bolster investment levels in transportation, it’s critical that the administration put forth a clear road map with long-term funding solutions. “In the 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, we awarded our country a D+. Transit, roads and aviation all received a dismal grade of D. These grades are unacceptable for our nation and must be backed by dedicated funding sources and innovative solutions at all levels of government if we hope to see improvements. “It’s time for all leaders from all parties to invest in America’s future to assure we have a strong foundation for an ever-changing 21st century economy.”The Panama Canal Expansion and Commerce
April 10th, 2013 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing this afternoon on the expansion of the Panama Canal and the effects that the expansion will have on freight movement in the United States. The issue is one that ASCE has been discussing in depth over the past few months, because the economic impacts could be severe. During the hearing Chairman Jay Rockefeller strongly stated that the United States has “grown accustomed to an ad-hoc approach to maintaining our surface transportation network”. He went on further to state that “this lack of planning and shortsighted thinking doesn’t reflect what our country truly needs: A strategic, long-term vision for rebuilding our transportation system.” Rockefeller finished his opening remarks declaring that without a vision and the ability to make tough choices, that the U.S. will end up burdened with “inadequate infrastructure” as the rest of the world continues investing. With the scheduled expansion of the Panama Canal by 2015, the average size of container ships is likely to increase significantly, affecting the operations at most of the major U.S. ports that handle containerized cargo and requiring both sectors to modernize. Needed investment in marine ports includes harbor and channel dredging, while inland waterways require new or rehabilitated lock and dam facilities. To remain competitive on a global scale, U.S. marine ports and inland waterways will require investment in the coming decades beyond the $14.4 billion currently expected. ASCE reports that with an additional investment of $15.8 billion between now and 2020, the U.S. can eliminate this drag on economic growth and protect:- $270 billion in U.S. exports
- $697 billion in GDP
- 738,000 jobs in 2020
- $872 billion in personal income, or $770 per year for households
DeFazio Tackles the Eternal Question…How to Fund the Highway Trust Fund?
March 27th, 2013 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
With each passing day we are getting closer to September 30, 2014, the day when MAP-21, the legislation funding surface transportation programs, will expire. Therefore, even though Congress just passed a surface transportation bill last summer, work already must be underway on the next bill. However, before Congress can pass another surface transportation reauthorization, a new, long-term, sustainable, funding mechanism must be identified for the Highway Trust Fund. Therefore, Members of Congress have been working on innovative solutions to the age old problem, with innovative solutions continuing to come out from Members on both sides of the aisle. One of the more recent proposals comes from Peter DeFazio (D-OR), the Ranking Member of the Highways and Transit subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and he does touch upon the federal gas tax. The draft proposal would increase the federal gas tax by about one cent each year, by indexing the current 18.4 cents-per-gallon tax to inflation in construction costs and to increases in auto fuel efficiency standards. According to DeFazio’s office, tying the gas tax to the consumer price index would bring in about $50 billion over 10 years, while tying it to the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Cost Construction Index would yield $150 billion over the same period. The resulting revenue would then be used to back the issuance of $100 billion in bonds that would be paid off in 10 years. At this time the Obama administration has asked DeFazio to provide more details on his proposal and other Members of Congress are listening. Earlier this year Obama once again asked Congress to provide an additional $50 billion for roads and bridges, but has not suggested sources for the money. The DeFazio proposal could potentially provide some of the much needed revenues for the Highway Trust Fund. Next, Chairman of the full Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Bill Shuster (R-PA), has looked at the proposal and maintains his stance that all funding options for the Highway Trust Fund remain on the table. The concept is interesting and ASCE does support both raising the gas tax and indexing it to inflation. We will have to wait and see if the idea is included in a new surface transportation reauthorization as Congress begins work later this year.Vermont Section Supporting Transportation Funding Plan
March 15th, 2013 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
ASCE’s Vermont Section has been active over the last week in support of a proposed transportation funding plan that includes an increase in the state’s gas tax. The Section sent a letter last week to the Governor, legislative leaders and members of the House and Senate Transportation Committees in support. Additionally, ASCE has issued a key alert on the proposal, asking members to contact legislators in support of the proposal. The $32 million revenue package was approved this week by the House Transportation Committee by a 10-0 vote. The bill moves next to the House Ways and Means Committee, which reviews all tax proposals. Read more: Burlington Free Press 3/13/13Tags: infrastructure, legislation, transportation
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Another Win for ASCE State Legislative Efforts
March 1st, 2013 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Last week we highlighted a win for ASCE in Wisconsin and brought up the possibility of success in Virginia. Well, last Saturday, February 23, the Virginia General Assembly ended it’s annual session with passage of a sweeping transportation deal. On the last day of the session, the Senate gave its blessing to a plan that dramatically overhauls the way Virginians will pay for roads, highways and mass transit. As you know, the Virginia Section sent a letter to the Governor and legislative leaders encouraging them to finish the job and pass a transportation plan for the state before the session ends. ASCE also issued a Key Alert to members in Virginia urging them to contact state legislators. Read more about the Virginia deal here Let’s take a moment to recognize and congratulate our members for working at the local level!
