Author Archive
ASCE Applauds U.S. Senate Conference Report on Water Resources Reform and Development Act
May 15th, 2014 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Washington, D.C. — The following is a statement from Randall (Randy) S. Over, P.E., F.ASCE, president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) regarding the conference report on the Water Resources Reform and Development Act by the U.S. Senate: “Today’s release of the conference report on the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) represents a major victory in providing the necessary funding to modernize the nation’s ports, inland waterways, dams and levees. The bill promotes economic growth and job creation through policies that strengthen U.S. infrastructure, allowing the United States to remain competitive in the 21st century. “ASCE’s 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure graded the nation’s ports a C, inland waterways a D-, dams a D, and levees a D-. Our nation’s water resources are critical to our economy, our infrastructure, public safety, and the preservation and enhancement of our environmental resources. In fact, ASCE’s Failure to Act economic study on the nation’s marine ports and inland waterways shows that underinvesting in just these two sectors threatens more than one million U.S. jobs and $270 billion in U.S. exports by 2020. “WRRDA will drastically reduce the time it takes for project approvals by consolidating or eliminating duplicative studies, allowing concurrent reviews, and streamlining environmental reviews. The significant reforms in the law are not at the expense of environmental quality and will allow for a stronger, safer national water resources infrastructure. In addition, ASCE applauds the reauthorization of the National Dam Safety Program, the strengthening of the Levee Safety Initiative, and the efforts to put the trust back into the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund so that our nation’s ports can remain competitive on a global level. “ASCE is pleased that Congress has collaborated on a final conference report on WRRDA to invest in America’s future. This decisive action will ensure that our nation’s ports, waterways, dams and levees receive much-needed funding. We look forward to the final vote next week and the legislation being signed into law by the president.” 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.###
Tags: congress, dams, infrastructure, levees, ports, water, wrrda
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ASCE Statement on the Senate EPW Committee’s Proposed Transportation Bill
May 14th, 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 bipartisan Senate Environment & Public Works Committee’s newly proposed MAP-21 Reauthorization legislation: “The proposed MAP-21 reauthorization legislation from Chairman Boxer and Senator Vitter is yet another positive step to improve our economy and raise the grades on the nation’s surface transportation infrastructure. While the proposed long-term bill is encouraging, whether or not it becomes law rests entirely in the hands of Congress. Senators Boxer and Vitter know that American families and businesses need a long-term transportation bill to provide the certainty they are looking for. The question remains whether Congress will assure economic certainty, or discard this new proposal for a short-term bill that will only hurt our ability to plan for the future. “Senator Boxer’s proposal continues a lot of the positive work we saw under MAP-21. We must continue to increase project flexibility and accelerate projects for delivery. The more efficient and effective we can be, the greater the opportunity for raising our nation’s infrastructure grades. Likewise, we must continue to focus on how we can increase movement of goods by modernizing the investments of the past for a new economy. “ASCE has been saying for months that we must fix this problem immediately with a long-term, sustainable revenue solution in order to keep America competitive. “Regrettably, while the bill may reflect political realities, it does not go far enough in addressing our country’s investment gap. By maintaining our current funding levels, we are maintaining America’s D+ infrastructure grades. ASCE’s Report Card for America’s Infrastructure shows that our nation needs a renewed investment strategy for a new century.“We applaud the leadership exhibited by Senators Boxer and Vitter to start the discussion to solve this problem. Now the question becomes: how are we going to pay for it? ASCE supports an all options on the table approach to addressing the insolvency crisis with the Highway Trust Fund. Our challenges are too vast and the costs are too great for us to continue with the status-quo. America’s economy cannot afford for the Highway Trust Fund to become insolvent—now is the time for action.”
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: congress, highway trust fund, senate, surface transportation
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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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Highway Trust Fund 101: What You Need to Know
April 24th, 2014 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
The Highway Trust Fund is set to become insolvent this summer, creating exponential negative consequences for our economy. What? When? Why? Find out how it can be fixed and what you can do to help. What is the Highway Trust Fund? The Highway Trust Fund is how Congress provides federal funding for transportation projects. It was created in 1956 to build the Interstate Highway System and now provides funding for roads, bridges, and transit projects across America. The Fund is paid for by the federal motor fuels taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel. Historically, federal highway funding has accounted for approximately 45 percent of what state DOTs spend on highway and bridge capital improvements. Why Does the Federal Government Pay for Roads, Bridges, and Transit? The U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3) grants Congress the power to establish “post roads” and to regulate commerce “among the several states,” allowing the federal government to invest and maintain roads, bridges, and transit. These constitutional responsibilities formed the basis for the U.S. government to play a significant role in our nation’s transportation and infrastructure system. Outside of U.S. law, Adam Smith–seminal economist and often cited as the ‘father of modern economics”–cited infrastructure investment as one to the “three duties” in his famous “The Wealth of Nations”:“…the duty of erecting and maintaining certain public works and certain public institutions, which it can never be for the interest of any individual, or small number of individuals, to erect and maintain; because the profit would never repay the expense to any individual or small number of individuals, though it may frequently do much more than repay it to a great society.”
What is the Gas Tax? The first federal gas tax was established in 1932 (1 cent/gallon). The gas tax was tied to the Highway Trust Fund in 1956 via The Highway Revue Act and the creation of the Interstate Highway System. The federal gas tax has been raised a number of times since, including by Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Clinton. The last time the U.S. federal gas tax was raised was 1993 to 18.4 cents per gallon. It was not been raised in over twenty years. How is the Fund Doing? The U.S. Department of Transportation projects that the Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund will run out of money for new projects as early as July. For the 10 year window, 2015-2024, the cumulative shortfall in the highway and mass transit accounts of the HTF will be over $170 billion. According to the Congressional Budget Office, to prevent insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund in 2015, federal surface transportation investment would have to be cut by 92 percent that year. Why is the Highway Trust Fund Quickly Becoming Insolvent? The Fund is paid for by the federal gas tax. The gas tax has not been raised in over twenty years. Many items have doubled or tripled their cost since 1993. For example, a new car cost $12,750 in 1993, yet in 2013 a new car cost $31,252. The easiest explanation is that we are trying to build a 2014 infrastructure system with 1993 dollars. This is obviously an untenable formula. How Does the Insolvency Affect Me? Almost half of capital investments made by states on our nation’s roads, bridges, and transit systems are supported by the federal highway and transit programs administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Already, infrastructure projects are being slowed or stopped because of the uncertainty surrounding the Highway Trust Fund. Any delay in reimbursement from FHWA will prevent states from being able to pay contractors in a timely manner. Contractors who rely on prompt payment from the state won’t be able to pay their employees and suppliers. Disruptions to this process have the potential to send unwelcome shockwaves throughout our economy, decreasing spending, hiring, and damaging any ability to plan for future projects. We Knew this Was Coming, Right? Oh yes. As far back as 1997, Congress was moving money from the General Fund into the Highway Trust Fund. Recently, in 2008, Congress moved $34.5 billion to the trust fund from the general fund to keep it solvent. So Why Haven’t We Fixed it Before Now? One word: Politics. In order to make the Trust Fund solvent, Congress would need to find a long-term, sustainable solution. Because of how the Fund is currently structured, according to commentators such as Matt Yglesias, the easiest way to do that would be to raise the gas tax to a modern rate and tie the rate to inflation. This would raise needed revenue and assure that future insolvencies would not occur. Obviously, given the climate of fiscal restraint as well as the escalating cost of gasoline over the last twenty years, raising the gas tax has been politically impalpable. And, since any solution outside of raising the gas tax would have to involve dramatically restricting the funding mechanism of the Trust Fund, such proposals have been unable to move forward. What Can I Do? We have to tell Congress to act now. We are using #FixTheTrustFund across all of our social media platforms to spread our message the letting the Trust Fund become insolvent is unacceptable. We have also set up a Legislative Action Center, where you can send you Congressman a message about how the Highway Trust Fund is going to affect you. Good luck and let’s #FixTheTrustFundTags: Constitution, gas tax, highway trust fund, infrastructure, transportation
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Statement from The American Society of Civil Engineers Urging Immediate Congressional Action to Avert Highway Trust Fund Insolvency
April 16th, 2014 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Reston, Va. – The following is a statement from Randall (Randy) S. Over, P.E., F.ASCE, president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) regarding the U.S. Department of Transportation’s report issued yesterday on the future of the Highway Trust Fund: “The report issued this week by the U.S. Department of Transportation outlines an ominous picture for the Highway Trust Fund and is not good news for America. “We’re at a critical crossroad. Projections indicating that the Highway Trust Fund will now become insolvent by the end of August, underscore ASCE’s sense of urgency that Congress must act now to find long-term sustainable funding for the nation’s transportation system. “ASCE’s economic reports have found that our deteriorating transportation infrastructure will cost the American economy more than 876,000 jobs and suppress the growth of our GDP by $897 billion by the year 2020. Furthermore, the nation’s surface transportation systems are facing a funding gap of about $94 billion a year with our current spending levels. “As more and more states are forced to put crucial transportation projects on hold due to the uncertainty of federal funds, the nation’s surface transportation will continue to deteriorate, causing a negative ripple effect throughout our economy. Roads and bridges won’t be maintained, businesses will suffer and jobs will be lost. “ASCE urges Congress to take immediate action to identify long-term revenue solutions for the Highway Trust Fund to avert this impending crisis.” 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. ASCE’s 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, graded America’s cumulative GPA for infrastructure at a D+. The Report Card app for Apple and Android devices includes videos, interactive maps and info-graphics that tell the story behind the grades, as well as key facts for all 50 states. For more information, visit www.asce.org and follow us on Twitter, @ASCETweets and @ASCEGovRel.Tags: DOT, highway trust fund
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DOT Secretary Foxx Calls for New, Long-term Thinking on Infrastructure Investment at ASCE Legislative Fly-In
March 19th, 2014 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Today, Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx spoke in front of over 200 civil engineers outside of Washington, D.C. Secretary Foxx spent his time urging ASCE members to tell their Members of Congress about America’s infrastructure needs and how the impending insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund will hurt our nation’s economy and global competitiveness. Secretary Foxx thanked the civil engineers for their work, saying “you are the ones that do the work in helping America’s infrastructure.” As part of ASCE’s ongoing efforts to advocate for sustainable, long-term infrastructure investment, the ASCE Legislative Fly-in allows civil engineers from across to country to come together and make their voice heard in Congress. Of note, the Secretary focused his time explaining the consequences of America’s infrastructure deficit. The Secretary mentioned that “there is massive uncertainty…about how we’re going to meet the growing needs of our country.” As ASCE members know all too well, this uncertainty hurts our ability to plan in the long-term and fix our pressing infrastructure needs. To conclude his remarks, the Secretary said that projects are already being put on hold due to the dwindling Highway Trust Fund. He argued that Congress must get off of its “extension addiction,” and create a long-term solution to boost our economy and leave future generations a better country. As ASCE members head to Capitol Hill, we are excited to have the Secretary as an ally in advocating for a long-term, sustainable solution to closing America’s infrastructure deficit.Tags: Anthony Foxx, highway trust fund, infrastructure
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Not in D.C. No Problem. Make Your Voice Heard.
March 18th, 2014 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Can’t travel to Washington for the ASCE’s Annual Legislative Fly-In this week? You can still participate through the Fly-In @ Home. Here are some great ways you can interact with Members of Congress in from your state:- Attend a town hall or other local events with elected officials. Visit your representative’s website or check local newspapers for announcements.
- Schedule a Back Home Visit with your lawmaker. Members of Congress will be in their home states and districts March 17-21. Call their District or Washington office today to set up a time to meet with them and see our tips on effective Back Home Visits.
- Organize your own legislative day in your state capitol.
- Write your legislators through the Click and Connect with Congress on our top issue of transportation authorization and funding.
State Legislatures Continue to Charge Ahead with Transportation Investment
February 27th, 2014 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Lawmakers at the state level continue to seek transportation funding solutions. Already early in 2014, several state legislatures are considering proposals to increase revenue or dedicate more funds to transportation projects. While a proposal to increase New Mexico’s gas tax by 3-cents per gallon failed to pass before the legislature adjourned this week, several other proposals around the country are still very much alive. In Delaware, Gov. Jack Markell has proposed to raise the state gas tax by 10 cents per gallon, and the proposal also includes a provision that would automatically trigger future additional increases to keep pace with inflation. Idaho truckers are calling for an increase in the state’s gas tax to fund much needed road improvements. They have pitched the bill on grounds Idaho should get started on tackling an estimated annual $262 million backlog of road and bridge projects. The Indiana state department of transportation wants lawmakers to approve an early release of $400 million saved in a special trust fund created last year which they hope to spend on highway projects. Meanwhile, legislation to allow Marion County (Indianapolis) and six surrounding counties to ask voters to approve local tax increases to fund transit continues to move through the legislature. Iowa lawmakers have taken the first step to act on a proposal to incrementally increase the gas tax by a total of 10-cents per gallon over the next three years. The bill recently passed a House subcommittee and is likely to continue to receive serious consideration. In a new poll, more Michigan residents say they would rather see the state spend a nearly $1 billion budget surplus on roads than provide income tax relief as some lawmakers in Lansing want to do, The Detroit Free Press reported. Meanwhile, in remarks to a joint meeting of the House and Senate Appropriations committees this week, Gov. Rick Snyder, while recognizing the need for comprehensive transportation funding, recommended a one-time cash infusion from the general fund of $254 million in 2015 to shore up the state’s infrastructure. In Minnesota, local leaders are urging the legislature to act this year. A group of the state’s mayors and other city officials are call for state legislators to should invest in transportation this year because it is the key to economic competitiveness for all communities. More than 70 Minnesota counties have also adopted resolutions in support of a comprehensive transportation funding package in 2014. Proposals are pending in both the Missouri House and Senate that would implement a temporary 1-cent sales tax increase with the new revenues dedicated to transportation. And, in the past week in Utah, the state Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee voted unanimously to send legislation to the full Senate that would index the state gas tax to the per gallon price of gasoline. These efforts obviously show the emerging importance of infrastructure investment at the state level. As one can see, these efforts include both Blue and Red states, proving that investment is indeed a bipartisan issue. 2014 is a critical year for transportation funding, and we hope these state efforts continue the momentum toward modernizing our nation’s infrastructure.Tags: gas tax, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico
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Statement on President Obama's Proposed Transportation Plan from ASCE
February 26th, 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): “President Obama’s proposed $302 billion transportation plan is an encouraging step forward in addressing the impending cliff our nation faces this year with the Highway Trust Fund. When the Highway Trust Fund becomes insolvent later this year, road and bridge projects will cease, payments will stop, and the shockwaves throughout our economy will be significant. “As if the President’s proposal weren’t momentum enough, we were also happy to see a transportation proposal from House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp. Both the President’s proposal and Chairman Camp’s proposal offer a much-needed fix for the Highway Trust Fund. Ultimately, America’s transportation system needs long-term, sustainable revenue sources, but we are encouraged by this bi-partisan effort to identify funding before it is too late. For state DOTs, local governments, and transit agencies across the country, it’s difficult to plan a large-scale project if you don’t know how much funding there will be or if the project can even be completed. “The American Society of Civil Engineers supports an ‘all options on the table’ approach to funding the Highway Trust Fund. Any comprehensive transportation plan must be focused on modernizing our infrastructure network in order to build a 21st century economy. Failing to do this will hurt our economy and impact our competitiveness around the world. “It is our hope that the President and Congress will work together to make their solutions a reality, and we look forward to working with them on this critical issue.”
