Your 5-minute Guide to Industry News & Trends
Your 5-minute Guide to Industry News & Trends
Vol. 2, No. 12 ● June 20, 2008
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Safety Issues
Innovations Calendar
Economic Indicators
eRoadPro Index
AGC questions new executive order requiring federal contractors to use E-Verify President Bush has just signed an executive order requiring federal contractors to use the "E–Verify" system to determine that all new hires are eligible for employment in the United States and to determine that all employees working on federal contracts - including current employees hired in accordance with pre-existing rules and standards - are also eligible for such employment. The new requirement will take effect only after the relevant federal agencies revise the regulations that govern federal contracts. Full Story |
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California: More rough roads ahead More than a quarter of California's 49,477 miles of highway lanes are considered in disrepair, an amount so far above normal that the state, by some measures, has the second-worst road conditions in the country. In Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire, Caltrans records show that about 30% of the highways are in disrepair - most suffering from major structural distress. Caltrans officials expect the deterioration will continue despite a $20-billion transportation bond measure approved by the state's voters in 2006. Officials predict that at current spending levels, more than a third of all state highway miles will fall into disrepair by 2017. Full Story
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Caltrans official elected chair of Intelligent Transportation Society The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced that Chief Deputy Director Randell Iwasaki, one of the nation’s leading authorities on Intelligent Transportation Systems, has been elected by the Intelligent Transportation Society of America as chairman of its board of directors. He is the first official from any state department of transportation to achieve this. Iwasaki has served as vice chair of the board since June 2007. Full Story
DelDOT's Wicks chosen as president of NASTO DelDOT Secretary Carolann Wicks has been designated as the 2008 - 2009 President for the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials (NASTO). Chartered in 1924, NASTO is one of four regional groups that make up the nationwide American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO). Full Story
Washington State DOT mountain pass crews halt summer work to fight snow It’s not summer yet. A winter storm warning had WSDOT crews quickly switching from mowers to snowplows in the mountain passes. “We will have crews working through the night, and we’ll have extra crews on standby just in case this storm hits hard,” said Monty Mills, WSDOT maintenance manager for snow and ice operations. Crews were on the roads applying deicer as necessary to prevent the road surface from icing up. As much as 6 inches of snow was expected overnight. Full Story
Mississippi's District Two wins Equipment Operator's Roadeo District Two prevailed in winning the State Finals Equipment Operator’s Roadeo Championship in Gulfport, Mississippi on Thursday, May 29, 2008. The challenging event had participants competing in six categories for the state championship titles. These categories were Lowboy Truck and Trailer, Single Axle Dump Truck with Utility Trailer, Backhoe, Tandem Axle Dump Truck, Tractor Bushhog and Motor Patrol. Full Story |
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Historic financing completed: $589 million in private activity bonds issued Capital Beltway drivers are one step closer to a smoother commute after $589 million in tax-exempt private activity bonds were issued for the first time ever by sponsors of the I-495 Capital Beltway High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes Project in Northern Virginia. The $589 million in private activity bonds, issued by the Capital Beltway Funding Corporation, is part of an estimated $1.9 billion finance package to fund the 14-mile project. It includes two new variably priced HOT lanes in each direction to be added to the Capital Beltway between Georgetown Pike and the Springfield Interchange. Full Story |
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Louisiana governor gives green light to quicker road construction Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has signed into law a bill that should speed up some Louisiana road construction projects with an alternative design-build delivery system. “I am pleased that the legislature has recognized the efficiency of the design-build method and has authorized the Department of Transportation and Development to pursue such contracts,” Governor Jindal said. “With the adoption of this law, Louisiana can build roads faster while saving taxpayer dollars.” Full Story
MoDOT director testifies in Washington D.C. on looming transportation funding crisis The United States is at risk of falling behind other countries in transportation funding, meaning lost jobs and lost lives, Missouri Department of Transportation Director Pete Rahn warned federal lawmakers in early June. Testifying before a House congressional committee, Rahn laid out the funding crisis, encouraging Congress to take action to dramatically improve the nation's transportation system. "We have grossly underfunded both our state and federal transportation systems over the last three decades," Rahn said. "If we continue this downward spiral, we risk losing our status as a global leader, as well as precious lives. China has seen the light and can be looked to as a model for investing in transportation. That country, adjusted for purchase power parity, invested $363 billion on highways alone in the last year. Compare that to the U.S., which at all levels spends annually $87 billion on highways and transit capital a year. India, according to a recent USA Today article, has tripled its infrastructure spending to $500 billion a year." Full Story
Virginia posts final draft of six-year transportation program The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) will vote on Virginia’s 2009-2014 Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program at its June 19 meeting in Richmond. In advance of that meeting, the final draft of the Fiscal Year 2009-2014 Six-Year Improvement Program has been posted on the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) website for public review. On June 11, the commonwealth also posted lists of projects cut or delayed due to transportation funding shortfalls. Those lists and letters are also available on the VDOT Web site, http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/syp-default.asp.
Price of oil, fuel and asphalt expected to impact roads
More than $133 million awarded to cut congestion in the Twin Cities Faster commutes, more parking and better transit soon will be a reality for the Twin Cities area, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters announced during a visit with Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty to award the region $133.3 million in federal funds to help cut congestion along the vital I-35W corridor. Funding is being made available through an innovative program called Urban Partnerships, designed to encourage communities to embrace new approaches to cutting congestion. Full Story |
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The Iowa DOT’s web gallery, which shows the dramatic impacts of the flooding on the state’s transportation infrastructure, continues to grow. Flooding continues to affect many roadways in the state. Full Story |
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New York issues draft regulation to control truck traffic throughout the state Governor David Paterson and New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Astrid Glynn have announced a draft statewide regulation aimed at reducing large truck traffic on many state roads across New York. Last month, in response to the dangers posed by trucks hauling non-local solid waste across local rural roads in the Finger Lakes and Central New York, Governor Paterson asked the NYSDOT to institute a new policy intended to keep large trucks, with the exception of local pick-up and delivery vehicles, on the interstate highways. The proposed draft regulation would establish a hierarchy for how trucks should travel the entire state, requiring that large trucks use interstate highways when possible, designated state highways if interstate access is not reasonably available, and other state highways only when reasonably necessary. Full Story |
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Transportation projects improving America honored
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VDOT’s Knowledge Management Program named one of top 15 government innovators The Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation has selected the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Knowledge Management program as one of 15 finalists in its 2008 Innovations in American Government Awards competition. The competition recognizes the best in government innovation from all levels of the public sector. Picked from nearly 1,000 applicants and 50 semi-finalists, VDOT’s program is the only government program in Virginia and only state department of transportation in the nation selected for this honor. Full Story
Oregon DOT honored nationally for I-5 environmental work
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2008 Annual Conference & Exposition - National
Association of Counties 45th Annual Petersen Asphalt Research
Conference - Western Research Institute |
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For our full events calendar, go to http://www.betterroads.com/calendar |
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Manufacturing and Trade Inventories and Sales U.S. total business sales for April were $1,177.7 billion, up 1.4% from last month. Month-end inventories were $1,474.8 billion, up 0.5% from last month. 6/12 U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services The nation's international deficit in goods and services increased to $60.9 billion in April from $56.5 billion (revised) in March, as imports increased more than exports. 6/10 Monthly Wholesale Trade: Sales and Inventories April 2008 sales of merchant wholesalers were $390.3 billion, up 1.4 percent from last month. End-of-month inventories were $427.4 billion, up 1.3 percent from last month. 6/6 Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders New orders for manufactured goods in April increased $5.0 billion, or 1.1 percent, to $445.2 billion. 6/3 Construction Spending Total construction activity for April 2008 ($1,120.9 billion) was 0.4 percent below the revised March 2008 ($1,125.8 billion). For details: http://www.census.gov/constructionspending . 6/2 Economy At A Glance: http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.us.htm |
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July 2008 Issue Highlights:
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Compiled by Larry Green, news editor, Better Roads. To contact Larry about the newsletter content, send e-mail to . Interested in being a sponsor of our newsletter? Contact your sales representative for more information. Click here for list of contacts.
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According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, asphalt pavement prices have gone up 30 percent per ton since last year. Oil is one of the ingredients of asphalt and is having an affect on road projects in Larimer County. "It's not only asphalt, it's anything related with petroleum or oil," said Dale Miller, the county's bridge and road director who oversees the maintenance of nearly 1,000 miles of streets and roads. "The level of service we're able to provide is going to be less each year without some infusion of additional revenue and or less-expensive energy costs," said Miller. 
Flooding of Iowa highways pictured at Iowa DOT website
A cliff-hanger highway, a floating bridge considered to be a technological marvel, and an economic lifeline are among the outstanding transportation projects winning the prestigious "America's Transportation Award." The competition sponsored by the AAA, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials honored state department of transportation projects from the Northeastern Association of State Transportation Officials region. Three additional regional contests will be held in the Midwest, West, and South in July and August 2008.
