Author Archive
Dagher to be recognized by White House for Composite Arch Bridges
October 9th, 2015 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
Could it be possible to construct a bridge in two weeks that lasts up to 100 years, has similar costs as a regular steel and concrete bridge, and requires minimal maintenance? It may seem farfetched, but ASCE member and Founding Director of the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center Dr. Habib Dagher, invented and achieved that very thing with his award-winning composite arch bridge system, often known as the “Bridge-in-a-Backpack.” Dagher will be recognized Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, for his groundbreaking innovation by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx at a White House ceremony honoring 11 of the nation’s top transportation innovators. Each year, the Champions of Change program recognizes Americans who are advancing transportation and leading change that benefits our nation’s transportation system. The composite arch bridge system consists of inflatable tubes made of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) that act as reinforcement for cast-in-place concrete. Once on site, the patented bridge technology can be erected and lifted into place without heavy equipment or large crews in a matter of days, as opposed to several months. Construction costs for the “bridge-in-a-backpack” are comparable to those of a standard bridge. The technology is extremely durable, has a smaller carbon footprint than current bridge technologies, and is estimated to last two or three times longer than the typical 40-70 year lifespan of a concrete-and-steel bridge. The University of Maine has licensed the bridge technology to private start-up company Advanced Infrastructure Technologies (AIT), who designs and builds these bridges. The composite arch bridge system was also approved by AASHTO, the first technology of its kind to be approved in the U.S. bridge design code. To date, composite arch bridges have been installed by AIT in 18 locations around the nation and other countries.How long can 2015 infrastructure live off 1993 dollars?
October 2nd, 2015 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
With the passage of short-term FAA funding reauthorization, New York releasing its state infrastructure report card and more states prioritizing their infrastructure needs, Congress must now turn its attention to passing a long-term transportation bill before Oct. 29. This week, Congress approved a six-month extension of current aviation funding and policy that will keep projects moving, maintain revenue collection and keep Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees on the job until a long-term bill can be enacted. While an extension is certainly not ideal, it is better than letting the funding expire. At the state level, New York this week released its inaugural infrastructure report card. While the Empire State received a C- overall, roads and bridges, received a D- and D+ respectively, illustrating the need for significant investment and repair. According to the report, “New York City-area drivers, which account for half the state’s population, each spend 53 hours per year just sitting in traffic.” New York isn’t the only state with infrastructure woes. In Arizona, budget shortfalls are resulting in the state’s inability to invest in its transportation needs. According to a recent article published in the Arizona Daily Star, The Arizona Department of Transportation will need about $88.9 billion in its 25-year plan to ensure “minimum acceptable conditions” for the state highway system. In Texas, funding for roads has become a priority in their upcoming election, as Proposition 7 would dedicate $2.5 billion of the general sales and use tax and 35 percent of the vehicle sales tax to the construction and maintenance of non-toll highways. With the deadline for renewing the Highway Trust Fund quickly approaching and more states realizing their need for long-term surface transportation funding, publications like Bloomberg and The Hill have emphasized the importance of the federal gas tax to generate funding. October 1 marked 22 years since the last federal gas tax increase. In July, the Senate passed a bill that provides six years of policy reforms and three years of funding to improve the nation’s roads, bridges and transit systems. Now it’s time for the House to act. You can help by reminding your members of Congress to act quickly to #Fix the Trust Fund before the Oct. 29 deadline.Transit and Water Needs Capture Media Attention
September 25th, 2015 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
With the Pope making his way across our northeastern cities, the topic of traffic congestion was a popular one, highlighting our nation’s transportation needs. The Onion even joked that the Pope even tried to improve the nation’s ailing infrastructure. While not directly related to the Pope’s visit, this week in D.C., the subway system suffered an electrical fire and outage, resulting in the evacuation of passengers and extreme delays. While traffic increases are predictable during major events, our existing transit systems should be able to handle increased ridership without breaking down. Fortunately, the number of recent incidents in the D.C. subway system have prompted the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to approve a correction action plan to make the system more reliable. Water infrastructure needs have been gaining more spotlight lately due to increased media attention. In Iowa, Des Moines Water Works, which is critical to providing water for to the Central Iowa region, is showing signs of aging and is in great need of repair. “We’re reaching the end of the life cycle of some of the most critical assets we’ve got,” said Bill Stowe, CEO and general manager of the utility. Water infrastructure needs are also evident in New Hampshire, where the cost needed to repair aging systems, including pipes and treatment plants, could be as much as $1 trillion. In response to these needs, water providers, agencies, utilities, elected officials, corporations and environmental advocates across the country are joining together to educate the public about the challenges facing water and wastewater systems, and the need for investment. A nationwide event, Imagine a Day Without Water, will be held Oct. 6-8 in events across the country to emphasize how essential water is and the importance of maintaining water and wastewater infrastructure. Meanwhile, additional states are taking action to repair their surface transportation infrastructure. Tennessee, Texas, New Jersey, Oregon and Alaska are considering raising their state gas tax, among other options, to fund their transportation. Whether it’s improving transit, maintaining water infrastructure or re-paving our roads, federal funding is essential. As we await the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee’s mark-up of its multi-year surface transportation bill, write your members of Congress and urge them to pass a long-term transportation bill by the October 29 deadline.Congress returns, infrastructure needs pile on
September 11th, 2015 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
Congress is back in session and has a lot of approaching deadlines, including both the surface transportation reauthorization and federal aviation administration reauthorization about to expire. With Labor Day and summer traffic behind us it is critical for Congress to invest in our surface transportation needs so that our nation’s roads don’t fall into even further disrepair during another harsh winter. Anthony Foxx addressed the need for Congress to remember the original vision of the Highway Trust Fund in his remarks at the National Press Club. “I firmly believe that on a bipartisan basis we are in a moment where Congress can achieve a bipartisan bill that helps us carry the work forward,” he told them. In response to dwindling federal funds, more states are taking measures into their own hands to ensure they have the funding needed to improve their transportation networks. Tennessee is currently facing a multi-billion dollar backlog of highway projects across the state, so the Governor has started discussing his plan to raise the gas tax. “We know that we can’t depend on the federal government to be the funding partner that it once was,” Gov. Haslam said. In order to prepare for increasing population needs, the state needs to prioritize projects to address the most pressing projects, and is considering a gas tax increase as a potential solution. Indiana is another state that needs more money for infrastructure projects. In response to the growing list of projects that the DOT classifies as critical for the state, legislators are considering a mileage-based tax as well as a gas tax as options for generating funds. In addition to highways, freight and passenger rail are in need of modernization. To move goods efficiently, it takes a “transportation village” and investing in better safety technology will improve our overall freight movement system. While Congress has a lot on their plate, hopefully they will prioritize infrastructure and help strengthen the economy. As we await the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee’s mark-up of its multiyear surface transportation bill, write your members of Congress and urge them to pass a long-term transportation bill by the October 29 deadline.The High Cost of Underinvestment
September 4th, 2015 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
It’s the last (unofficial) weekend of summer, and the Labor Day holiday traffic tends to shine a spotlight on the need to improve our transportation infrastructure. With Congress back in session on Tuesday, hopefully they take note of the ways our aging transportation network is holding us back. A predicted 35.5 million U.S. residents will travel at least 50 miles away from home over this weekend, according to AAA. While that’s the highest number seen since 2008, U.S. Travel found in a new survey that the hassles caused by failing surface and air travel infrastructure will keep 4.1 million potential travelers at home—costing the economy $1.4 billion in spending. This research again proves that our economy suffers when we do not make the investment in our infrastructure. In Washington State, Representative Rick Larson, joined commuters on public transit to see for himself how exasperating the morning commute is. As a senior member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Larson is a leader in getting his fellow U.S. representatives to pass a long-term transportation bill this fall. Roads, bridges, and transit are not the only sectors of infrastructure that need investment; water infrastructure, including underground pipes and locks, are also in need of modernization. In Michigan, the recent shutdowns of one of the Soo Locks—a crucial passageway for nine million metric tons of a freight a month—exemplify how important projects are currently sidelined due to a dearth in funding. During the 20-day period that the 73-year-old MacArthur Lock was closed for repairs by the Army Corps of Engineers, more than 100 vessels — carrying iron ore, coal, grain and more — were delayed at least 166 hours. Out of Vermont is another story demonstrating the side effects of underinvestment in underground water infrastructure. The pipes that are failing range between 40 and130 years old, ass all are reaching the end of their useful design lives simultaneously. Jeff Wennberg of Rutland Public Works, responded to these infrastructure needs by pointing to the funding issue, “There’s no problem here with any of this infrastructure that can’t be fixed. It can all be fixed. The question is, who is going to pay for it and how soon?” While infrastructure needs may vary across the nation, the source of funding remains the biggest obstacle. In a recent poll conducted by the Mineta Transportation Institute, 61 percent of U.S. residents would support a 10-cent increase in the 18.4 cents-per-gallon gas tax if it is dedicated to transportation projects. As Congress returns to Washington tasked with finding three more years of funding for the DRIVE Act, and passing the bill through the House, hopefully this poll research will encourage them to find the political will to raise the gas tax as a way to #FixTheTrustFund.Summer days driftin’ away, infrastructure needs remain
August 28th, 2015 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
This weekend’s 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina is an enduring reminder of the importance of infrastructure, and the need for increased investment to properly maintain it. As the anniversary neared, many media outlets recounted the damages of Katrina in light of the need for a sound flood protection plan in many coastal cities. ASCE’s Managing Flood Risk Report reveals that there is still no cohesive vision of how the nation should organize or coordinate to reduce flood risk. Another example of the need for increased investment is Texas A&M’s Transportation Institute 2015 Mobility Scorecard, revealing that congestion rates reached a new record high. The mobility scorecard report unveils this year’s traffic congestion by region, showing the tremendous need for improvement. According to the report, travel delays due to traffic congestion in 2014 were the worst in three decades, with Washington, D.C. topping the list. The report says that nationwide, congestion kept travelers stuck in their cars for nearly 7 billion extra hours last year, or 42 hours per rush-hour commuter. This time stuck in traffic is costing us money, an estimated $160 billion in lost time, wasted fuel, and additional vehicle repairs, an average of $960 per commuter. While traffic is still an issue, our travel woes do not compare with those before the interstate highway system was created. Interestingly enough, the story behind Eisenhower’s inspiration for an interstate highway system came about as a result of a 62-day cross-country trip he took in 1919 with a military convoy, where crossing mountains, plains and deserts made the trip quite a frustrating and even dangerous undertaking. By the end of the trip, the official observer reported later, “the officers of the Convoy were thoroughly convinced that all transcontinental highways should be construed and maintained by the Federal Government.” Eisenhower’s experience with the convoy’s helped persuade legislators to pass the Townsend Highway Bill, which created the first Federal Highway Commission. With such a rich history, and strong correlation between our highways, economy and welfare of the people, it is crucial that Congress #FixTheTrustFund by the Oct. 29 deadline—two months from now. You can write your representative a letter or call their office and share the message to #FixTheTrustFund by the Oct 29 deadline.States DIY to Fix Infrastructure
August 21st, 2015 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
In these last weeks of August, while Congress is on recess, there has been a great deal of dialogue and action among states regarding their need to fund their local transportation needs. This week, AP released an article expressing states’ reactions to the lack of federal funding for state transportation projects. Several states are taking the initiative to raise billions of dollars through higher fuel taxes, vehicle fees, and bonds to repair aging bridges and roads that will relieve traffic congestion. According to the AP, at least half of our states have now passed transportation funding measures since 2013. “I don’t know of a state that’s not having the conversation about raising revenue for transportation,” said Iowa Transportation Director Paul Trombino III. In 2015 alone, 14 states have raised their gas taxes to fund their state infrastructure projects, and others are considering similar measures. In addition to legislative action, states are beginning to take more creative approaches to funding their infrastructure. In Michigan, some residents are taking matters into their own hands and have raised more than $4,400 filling potholes themselves. Other initiatives to make up for lacking federal funds include House Bill 4608, which would move $60 million from Indian Gaming Compact into the Michigan Transportation Fund. While Michigan serves as a good example of frustrated citizens working together to do whatever is necessary to improve their roads, it’s not the only state that is fed up with infrastructure conditions. Tennessee, California and others are also taking measures to raise money for roads. And roads are not the only issue that our drivers are facing—as water main breaks continue to erupt throughout our major cities and suburbs. In order to see improvement, it is essential that Congress work diligently in the next three months to find a long-term funding solution for surface transportation. You can write your representative a letter or call their office and share the message to #FixTheTrustFund by the Oct 29 deadline.Congress needs a touchdown; no more field goals!
August 14th, 2015 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
Football season has unofficially launched, and hopefully from now on punts will remain on the field and outside of Congress. While Congress is back home for summer recess, many states are expressing their opinions about the lack of federal funding as more infrastructure needs rise to the surface. In Nebraska, Senator Deb Fischer and Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx hosted an event focused on transportation projects in the states. The secretary expressed encouragement that the Senate passed a long-term funding bill at the end of July, while still pressed for the need of more funding. In order to ensure that state projects continue, Nebraska’s Department of Roads established a yearlong agreement with the Federal Highway Administration that “will allow Nebraska to initiate maintenance and rehabilitation projects more easily throughout the 100,000 miles of roads and 15,500 bridges that cross the state.” Nebraska isn’t the only state expressing frustration with of the uncertainty of federal transportation funding. Pennsylvania, the state with the highest number of structurally deficient bridges in the country, is likewise struggling to invest in much-needed projects. Wyoming is unable to carry out many of their projects without more federal funds, as they receive 66 percent of their capital program budget from the federal government. The Mississippi Bridge is in need of upgrades, but the project is sitting on the sidelines because while Illinois is ready to start the project, Missouri cannot contribute its half of the funds. Bloomberg View also published an editorial this week pleading Congress to pass a long-term bill with reliable funding, and endorses raising the federal gas tax to match inflation. While dwindling federal transportation funding stalls progress on state highway projects, highways are not the only category of infrastructure that needs federal funds. In Tennessee, the replacement lock for the Chickamauga Dam is in limbo because it has not been able to get funding fast enough to get the project completed. This is just one of many examples of the importance of the federal role in infrastructure investment. While your U.S. Representative is back in the district, take a few minutes to send a letter or call their office and share the message to #FixTheTrustFund by the Oct 29 deadline.USDOT to Public: #ShowUsYourInfraWear
August 7th, 2015 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
With Congress on recess and the new short-term highway patch hourglass beginning to slowly sieve, the symptoms of our nation’s aging infrastructure are gaining more attention from the media and states. Just this week, a subway train derailed in Washington, D.C., causing extreme delays for daily commuters. In response to the ubiquity of worn out infrastructure, the U.S. Department of Transportation launched an Instagram and Twitter campaign, asking Americans to submit photos of worn-out infrastructure in their local communities with the hashtag #ShowUsYourInfraWear. The goal is to highlight the most pressing infrastructure needs that inconvenience the American public and they could be fixed if there were a long-term surface transportation bill. On a legislative note, Senator Tom Carper from Delaware introduced a bill—believed to be the first-ever to use a hashtag in the bill title. This bill would incrementally increase the gas tax over the next four years, resulting in a 16-cents-per-gallon increase by 2020 that would then be tied to inflation. “At a time when gas prices are some of the lowest we’ve seen in recent memory, we should be willing to make the hard choice to raise the federal gas tax,” Carper said, in regards to the need to produce long-term funding to #FixTheTrustFund. With long-term funding, not only would infrastructure needs be met, but the opportunity to invest in infrastructure projects, as identified in #GameChangers, would arise. This past Thursday was the 101st anniversary of the traffic light, which stood as one of the original game changers of our transportation world. If we want to see more innovations continue to improve our society, we need to be willing to make the investment. It is essential that Congress work diligently in the next three months to find a long-term funding solution for surface transportation. You can write your representative a letter or call their office and share the message to #FixTheTrustFund by the Oct 29 deadline.The House hits snooze for long-term bill until October
July 31st, 2015 | By: Olivia Wolfertz
With July wrapping up, the House throwing in the towel and settling for another three-month extension as the Senate passing the DRIVE Act, hopes for a long-term highway funding solution are pushed back again. Before heading home for August recess the House and Senate passed another short-term patch that will provide $8 billion of funding to keep the Highway Trust Fund afloat a bit long, with program authorization set to expire on October 29th. Meanwhile, the Senate approved the DRIVE Act, a six-year surface transportation bill. It is the first long-term bill in a long time, which gives the transportation community something to celebrate. However, the DRIVE Act does not fully meet the investment needs of our nation’s aging infrastructure. With a bill now passed by the upper chamber, it’s up to the House to make this most recent short-term extension the last, and there are plenty of reasons to get it done. Among them, we are losing time and money because of the poor condition of our transportation network and it’s a drag on the economy. Years of cutbacks in federal funding and the uncertainty of long-term funding because of the frequency of short-term patches are hindering states ability to make transportation improvements. States including Iowa, Ohio and others are struggling to fund much-needed construction projects because of the lack of certainty for a federal program. Several states have taken measures to provide for their own transportation funding needs, including Washington, which just increased its gas tax by seven cents, South Dakota, Oregon, North Carolina and West Virginia, but the states cannot go it alone. Federal funding for the Highway Trust Fund would not only serve to improve much-needed infrastructure investments, but would pave the way for more innovative infrastructure, as featured in ASCE’s #GameChangers report. Therefore it is essential that Congress work diligently in the next three months to find a long-term funding solution. “In the next three months, ASCE urges the House and Senate to work through their policy differences and continue the legacy of the Highway Trust Fund,” said Tom Smith, ASCE’s executive director. “This short-term extension needs to be the last and we believe it can be, so long as Congress moves the nation forward by working together in a bipartisan way to finish their work on improving America’s surface transportation infrastructure.” You can write your representative a letter or call their office and share the message to #FixTheTrustFund by the Oct 29 deadline. And say thank you to the 65 Senators who voted yes.
