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Newsline Washington
APRIL 1, 2013
ARTBA Contractor Bob Alger Honored for Lifetime Achievement
Bridge DataProTM Solution Means New Market Opportunities
Bob Alger, president and CEO of Connecticutheadquartered The Lane Construction Corporation, was honored March 21 for “lifetime achievement” during the “Outstanding Projects and Leaders” (OPAL) Awards gala dinner hosted by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Alger is a member of the ARTBA Executive Committee, serving as president of the Contractors Division. He also Continued on page 3
ARTBA’s Website Gets New Look ARTBA last week rolled out a much needed facelift to its flagship website, www. artba.org. While the general navigation structure and colorscheme remain unchanged, there have been major visual improvements to the home page to better highlight upcoming events, new services and the latest products. New content has been added and existing content was relocated with the goal of making the site more user-friendly for visitors. Continued on page 2 Follow ARTBA:
ARTBA March 27 rolled out a powerful new analytic tool—BridgeDataPro™—to help bridge owners, designers, builders and suppliers quickly identify critical information on nearly 610,000 U.S. bridges. Federal law requires that most bridges be regularly inspected by the state departments of transportation for functionality and structural condition. The states report this information—and much
more—annually on each bridge under their jurisdiction to the U.S. Department of Transportation for inclusion in the National Bridge Inventory (NBI). The 2012 NBI, released in September, provides detailed information on the 609,000 primary bridges across America. In total, it includes over 60 million data entries. BridgeDataPro™ is a unique high-speed, web-based software solution that allows users to quickly and easily sort and
organize all of that data for management, market research and policy applications. It contains the basics about a bridge, such as state and county location, the owner, deficiency status and sufficiency rating, length and width, inspection frequency, and last inspection date. It provides information about traffic safety features and conditions of the deck, superstructure, substructure, guard rails, and roadway Continued on page 4
Applications for Hall of Fame Nominations Due April 12 ARTBA Washington Newsline
ARTBA Website Continued from page 1
Among the notable changes: • More prominent display of the “Transportation Creates Jobs” report, which offers state-by-state analyses of the economic impacts of transportation investment. This is an excellent resource for industry professionals or congressional staff in need of state or local information. • A complete overhaul of the “ARTBA Store” with better organization of the available products and an easier purchase and check out process. • An “Earn Recognition” button on the home page that directs visitors to ARTBA’s many awards programs. • “News” and “Events” are now two separate categories, allowing for a more intuitive search of information. • Streamlining of the large volume of content under the ARTBA Foundation and creation of a separate section for all training offered under the Foundation’s Transportation Builder Institute. Take a look at the site, and let ARTBA’s Beth McGinn know what you think.
2013
Upcoming Events 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]
5th Annual Transportation Construction Law & Regulatory Forum June 5 Washington, D.C.
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ART BA Washington Newsline
25th Annual ARTBA P3 Conference July 24-26 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
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
Regional Meetings
Western: December 2-3, Austin, Texas Central: December 4-5, St. Louis, Mo. Southern: December 9-10, Charlotte, N.C. Northeastern: December 11-12, Baltimore, Md.
Bob Alger Honored for Lifetime Achievement Continued from page 1
co-chairs “Trans2020,” ARTBA’s “MAP21 Policy Promotion, Implementation & Funding Enhancement Task Force.” Established in 1999, the OPAL Awards “honor outstanding civil engineering leaders who have made significant achievement in one of five categories: construction, design, education, government and management.” Alger was the recipient in the “construction” category. Under his leadership, Lane has become one of America’s premier heavy civil contractors. The nearly 125-year-old firm builds highways, bridges, locks, dams, and transit and airport systems in 20 states.
Michael Loose, a senior vice president and manager of the installations and environment division for ARTBA member company, Parsons Corporation, was also recognized at the dinner. Loose was the OPAL Award honoree in the “management” category. Loose, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral, manages a 1,000 person Parsons staff in delivering a variety of planning, design and construction services to the federal government.
Bob Alger, The Lane Construction Corporation
ARTBA Officer Ward Nye Elected Chairman of National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association
Products & Services Support ARTBA’s Foundation & 2013 Work Zone Safety Week
With National Work Zone Awareness Week scheduled for April 15-19, the ARTBA Foundation has two popular products you can purchase to show your commitment to safety and also help support the “Lanford Family Highway Worker Memorial Scholarship Fund.” Work Zone Awareness Safety Ribbons: These one-inch-bythree-inch adhesive ribbons are made from retro-reflective orange tape and are the perfect accessory. Wear them on the jobsite or at meetings. Minimum order 15 ribbons per page for $15. Work Zone Safety Awareness Wristbands: The Livestrong Foundation first made them famous and now their are replicas all over the world. Wear your bright orange wristbands on the jobsite or at meetings to show your support for work zone safety. Minimum order 20 wristbands per bag for $40. To Purchase: www.artbastore.org
Ward Nye, president and CEO, Martin Marietta Materials in Raleigh, N.C., has been elected the 2013-14 chairman of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA). His election was announced March 19 during the NSSGA board meeting in San Antonio. Nye also serves as an ARTBA vice chairman at-large, and his firm is a major supporter of ARTBA’s “Transportation Makes America Work” advocacy campaign. In his address to the NSSGA Board, Nye said, “We must build new bridges to our constituencies in order to carry out the mission of the association to advance the interests of the aggregates industry before the federal government, to achieve a safer and more healthful workplace, and to support sustainable communities.” He also emphasized “building bridges” on policy issues with likeminded groups, coalitions, state associations and state governors in pressing for a new long-term highway bill and dismissing short-term extensions.
ARTBA Washington Newsline
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Overheard “What the country needs are constructive strategies free of ideology. But the risks of future economic shocks will multiply so long as we remain locked in a rancorous political culture with a leadership more inclined to public relations than hardheaded pragmatic recognition of what must be done to restore America’s vitality.” March 26 “Wall Street Journal” op-ed, “The Great Recession Has Been Followed by the Grand Illusion,” by Mort Zuckerman, chairman and editor-in-chief of “U.S. News & World Report.” “Roads, bridges and other infrastructure in the U.S. are steadily growing older and weaker. Given low interest rates and elevated unemployment, this is an ideal moment to invest in fixing them.” March 26 “Bloomberg” op-ed, “It’s the Perfect Time to Fix Our Roads & Bridges,” by Peter Orszag, a CitiGroup vice chairman & former Obama Administration director of the Office of Management & Budget. “The kind of money we need for transportation is not feasible under any scenario I can envision for revenues from offshore oil leases.” Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) March 27 in “Politico.” 4
ART BA Washington Newsline
Legislative & Regulatory News FHWA Gets High Marks for its Highway Safety Improvement Program The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Inspector General (IG) released a report March 26 praising the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for its oversight of the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). HSIP is the primary federal program for reducing fatalities and serious injuries on roadways through physical infrastructure improvements. The IG found FHWA oversees a program in which 98 percent of states met their requirements and 92 percent followed guidance on reporting data. The report also noted the agency is taking steps to achieve even better results— such as tools that address data inconsistencies and include driver behaviors in assessing safety programs. ARTBA successfully pushed for additional performance measures throughout MAP-21, including HSIP. Under the changes in MAP-21, states that do not update their approved safety plan will be ineligible to participate in the annual redistribution of unused highway program spending authority from other states.
ARTBA News BridgeDataPro™ Website Continued from page 1
alignment. And it identifies work and repair needed, and an estimated cost for the improvements. Subscribers will also be able to search for bridges based on the design load, historical status, deck protection and wearing surface, among other criteria. If you are a public agency, BridgeDataPro™ will help you benchmark the conditions of your state’s bridges against other states. If you are a bridge builder or supplier, you will be able to access valuable data about bridges in areas where you do business, which
could lead to new market opportunities for your firm. The annual subscription is $399 and data is available 24/7. Users can download information to a computer or mobile device as either a PDF file or an Excel™ spreadsheet for use in preparing custom reports. To access a trial subscription or purchase, visit www. bridgedatapro.com.
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: March 19 Highlighting new research, technologies, industry best practices and information resources available to the transportation design and construction industry.
FHWA Hosts Successful Civil Integrated Management Workshop in N.Y.
At the podium: NYS DOT Commissioner Joan McDonald
More than 150 New York area contractors, consultants, material suppliers, designers, and state and local transportation officials attended a March 27 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)hosted workshop on Civil Integrated Management (CIM) in Albany, N.Y. ARTBA managed the event on FHWA’s behalf.
CIM aims to help achieve speed, safety, and efficiency in highway project delivery and serves as a total information modeling concept. Throughout the day, presenters explained the principals and concepts behind CIM, described emerging technologies and tools, and provided detailed project examples of where CIM has worked effectively. FHWA Deputy Administrator Greg Nadeau delivered the keynote address. Attendees also heard from senior New York State DOT executives, and FHWA N.Y. Division officials. FHWA’s co-hosts included the New York State Department of Transportation, American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials, Associated General Contractors of America, and ARTBA’s chapter affiliate—AGC of New York State.
Hall of Fame Nominations Due April 12 The ARTBA Foundation is already receiving nominations for the 2013 “Transportation Development Hall of Fame.” Are you working on one? The Hall honors “individuals or families from the public and private sectors who have made extraordinary contributions to U.S. transportation development or demonstrated exceptional leadership over their lifetime.” The deadline is April 12. Nominees are considered in two categories: •
Transportation Design & Construction Industry Innovators: Honors the men and women who discovered or created a “game changing” product or process that significantly advanced transportation design, construction and/or safety. It seeks to honor the original innovator.
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Transportation Design & Construction Industry Leaders (Individuals or Families): Recognizes men, women and families who have made significant contributions—beyond just having successful businesses or careers— that have notably helped advance the interests and image of the transportation design, construction and safety industry.
Inductees of the 2012 and 2013 Hall classes will be recognized at a special awards dinner on June 3 in the Nation’s Capital during ARTBA’s Federal Issues Program. Contact ARTBA’s Holly DiGangi with questions at 202.289.4434, or visit: www.artbahalloffame.org for more details. Download a PDF copy of the digital “Washington Newsline.” ARTBA Washington Newsline
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ARTBA Director of Public Affairs Beth McGinn recently asked congressional transportation leaders about their agenda for 2013. Beth McGinn: As leaders of the Senate EPW and House T&I Committees, what major transportation-related issues or pieces of legislation do you plan to advance during the new 113th Congress? Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.): One of
the first major pieces of legislation we will consider is the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which authorizes the Army Corps of Engineers’ projects and programs. This water resources legislation will boost the economy, help protect lives and property, and expand and maintain navigation routes for commerce. We will also begin to craft the next surface transportation bill, and we will focus on shoring-up the Highway Trust Fund, which is no longer collecting enough revenue to pay for the nation’s infrastructure needs. Fifty percent of our roads are in disrepair, and 70,000 of our bridges nationwide are structurally deficient. We can build on the bipartisan success of MAP-21 by working together to identify a long-term, dependable funding source for the Highway Trust Fund that allows us to adequately invest in our infrastructure and keep the nation’s transportation systems moving forward.
Sen. David Vitter (R-La.): The Water
Resources and Development Act (WRDA) is long-awaited and much needed, and is the committee’s top priority at the beginning of this Congress. A successful bill will include bipartisan concerns; in particular, we need to make major reforms at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to hold them accountable for the construction and operation of our waterways, dams, locks, and levees. The committee will also be focused on the implementation of MAP-21’s major reforms such as project streamlining and
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performance measures that will work to protect taxpayer funds while expediting the delivery of the nation’s infrastructure needs. At the same time, we will begin to turn our attention to a new highway bill.
Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.): Our national
transportation network is the foundation on which our economy and our way of life are built. I look forward to working in the 113th Congress to promote competiveness and economic growth and strengthen our nation’s transportation system. Guided by these goals, top priorities for the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure include reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act, looking for more cost-effective and innovative approaches to delivering modern and efficient passenger rail service, and preparing for the next surface transportation bill. To achieve success on these important initiatives we must work together, listen to all ideas and opinions, and build a consensus on what is best for America and our future prosperity.
Senate EPW Chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.)
Senate EPW Ranking Member David Vitter (R-La.)
Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.): Our
Committee has a great opportunity in this new Congress to help rebuild America, not only to address our critical infrastructure needs, but also to create American jobs, and increase our global competitiveness. Whether it be highway, transit, rail, port, inland waterway, wastewater, or airport infrastructure, we have a pressing responsibility to move forward on a variety of fronts. Our success in addressing these challenges though will hinge on our ability to put party politics aside and operate in the bipartisan fashion that has traditionally characterized this Committee. I sincerely hope we will be able to do so, and I look forward to working with Chairman Shuster and all members of our panel.
House T&I Committee Chair Bill Shuster (R-Pa.)
House T&I Committee Ranking Member Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.)