05_27_news by ARTBA

Newsline Washington

May 27, 2013

Foxx Cruises at Nomination Hearing Members of the Senate Commerce Committee heaped praise upon Charlotte, N.C., Mayor Anthony Foxx during a May 22 hearing on his nomination to be the next leader of the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT). Foxx faced a variety of questions from members on state-specific infrastructure issues as well as several concerns about the federal government’s ability to adequately invest in the nation’s transportation infrastructure. Foxx avoided proposing a specific revenue solution to stabilize the federal

Shuster, LaHood & Top Agency Officials Headline ARTBA Event and Fly-In

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Children of Fallen High way Workers Receive Tuition Aid Six children of highway workers killed or permanently disabled on the job will receive financial assistance in their pursuit of higher education thanks to the “Lanford Family Highway Worker Memorial Scholarship,” the ARTBA Foundation announced May 23. On average, about 100 highway workers are killed Continued on page 5

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More than 400 industry executives are expected to descend on Capitol Hill June 3-5 to discuss top transportation policy issues during the ARTBA Federal Issues Program (FIP) and Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) Fly-In. They will be calling on members of Congress to take action soon to bolster the ailing Highway Trust Fund. Both the ARTBA and TCC events feature top congressional leaders and executive branch

officials. Confirmed TCC speakers include: U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), T&I Ranking Democrat Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), and Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.). Among the key speakers at the FIP meetings: Environmental Committee • Carol Braegelmann, senior environmental protection specialist,

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FHWA Office of Project Development & Environmental Review, will talk about the implementation of MAP-21’s project delivery reforms. David J. Rostker, assistant chief counsel, SBA Office of Advocacy, will explain how his office helps small businesses on a variety of regulatory topics. Continued on page 4

FoxxNomination Continued from page 1

Highway Trust Fund beyond FY 2014— the Congressional Budget Office recently confirmed ARTBA’s warnings that without congressional action the fund would only be able to support a $3 billion highway program and no investments in public transportation in FY 2015. Foxx emphasized “clearly we need a longer term surface transportation bill… we need a longer term answer to the sustainability of our funding sources” and pledged to work with stakeholders and Congress to find a solution. He noted calls for additional tolling, private investment, or an infrastructure bank could be helpful, but would not provide a complete solution. While Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) told Foxx he appeared to be on the fast-track towards confirmation, Ranking Member John Thune (R-S.D.) told Foxx he could not yet support his nomination because the current U.S. DOT leadership has not responded to multiple letters regarding the sequester-related furloughs of air traffic controllers. The issue will likely not hold up Foxx’s progress, as the committee and full Senate are expected to act on the Foxx nomination in the coming weeks.

2013

Upcoming Events Visit our Events Page for more information. Project Management Academy May 29-31 Snowbird, Utah. [Add to Calendar]

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]

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5th Annual Transportation Construction Law & Regulatory Forum

Dr. J. Don Brock TransOvationTM Workshop & Awards Program

25th Annual ARTBA P3 Conference

Local Transportation Management Virtual Conference & Innovation Showcase (LoTransTM 2013)

June 5 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]

July 24-26 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]

ARTBA National Convention September 8-10 Milwaukee, Wis. [Add to Calendar]

October 28-30 San Jose, Calif. [Add to Calendar]

November 19-20 [Add to Calendar]

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.

“Transportation Makes America Work!” Kentucky Association of Highway Contractors (KAHC) Executive Director Charlie Lovorn (right) and members of Kentuckians for Better Transportation were in Washington May 22 for a legislative fly-in. Lovorn presented ARTBA Senior Vice President of Government Relations Dave Bauer with a check representing KAHC’s 2013 commitment to the “Transportation Makes America Work!” public affairs campaign.

Don’t Miss the June 5 Annual ARTBA Construction Law & Regulatory Forum

Products & Services

The 5th annual ARTBA Transportation Construction and Regulatory Forum, scheduled for June 5, is being held in conjunction with the ARTBA Federal Issues Program, allowing members to maximize their trip to Washington, D.C. Federal Highway Administration Chief Counsel Fred Wagner will deliver the keynote address. Wagner will discuss top issues for the administration, including MAP-21 implementation and project delivery reforms. Other panel sessions will focus on environmental compliance, alternative dispute resolution, DBE compliance, and more.

This is your best deal! Purchase ARTBA’s best-selling training videos as a three-pack and save $75. These videos provide: “common sense” tips for avoiding runovers and backovers, instruction on the proper use of PPE, and the fundamentals for becoming a better and more commanding flagger. To purchase: www.artbastore.org

Speakers include: • William Penny, member, Stites & Harbison; • Neal Sweeney, partner, Kilpatrick Townsend; • Mike Branca, partner, Peckar & Abramson; • Lorraine D’Angelo, senior vice president, Ethics and Compliance, Dragados; • Chris Anzidei, Law Offices of Christopher Anzidei, PLLC; • Matt DeVries, attorney, Stites & Harbison; • Jamie Auslander, principal, Beveridge & Diamond; • Parker Moore, principal, Beveridge & Diamond; and • Chris Brasco, partner, Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend a networking reception with ARTBA past chairmen and the ARTBA Foundation’s Young Executive Development Program fellows. Registration is $395 for past attendees, ARTBA committee members, and those who register separately for the ARTBA Federal Issues Program; $595 for ARTBA members; and $750 for non-members. Register today, or contact ARTBA’s Sara Jones for more information. ARTBA Washington Newsline

ARTBA News

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Overheard “We usually get the answer that ‘we’ll work with you and Congress.’ I hope that you will lead, that the president will lead about how to solve these problems.” Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) speaking to DOT nominee Anthony Foxx at his May 22 confirmation hearing.

“[It’s] more art than science.” U.S. Secretary of Transportation Nominee Anthony Foxx during his May 22 confirmation hearing in response to a question about how to generate new revenues to bolster the Highway Trust Fund.

ARTBA FIP Speakers Continued from page 1

Materials & Services Division • Hari Kalla, director, FHWA Center for Accelerating Innovation, will highlight “Every Day Counts 2.” Bridge Policy & Promotion Council • Nick Nicholson, District of Columbia DOT chief engineer, will overview the city’s bridge program. Research & Education Division • Kevin Womack, Ph.D., associate administrator, Research, Development and Technology, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, U.S. DOT, will speak about the current UTC competition. Women Leaders Council • Heather Fernuik, senior advisor to the U.S. assistant secretary, U.S. DOT Office of Aviation and International Affairs, will outline the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation “Women in Transportation” initiative. Transportation Safety Advisory Council • Meghan Smith, regulatory analyst with OSHA’s Office of Construction Standards and Guidance, will report on the agency’s work towards creating a new rule to prevent backover incidents in roadway work zones. • Tracy Scriba, FHWA’s

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work zone program manager, will share the agency’s efforts to implement MAP-21’s safety provisions. Planning & Design Division • Peter J. Stephanos, director, FHWA Office of Transportation Performance Management, will discuss MAP-21’s New Performance-Based Management Requirements and their impacts on P&D firms. Contract Administration Committee • Jerry Yakowenko, FHWA Contract Administration team leader. P3 Division • Jodie Missiak, manager for Innovative Finance, Maryland DOT Office of Finance. There is still time to make it to D.C. to participate in these events. Register today.

ARTBA Director Stevens Vies for ASCE Post Bob Stevens, a member of ARTBA’s board of directors, is one of two candidates for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Presidentelect slot. Voting is open to ASCE members from June 15-August 14, 2013. While Bob is retired from full-time employment with ARTBA member firm ARCADIS, he continues to work with them on a part-time basis doing special assignments. Bob lives in Keller, Texas, with his wife of 47 years, Bonnie, and works out of ARCADIS’ Fort Worth office. He has been ARCADIS’ designated ARTBA liaison for 13 years, and a member of the ARTBA Planning & Design Division for more than 20 years. Bob says he is committed to being a full-time presidential officer. If you are a member of ASCE with dues current, you can vote and help determine who will be the next presidentelect of ASCE. Find information on the two candidates.

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: May 21

Highlighting new research, technologies, industry best practices and information resources available to the transportation design and construction industry.

ARTBA-TDF Scholarships Winners Vybav Hiraesave

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every year on the job or in roadway construction work zone accidents. The 2013 class includes: • Vybav Hiraesave, a sophomore at the University of Delaware majoring in chemical engineering; • Lyndsay Morgan who will attend Florida Gulf Coast University and major in athletic training; • Haley Ward who will attend University of Southern Indiana and major in biology; • Dallas Jones, who will attend Indiana Institute of Technology and major in computer science, • Grant Horn who will attend Lincoln College of Technology in Kentucky and major in automotive diesel technology; and • Alexis Keefe, who will attend Bentley University in Massachusetts and pursue a business degree. The ARTBA-TDF is interested in receiving contact leads on students who could benefit from the scholarship program. Please contact ARTBA Scholarship and Awards Manager Holly DiGangi. Individuals and firms interested in supporting the scholarship program can do so by sending a check payable to: ARTBA-TDF, 1219 28th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007.

Haley Ward

Lyndsay Morgan

Alexis Keefe

Grant Horn

Legislative & Regulatory News $3.7 Billion in Hurricane Sandy Transit Relief On the Way U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood May 23 announced the release of an additional $3.7 billion in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) disaster relief funds to help four major transit agencies in New York and New Jersey most affected by Hurricane Sandy last fall. Of the total, $2.4 billion is allocated for recovery and rebuilding projects and $1.3 billion is dedicated to increasing the transit systems’ resiliency against future disasters. Allocations for this round of funding include: $1.7 billion for the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority; $583.9 million for the Port Authority of N.Y. and N.J.; $110.8 million for New Jersey Transit; and $2.8 million for the New York City Department of Transportation.

House Members Urge Obama to Invest in Ports Dallas Jones

Twenty-seven bipartisan members of the House of Representatives wrote President Obama May 20 urging him to reconsider the Administration’s recent opposition to a provision in S. 601, the Water Resources Development Act of 2013, to fully invest the $8.1 billion surplus currently held in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF). Utilizing HMTF resources would help deepen and maintain current harbor depths of many of the nation’s most critical deep

water ports. These projects are vital to the nation’s future economic competitiveness as goods movements are expected to grow exponentially and shippers invest in vessels with deeper berths as a result of the nearly complete Panama Canal expansion. ARTBA, in a pair of letters May 2 and May 6, joined with its colleagues in the Transportation Construction Coalition and the American Association of Port Authorities, to urge all Senators to vote for S. 601, which passed the chamber May 15 by a vote of 83-14.

Senate Panel Passes Immigration Bill The Senate Judiciary Committee May 21 approved 13-5 legislation, S. 744, “The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act,” to reform the nation’s immigration system. The measure was developed by a bipartisan group of senators dubbed the “Gang of Eight.” ARTBA wrote all senators May 13 emphasizing the importance of an efficient and dependable employment verification system for U.S. employers and expanding temporary visas for all classes of future foreign workers. ARTBA also urged senators to modify the legislation to ensure the construction industry would be allowed to fully participate in a proposed new guest worker program—the legislation currently singles out the construction sector for minimal participation in the program. Read the full letter.

2013 National Convention September 8-10 Milwaukee, Wisconsin Pfister Hotel Room Rate: $185 Single/Double Guest Room • $225 Single/Double Pfister Suite Reservations: 1.800.558.8222 or 414.273.8222 Registration live June 14: www.artbanationalconvention.org For more information or to become a sponsor, contact ARTBA’s Ed Tarrant at 202.289.4434 or etarrant@artba.org.

25th Annual Public-Private Partnerships in Transportation Conference

SAVE THE DATE July 24-26

Grand Hyatt Washington Washington, D.C. Featuring a special gala awards dinner Program Contact: ARTBA P3 Division Managing Director, Hank Webster at 202.289.4434.

Program Contact: ARTBA P3 Division Managing Director, Hank Webster at 202.289.4434.

Sponsorship & Exhibits: ARTBA Events,EdEdTarrant Tarrant at 202.289.4434. Sponsorship & Exhibits: ARTBAVice VicePresident President of of Meetings Meetings && Events, at 202.289.4434.

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