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Newsline Washington
JUNE 3, 2013
ARTBA Past Chairman Walton Named to DOT’s National Freight Council U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood May 30 announced the initial membership of the National Freight Advisory Committee, a diverse group of professionals that will provide recommendations on how the department can improve its freight transportation policies and programs. ARTBA Past Chairman Dr. Michael Walton, of the University of Texas-
Most Americans Aren’t Sure How Much They Pay for Roads, National Survey Finds AVERAGE MONTHLY U.S. HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURES
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Boxer to Address ARTBA Members at TCC Fly-In Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) will be one of the featured speakers at this week’s Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) Fly-In in Washington, D.C. Boxer will likely discuss the future of the Highway Trust Fund and offer a preview of the committee’s transportation policy agenda. Continued on page 3 Follow ARTBA:
Many Americans are not sure how much money they personally pay every month to maintain and improve the roads, bridges and public transit we use. But 75 to 80 percent say having safe, efficient and well-maintained transportation infrastructure is at least, if not more, important to their personal livelihood and wellbeing than good cable, cell phone, internet, water, sewage and household electricity and natural gas services.
Those are key findings of a first-ever national poll commissioned by ARTBA to see how valuable Americans think our road and transit network is to the nation, and our everyday life, relative to other modern necessities we routinely rely upon. The survey found Americans place a high value on good roads and public transit because: • 78 percent say driving a motor vehicle is “very” or “extremely” important to
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conducting their daily lives; 88 percent say transportation infrastructure is important to maintaining a strong U.S. economy; and 83 percent say the U.S. transportation network is important to ensuring national defense and emergency response capabilities.
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Register for ARTBA’s June 5 Transportation Construction Law & Regulatory Forum. ARTBA Washington Newsline
SurfaceTransportationCarried 84PercentofNorthAmerican FreightinMarch Surface transportation remained the predominant mode for North American goods movement in March, according to the latest data from U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Trucks carried 60 percent of the $95.6 billion total of freight moved in March 2013 between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Rail shipments carried 16.5 percent, and pipelines accounted for seven percent. Ships carried 8.1 percent by value of goods and air transport totaled 3.7 percent. The data emphasizes the importance of continuing to invest in all modes of the nation’s transportation network.
SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, TransBorder Freight Data
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]
July 24-26 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
Young Executive Development Program
ARTBA National Convention
5th Annual Transportation Construction Law & Regulatory Forum
Dr. J. Don Brock TransOvationTM Workshop & Awards Program
June 3-6 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
June 5 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
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25th Annual ARTBA P3 Conference
ART BA Washington Newsline
September 8-10 Milwaukee, Wis. [Add to Calendar]
October 28-30 San Jose, Calif. [Add to Calendar]
Local Transportation Management Virtual Conference & Innovation Showcase (LoTransTM 2013) 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.
TCCFly-In Continued from page 1
Other confirmed 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.). In addition to legislative and regulatory briefings, attendees of the ARTBA Federal Issues Program and TCC Fly-In will receive transportation construction market updates and meet with their congressional delegations to discuss policy solutions to improve the nation’s aging infrastructure. More than 400 industry executives are expected to attend.
2013 ARTBA Federal Issues Program & Transportation Construction Coalition Fly-In Featuring the ARTBA Foundation Awards Dinner
JUNE 3-5 Hyatt Regency Washington
Last Chance to Register for the June 5 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 this week’s 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
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Legislative & Regulatory News National Survey Continued from page 1
“The needs are so great that even with the growth we’ve had in the investment level, it’s barely moving the needle in terms of moving bridges off these lists.” ARTBA Chief Economist, Dr. Alison Premo Black quoted in a May 24 “AP” story on the I-5 bridge collapse in Washington.
“With over 70,000 bridges that have been classified as ‘structurally deficient’ nation-wide, it is clear we have an infrastructure crisis in this country and it is only a matter of time before another bridge collapses and lives could be lost.” Rep. Janice Hahn (D-Calif.) in a May 28 letter to T&I Committee leaders.
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ART BA Washington Newsline
Nearly 75 percent of respondents also agree that “investing in transportation infrastructure should be a core function of the federal government.” But here’s the disconnect that explains why many are suffering from traffic congestion and the outcomes from less than optimal system upkeep: the poll revealed many Americans probably have no idea how much they pay each month in state and federal gas taxes which are the primary source of funding for road and transit capital investments. When asked how much their household pays each month in gas taxes, 40 percent of respondents say they “don’t know.” According to FHWA data, the average U.S. household paid $46 per month in gas taxes in 2011—the most current year available. One-quarter of respondents (24 percent) estimated they pay more than double that amount, which in some cases is likely an overstatement, as this would involve buying enough gas to fuel a household’s cars for nearly 5,400 miles per month, while federal data shows the average household with one or more cars drives just over 2,100 miles per month. U.S. Commerce Department data from 2011 shows the average household spends about three-and-a-half times more each month for household electricity and natural gas service ($160) than we pay in state and federal gas taxes. We also pay three-and-ahalf times as much monthly, on average, for landline and
cell phone service ($161) and nearly two-and-a-half times as much for cable and satellite television, radio and Internet access ($124). We pay almost 19 percent a month more, on average, just for Internet access. “We are underinvesting in our road and transit infrastructure relative to many other basic services we rely on every day,” ARTBA President Pete Ruane said. “This research clearly shows there is a disconnect between our perceived value of transportation mobility and our personal investment in the infrastructure that provides it.” “Transportation infrastructure,” Ruane added, “is one of the few service platforms necessary to support
a dynamic economy, growing population and high quality standard of living that is chronically underfunded because in many states and at the federal level the user fee rate that supports it is left static for decades on end.” “Americans and our elected representatives can’t simply wish for a 21st century transportation network. We have to pay for it,” he says. A key project of the ARTBA “Transportation Makes America Work Campaign,” the phone survey of 1,000 American adults was conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. View the crosstabs.
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 28
Highlighting new research, technologies, industry best practices and information resources available to the transportation design and construction industry.
Walton Named to National Freight Council Continued from page 1
Austin, joins fellow ARTBA members Mort Downey, Parsons Brinckerhoff, and Peter Vigue, Cianbro Companies, on the committee’s inaugural roster. Walton is currently the chairman of the ARTBA Trans2020 MAP-21 Implementation Freight Policy Work Group. He testified on ARTBA’s behalf in 2006 before the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission to call for the creation of a national strategic freight plan—a recommendation heeded in last year’s MAP-21 legislation. The National Freight Advisory Committee will hold its first meeting June 25. View the full roster.
ARTBA Urges DOT to Develop Educational P3 Materials ARTBA May 31 urged the U.S. DOT to focus on providing educational resources rather than stifling prescriptive requirements as it fulfills a provision of MAP-21 to develop model public-private partnership (P3) contract documents. ARTBA also recommended the department examine a wide variety of domestic and international P3 agreements to identify areas of commonality, as well as recurring problems so that both the public and private sector have the best resources possible when entering contract negotiations. The comments also include a broad discussion of issues that arise in P3s and various suggestions on how future agreements can improve. Read the full comments.
Watch this one minute video to learn more about ARTBA’s Student Video Contest.
Inspector General: DOT Struggling with MAP-21 The Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released a May 22 report finding the department has completed only five of the 42 regulatory actions necessary to implement project delivery reforms enacted in the “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act” (MAP-21). Specifically, the report concludes “a lack of completion dates for some actions combined with delays in some rulemaking actions” could impede DOT’s ability to fully implement MAP-21 in a timely manner. ARTBA continues to be heavily involved in the department’s efforts to implement the new law to improve the project delivery process and ensure transportation improvements are completed on a timelier basis. Read the report.
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.
Register for ARTBA’s June 5 Transportation Construction Law & Regulatory Forum. ARTBA Washington Newsline
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25th Annual ARTBA 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 or hwebster@artba.org 6
Sponsorship & Exhibits: ARTBA Vice President of Meetings & Events, Ed Tarrant at 202.289.4434 or etarrant@artba.org ART BA Washington Newsline Jan.-Feb. 2013
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