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Newsline Washington
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Highway Trust Fund Outlook Dire, CBO Says
Traffic Gridlock Costs Hit $120 Billion
The Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) latest Highway Trust Fund projections, released February 5, continue to show the fund’s Highway and Mass Transit Accounts will be able to fund all obligations through the end of FY 2014. The CBO also shows the Trust Fund will again face an insolvency crisis in FY 2015. Based on obligation limits and general fund transfers enacted Continued on page 2
America is “One Big Pothole,” LaHood Says U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood last week provided a candid assessment of the nation’s transportation challenges. On National Public Radio, LaHood said, “America is one big pothole right now. At one time, we were the leader in infrastructure. We built the Interstate system. It’s the best road system in the world, and we’re proud of it. But we’re falling way behind other countries, because we have not made the investments.” Continued on page 4
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Americans wasted $121 billion in lost time and fuel while sitting in traffic during 2011, according to the latest Urban Mobility Report by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute released Feb. 5. This works out to an annual average of $818 per commuter. Of the $121 billion total, about $27 billion worth was wasted time and diesel fuel from trucks moving goods on the system. The study predicts the cost per motorist will increase t0 $1,010 by 2020 unless significant improvements are
made to the system. Some analysts have mischaracterized the findings as an improvement as compared to pre-recession congestion woes, but the trend is clearly moving in the wrong direction again as the economy slowly recovers. By any calculation, wasting $121 billion is not optimal. “Robust new investments aimed at creating additional highway and public transit capacity, and providing more travel options could help accelerate economic recovery and better prepare the nation for the 21st century
mobility challenges that come with it.” ARTBA President & CEO Pete Ruane said. The study also ranked the nation’s most congested cities. For the fourth year in a row, Washington, D.C. tops the list, followed by Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, New York, Newark and Boston. The second five include Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia and Seattle. The report provides a detailed illustration of traffic problems in a total of 498 U.S. urban areas.
The ARTBA Foundation Young Executive Development Program Now Accepting Applications. ARTBA Washington Newsline
Trust Fund Ready to Collapse Continued from page 1
in MAP-21, CBO estimates the Highway Account will end FY 2014 with a balance of about $4.3 billion, up from $4.1 billion in CBO’s previous estimate issued in August 2012—due to a slightly improved revenue outlook. The Mass Transit Account is projected to end FY 2014 with a $1.9 billion balance, up from $0.5 billion in August— due to slightly improved revenues and lower outlays. It is common knowledge that MAP21 temporarily stabilizes the Highway Trust Fund and that highway and transit programs will be facing investment cuts of roughly 60 percent in 20 months. The latest CBO report reinforces the need for Congress to deliver a long-term revenue solution to preserve and grow federal surface transportation investment.
Upcoming Events
2013
Visit our Events Page for more information. Federal Issues Program & TCC Fly-In June 3-5 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
Young Executive Development Program June 3-6 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
25th Annual ARTBA P3 Conference July 25-26 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
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ART BA Washington Newsline
ARTBA National Convention September 8-10 Milwaukee, Wis. [Add to Calendar]
Dr. J. Don Brock TransOvationTM Workshop & Awards Program October 28-30 San Jose, Calif.
Local Transportation Management Virtual Conference & Innovation Showcase (LoTransTM 2013)
November 19-20
5th Annual Transportation Construction Law & Regulatory Forum October Washington, D.C.
Regional Meetings
Western: December, Austin, Texas Central: December, St. Louis, Mo. Southern: December, Charlotte, N.C. Northeastern: December, Baltimore, Md.
Early-Bird Registration Open for 25th Annual ARTBA P3 Conference! Join 300 industry executives, federal, state and local public officials at the milestone 25th Annual ARTBA PublicPrivate Partnerships (P3) in Transportation Conference, July 24-26 in Washington, D.C. Each year, the ARTBA P3 conference brings together the public and private sectors under one roof to explore ways to grow this segment of the transportation market. At a special July 25 gala awards dinner, we will take a look back at the federal policy achievements of the past quarter century, and honor the legacy of key projects, people and agencies that have shaped the P3 market. Be one of the first 50 private sector
registrants* and you will be entered to receive an engraved commemorative electronic tablet loaded with the conference guidebook, P3 white papers, attendee and sponsor information, special conference social media applications, and the latest newsletters from our conference media partners. ARTBA members pay a discounted registration price of $1,050 ($1,500 for non-members) through April 1. Public officials and current full-time students pay the discounted rate of $125 through April 1. Preliminary conference agenda, sponsorship opportunities, and registration materials are available: www.artbap3.org.
*Registration must be either early-bird ARTBA member rate of $1,050 or earlybird non-member rate of $1,500. The public official and student rates do not qualify for this contest.
2013 Regional Conference Calls Open to All ARTBA Members ARTBA’s regional conference calls provide key information about market conditions and projects in your area, as well as legislative updates from senior ARTBA staff.
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Western Region Conference Calls
2013 ARTBA Media Kit Available
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Wednesday, March 6 at 10 AM PST
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Wednesday, May 1 at 10 AM PST
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Wednesday, August 7 at 10 AM PST
Central Region Conference Calls • Wednesday, February 20 at 2 PM CST Speaker: Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association
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Wednesday, October 2 at 10 AM PST
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Wednesday, April 17 at 2 PM CST
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Wednesday, November 6 at 10 AM
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Wednesday, June 19 at 2 PM CST
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Wednesday, August 21 at 2 PM CST
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Wednesday, October 16 at 2 PM CST
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July-August 2012
Special Report: ARTBA Analysis MAP-21
TransportationBuilder
July-August 2012
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TRANSPORTATION DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION LEADERSHIP DIRECTORY & BUYERS' GUIDE
Contact Kenyon Gleason.
2012
Southern Region Conference Calls
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2013 MEDIA KIT “Transportation Builder” magazine Leadership Directory & Buyers’ Guide Web & Digital Advertising Opportunities
Newsline Washington
AUGUST 6, 2012
ARTBA Continues Push for Transportation in Party Platforms Both the House and Senate adjourned last week for a recess that will carry through both parties’ political conventions (August 27-30 in Tampa, Fla., for the GOP and September 3-6 in Charlotte, N.C., for Democrats) and last until September 10. As such, both parties are developing their political message for the last few months of campaigning before November and are
Room Discount for ARTBA National Convention Ends This Week
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Senate Introduces Bipartisan Coal Ash Legislation A bipartisan group of 12 Republican and 12 Democratic senators introduced August 2 the “Coal Ash Recycling and Oversight Act” to prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating coal ash—used extensively in transportation construction projects—as a “hazardous substance.” The legislation, introduced by Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Max Baucus (D-Mont.) builds upon a Continued on page 2 Follow ARTBA:
The deadline for receiving the discounted $192 hotel room rate at the 2012 ARTBA National Convention in Memphis, Tenn. ends Aug. 10. The Peabody Memphis Hotel is a magnificent Forbes FourStar, AAA Four-Diamond, historic property, which has been described as “legendary, charming, elegant and grand.” In addition to top-notch speakers and networking opportunities, this year’s convention features a spectacular program of
events for spouses of ARTBA members. Spouses will have the opportunity to tour “Blues City,” learn about its past, and visit important cultural landmarks, such as the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, and Sun Studio and Stax Museum, where legends such as Elvis Presley, B.B. King and Tom Petty made music history. The program also includes a historical tour along the Mississippi River aboard the newly-refurbished Island Queen.
Attendees and their spouses will also have the opportunity to visit Graceland, the home of Elvis. The full program is available at www. artbanationalconvention.org. Contact ARTBA’s Ed Tarrant for information, or call the Peabody Memphis Hotel at 901.529.4000 to book your room. Reservations made after August 10 will be on a spaceavailable basis.
August 10 Deadline: Contractor Safety & Roadway Work Zone Safety Awards ARTBA Washington Newsline
2013 Media Kit
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View the 2013 ARTBA Media Kit online for the full range of advertising and other opportunities in our “Transportation Builder” magazine, “Leadership Directory & Buyers’ Guide,” and the “Washington Newsline.”
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Monday, April 1 at 10 AM EDT
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Monday, August 5 at 10 AM EDT
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Monday, October 7 at 10 AM EDT
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Contact Rob Regier. Northeastern Region Conference Calls • Friday, February 22 at 11 AM EDT •
Friday, April 26 at 11 AM EDT
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Friday, August 30 at 11 AM EDT
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Friday, October 25 at 11 AM EDT
Contact Allison Klein.
For more information on advertising, contact Peter Embrey at 202.289.4434. ARTBA Washington Newsline
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“”
Overheard
“Washington, D.C., has the dubious distinction of being number one in two areas. It is the capital of partisan gridlock, and now traffic gridlock. The real news in the report is the projection that traffic congestion costs will balloon another 65 percent by 2020 if we maintain the status quo. The number of hours of lost time will also skyrocket 55 percent.” ARTBA President Pete Ruane in a Feb. 5 “Washington Post” story, “Washington Rated the Worst for Traffic—Again,” about the release of the Texas Transportation Institute’s annual “Urban Mobility Report.” “It is time for oil and gas companies to pay their fair share of the cost of the infrastructure supporting their industry. Transportation is the bloodstream of our economy.” Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett (R) Jan. 5 announcing his plan to generate revenue for transportation projects by lifting a cap on taxes paid by wholesale gasoline dealers. “Like much of America’s infrastructure, its ports, locks, dams and inland waterways are old, underinvested in, and too often ignored—to the cost of the businesses that depend on them, and the consumers both in America and abroad who buy things that pass through them.” “America’s Maritime Infrastructure: Crying Out for Dollars” in the Feb. 2 issue of “The Economist.” 4
ART BA Washington Newsline
Legislative & Regulatory News LaHood’s Investment Plan Continued from page 1
Pointing to his, as of yet, unnamed replacement, LaHood said he or she has a daunting task ahead of them to address the nation’s transportation investment deficit: “The next decisions that will be made by this Congress, by this Administration will have to be bold if we’re going to continue our efforts to fix up our roads, keep our highways in a state of good repair, to fix up unsafe bridges.”
OSHA’s MUTCD Regs Dated, ARTBA Says ARTBA last week urged the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to update its regulations to reflect the most current version of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Currently, OSHA regulations reference the 2000 edition of MUTCD which has substantial differences from the version now enforced by FHWA. ARTBA also recommended whenever FHWA issues a new version of the MUTCD, OSHA should automatically reconcile its reference to the most current edition. ARTBA filed the comments in response to an OSHA request for feedback on improving its standards. View ARTBA’s comments.
Next Stop: FTA Project Streamlining The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced February 6 it will enact ARTBA-supported regulatory changes to shorten
the review and approval process for transit projects. The revisions focus on creating 10 new classes of categorical exclusions (CEs) during the environmental review process—CEs are used when impacts to the environment are minimal and involve less regulatory burden than more extensive reviews, such as environmental assessments (EA) or environmental impact statements (EIS). Using CEs as opposed to an EA or EIS can potentially cut years off project delivery timelines. ARTBA submitted comments in November 2012 urging the agency to take as broad and flexible an approach to applying CEs as possible.
ARTBA Urges Caution in Application of Endangered Species Act ARTBA February 6 called on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to use the best possible economic data when applying federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) regulations and streamline the “critical habitat” determination
process. “Critical habitat” is an area of land set aside by the ESA that is necessary for an endangered or threatened species to subsist. ARTBA urged the agencies to consider the economic benefits of future transportation projects in the area when making “critical habitat” determinations and to be flexible in setting aside alternative areas as habitats to accommodate future infrastructure improvements. View ARTBA’s comments.
FHWA Hosting Project Delivery Workshop in Albany The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is hosting a one-day workshop on Civil Integrated Management (CIM) March 27 in Albany, New York. Attendance is free, but registration is required. The CIM concept helps achieve speed, safety and efficiency in highway project delivery by assisting with the collection, organization, and accessibility of data and information. It can be applied to a wide range of purposes, including planning, environmental, surveying, construction, maintenance,
Multimodal News
Fostering Innovation
A service of ARTBA’s multimodal councils, it features current transportation developments making news across all modes and regions. Contact Sara Jones to become a subscriber or visit www.artbamultimodal.org.
TRB Newsletter: Feb. 5
Highlighting new research, technologies, industry best practices and information resources available to the transportation design and construction industry.
asset management, and risk assessment. FHWA’s co-hosts include the New York State Department of Transportation, American Association of State Highway Officials, Associated General Contractors of America, and AGC of New York State, an ARTBA chapter. ARTBA is managing the workshop on behalf of FHWA. The CIM Workshop is for state and local transportation officials, contractors, consultants and educators. Presenters will teach the principals and concepts of CIM, describe emerging technologies and tools, and provide detailed project examples of where CIM has been successful.
FHWA Deputy Administrator Greg Nadeau and senior New York State DOT officials will be among the speakers. Regsiter for the CIM Workshop, or contact ARTBA’s Sara Jones for more information.
Call for Nominations: 2013 Young Executive Development Program Nomination Deadline: Friday, March 15 The ARTBA Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2013 Young Executive Development Program June 3-6 in Washington, D.C. The YEDP introduces young transportation design and construction executives to the federal legislative and regulatory processes and features sessions on highway/transit financing, economics, environmental, regulatory and legal issues, publicprivate partnerships and industry innovation.
Steve Wright, Wright Brothers Construction. Admission is competitive. Nominees should be under 40 years of age and have at least three years of experience in the industry. View a full list of eligibility requirements. View the application. Contact ARTBA’s Sara Jones with any questions.
The program is held in conjunction with ARTBA’s annual Federal Issues Program (FIP) and Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) Fly-In, allowing participants to meet with their congressional delegation about pending transportation issues. More than 430 young executives from nearly 200 companies, public agencies and state contractor organizations in 40 states and Washington, D.C., have completed the program, including 2013 ARTBA Chairman, ARTBA Washington Newsline
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Online Learning: Construction Law & Regulatory Compliance Webinars Now Available Risk Management, Environmental Compliance, Labor Law and P3s The historic policy reforms, program consolidation and environmental improvements in the new highway and transit law—MAP-21—will result in a myriad of legal and regulatory challenges relating to the delivery of transportation improvements. ARTBA is now offering four online learning courses—taught by top legal experts at our 2012 Transportation Construction Law and Regulatory Forum—which provide industry professionals with the tools needed to successfully navigate this new landscape, as well as other law and regulatory developments. 1. Risk Management and Alternative Project Delivery: $75 (1 hour) Provides tips for handling project delay claims and claims resolution strategies. Christopher J. Brasco, partner, Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald, LLP Chris Anzidei, Law Offices of Christopher Anzidei, PLL and adjunct professor at Georgetown Law School 2. Environmental Panel & Compliance Issues: $75 (45 minutes) Covers major changes to the project delivery process brought about by the passage of MAP-21. It also addresses the major wetlands, Clean Air Act and National Environmental Policy Act issues . William Penny, member, Stites Harbison James M. Auslander, associate, Beveridge & Diamond James T. Esselman, special counsel, Federal Highway Administration 3. Labor Law Issues and Project Labor Agreements: $49 (30 minutes) Discusses Project Labor Agreements (PLA) on highway and bridge projects and the political atmosphere surrounding their use. Tuck Hopkins, partner, Barnes & Thornburg 4. Public-Private Partnerships: MAP-21 Updates and Case Studies: $49 (30 minutes) Focuses on MAP-21 related P3 programs including TIFIA, tolling, and explores ways to improve the P3 procurement process. Neal Sweeney, partner, Kilpatrick Townsend Peter Denton, associate, Nossaman Purchase individually, or buy the package of four for $200. For more information, contact Allison Klein or Brie Johnson at 202.289.4434.
Download a PDF copy of the digital “Washington Newsline.” 6
ART BA Washington Newsline
Cutting-Edge Transportation Design & Construction Economic Reports & Analyses ARTBA’s economics and research reports, prepared by a team that has more than 35 years of combined experience, are designed to cover every aspect of the transportation construction market by providing industry executives and analysts with the information they need to make smart business decisions.
CUSTOM STATE REPORTS
These reports—the most comprehensive and concise analysis of a state’s transportation planning and design market—utilize key business indicators, source documents and personal interviews to provide trend and forecast information on the state’s economic heath and demographics… bond ratings and capacity… innovative financing and procurement status… trend and a five-year forecast for state transportation (DOT) highway and bridge spending, planning and design work and major airport construction, broken down by work category… plus business requirements for planning and design firms that want to do work in the state. These reports will show you what your competitors are doing!
MARKET INTELLIGENCE
This popular premium subscription service includes four reports chock-full of data about these latest trends: • • • •
Monthly Transportation Construction Contract Awards Monthly Value of Transportation Construction Put in Place Monthly Federal Highway Obligation Quarterly Market Conditions Survey
OTHER STUDIES
The ARTBA team also prepares other studies on federal transportation policy issues, current market conditions, and other key indicators. Among them: TEXAS OUTLOOK FOR HIGHWAY, BRIDGE, AIRPORT & TRANSPORTATION CONSULTANT MARKET NOVEMBER 2012
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INDUSTRY ECONOMIC PROFILE: Quantifies the enormous impacts of the transportation construction industry on the national and state economies.
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ANNUAL FORECAST: In December, ARTBA’s Chief Economist Dr. Alison Premo Black publishes a national and state overview of the highway, bridge, rail, port, aviation construction markets for the coming year.
“In 2010, the APC had the foresight to contract with ARTBA’s economics team for a comprehensive study of the employment impact to Pennsylvania of investing in transportation construction. Two years later, we are reaping the benefits of ARTBA’s fine work in our public policy messaging.” —Bob Latham, Associated Pennsylvania Constructors executive vice president, on ARTBA’s customized economic impact studies.
For more information about any of these reports, contact ARTBA’s Sarah Crane at 202.289.4434 or scrane@artba.org.