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Newsline Washington
december 3, 2012
ShustertoChairT&I Committee House Republicans November 28 formally elected U.S. Representative Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) to chair the House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee in the 113th Congress which begins January 3, 2013. Shuster has served on the committee for 11 years and has chaired the House Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee for the past two years. Shortly after his chairmanship election, Shuster announced much of the senior committee staff will remain in their current positions and
2013 Transportation Construction Market Forecast: Modest Growth
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ARTBACommends FHWAforEmergency ResponseProposal ARTBA supported November 30 a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration proposal to allow repairs of transportation projects damaged in emergency situations (such as a tornado, hurricane or man-made Continued on page 4 Follow ARTBA:
The U.S. transportation construction infrastructure market is expected to show modest growth in 2013, increasing three percent from $126.5 billion to $130.3 billion, according to ARTBA’s annual forecast released November 30. Dr. Alison Premo Black, ARTBA’s chief economist, says growth is expected in highway and street pavements, private work for driveways and parking lots, airport terminal and
runway work, railroads, and port and waterway construction. She predicts the bridge market, which has shown substantial growth over the last 10 years, to remain flat. With no new real federal money in the 2012 MAP-21 surface transportation law, still recovering state and local tax collections and modest new housing starts, the pavements market will be uneven across the nation. Pavement work is
anticipated to be down in 25 states. Growth above a five percent range is expected in 19 states. However, there are at least two developments related to MAP-21 that could lead to additional market activity in the short-term and strengthen the market in 2013 and 2014. First, the law’s restructuring of the federal highway program Continued on page 3
Register: ARTBA Northeastern Regional Meeting: Dec. 5-6 ARTBA Washington Newsline
Shuster to Chair T&I
Save the Date
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will be joined by new chief of staff Chris Bertram, who currently serves as the U.S. Department of Transportation chief financial officer and deputy secretary for budget and programs. Shuster announced his agenda for the coming term, which includes addressing the long-term financial stability of the Highway Trust Fund, reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act and further investigation into Amtrak subsidies. Shuster said he wants to keep all options to increase Highway Trust Fund revenues on the table. During Shuster’s first term as T&I Committee chairman, the panel will be charged with developing the successor to the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), as the new surface transportation law expires September 30, 2014. Shuster takes over the top spot on the committee from current chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) who is term-limited per House Republican rules, having served six years as the top Republican on the panel. Mica will likely continue to serve in some capacity on the T&I Committee.
February 4-6, 2013
Project Management Academy
ARTBA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
February 6-8, 2013
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ARTBA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
Upcoming Events
2012-13
Visit our Events Page for more information. Southern Regional Meeting
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June 3-5 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
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ART BA Washington Newsline
25th Annual ARTBA P3 Conference July 25-26 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
ARTBA National Convention September 8-10 Milwaukee, Wis. [Add to Calendar]
2013 Transportation Construction Market Forecast: Modest Growth Continued from page 1
offers state transportation departments more flexibility in their use of federal funds. This could lead to slightly increased investment in highway, bridge and pavement work above the forecast in some states. Second, MAP-21’s expanded federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance & Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan program should also increase construction activity in some states. The forecast for other modes: Ports & Waterways: Driven by expanded sea trade expected with completion of the Panama Canal expansion
project in 2015, U.S. ports and waterway construction is expected to skyrocket nearly 25 percent to $2.65 billion. Airport Runways & Terminals: Airport runway and terminal construction is expected to show growth in 28 states, with sector growth overall of 4.5 percent, reaching $12.5 billion. Light Rail & Subways: The uncertainty caused by the 33-month long delay in passage of MAP-21 will be felt in the subway and light rail markets. Construction activity is projected to be down by eight percent overall.
A major wild card in the ARTBA forecast is the so-called “fiscal cliff.” Although it would not directly impact federal highway investment to the states, it could affect state and local finances, and thereby cause governments to pull back or delay projects. Such action in turn would have negative consequences on the highway construction market.
Nominate Your Firm’s “Rising Stars” for ARTBA’s 2013 Young Executive Development Program
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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
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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.” For more information on advertising, contact Peter Embrey at 202.289.4434.
ARTBA is now accepting nominations for its 18th annual Young Executive Development Program (YEDP) June 3-6, 2013, 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, public-private partnerships and industry innovation. 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, 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. As an added incentive, the individual who nominates the most accepted applicants to complete the program will win an iPad. View the application. Contact ARTBA’s Sara Jones with any questions.
ARTBA Washington Newsline
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Overheard “The number one challenge is: ‘How do we pay for it?’ And I think the most important thing we do is we look at all the options that are out there. We’ve got to figure out a way to finance the system and it needs to be done in a fiscally sound way, not borrowing a bunch of money and spending money we don’t have.” Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), the next House T&I Committee chairman, Nov. 28 discussing how to pay for transportation improvements during a press briefing.
“All of America is waiting for Congress to offer a realistic and concrete plan for getting back to this fiscally sound path. Nothing less is acceptable.” Warren E. Buffett, chairman & chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, in a Nov. 25 “New York TImes” op-ed.
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ART BA Washington Newsline
ARTBA News Emergency Response Continued from page 1
disaster) to receive expedited environmental reviews. The proposal would allow such projects to be treated as categorical exclusions (CEs), which are used when impacts to the environment are minimal and are the least involved level of federal environmental reviews. This proposal marks the beginning of the FHWA’s efforts to implement MAP-21’s many provisions to accelerate transportation project delivery. ARTBA has consistently championed the greater use of CEs, as they have the potential to remove years from the environmental review and approval process for transportation projects. ARTBA will continue to be an active participant in FHWA’s implementation of MAP-21. Read ARTBA’s comments.
Legislative & Regulatory News Highway Investment Boosts State Economic Activity Federal highway grants provide quite a bang for their buck, according to new research by Sylvain Leduc and Daniel Wilson of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco released November 26. The report found that each dollar a state receives in federal highway grants increases its annual Gross State Product (GSP) by at least two dollars. In particular, unanticipated increases in federal highway investment have a significant effect on state GSP. The findings
show that states experience higher economic activity in both the short and mediumterm due to what the report dubbed “surprise” investment increases. Their research, which also analyzes the impact of ARRA highway grants on state spending, suggests that when projects are implemented quickly, highway spending can be particularly effective during periods of stagnant economic activity. View the full report.
Steady Growth in Intermodal Travel U.S. drivers drove over 23 billion miles in September, down 1.5 percent or 3.6 billion miles, compared to September 2011 figures. Cumulative travel for the year, however, is up 0.6 percent above travel for 2011 through September. The value of surface trade with Canada and Mexico also dropped 0.1 percent in September compared to the same month one year ago—the first year-to-year decrease since November 2009. Surface trade accounted for 86 percent of all trade between the countries,
while vessel shipments accounted for 9.5 percent and air shipments accounted for 4.1 percent. Meanwhile, the Transportation Services Index (TSI) measurement of freight movements showed a 0.2 percent increase in September 2012 compared to August, and remains essentially unchanged from the September 2011 levels. The Freight TSI measures the output of the for-hire freight transportation industry and consists of data from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight. U.S. airlines carried 66.3 million domestic and international passengers in August, about the same as August of 2011, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Airline travel for all of 2012 is up one percent from 2011. The long-term trends in growth in vehicle miles travelled, freight movements and air passenger traffic, all emphasize the need to make robust investments in the nation’s transportation network.
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: Nov. 27
Highlighting new research, technologies, industry best practices and information resources available to the transportation design and construction industry.
2013 KEY MEETINGS & EVENTS ARTBA Federal Issues Program & Transportation Construction Coalition Fly-In June 3-5, Washington, D.C.
Young Executive Development Program June 3-6, Washington, D.C.
25th Annual Public-Private Partnerships in Transportation Conference
July 24-26, Washington, D.C.
ARTBA National Convention September 8-10, Milwaukee, WI
Dr. J. Don Brock TransOvation™ Workshop & Awards Program October
Local Transportation Management Virtual Conference & Innovation Showcase (LoTrans™ 2013) October
5th Annual Transportation Construction Law & Regulatory Forum October, Washington, D.C.
Regional Meetings (Northeastern, Southern, Western and Central) November-December
For sponsorship information, contact ARTBA Vice President of Meetings & Events Ed Tarrant at etarrant@artba.org or 202.289.4434 ext. 204.
Download a PDF copy of the digital “Washington Newsline.” ARTBA Washington Newsline
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The year 2012 marks ARTBA’s 110 th anniversary of service to the U.S. transportation design and construction industry. During the month of December, we’ll use the “Washington Newsline” to take a look back at some of the association’s and industry’s achievements during this time. In our first installment this week, we’ve put together a timeline of major ARTBA milestones since its founding in 1902. ARTBA Founder Horatio S. Earle
1902: American Road Makers (ARM) constitution, drafted by Horatio S. Earle, approved February 13 at Cadillac Hotel in New York City. 1903: First association convention held in Detroit, Mich. 1909: First ARM “Road Show” (the forerunner of today’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG) held in Columbus, Ohio. 1910: Name changed to American Road Builders Association (ARBA).
1976: ARBA-proposed federal 4-R bridge programs enacted. 1977: Name changed to American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). 1979: ARTBA Political Action Committee established. 1982: ARTBA successfully pushes first federal gas tax increase for road construction in 23 years.
1915: ARBA sponsors first “Pan American Good Roads Conference.”
1985: Association holds first-ever “National Conference on Highway Work Zone Safety” in Washington, D.C.
1916: ARBA successfully pushes first FederalAid Road Act.
ARTBA Transportation Development Foundation (ARTBA-TDF) established.
1921: ARTBA secures increase in road construction funding with passage of Federal-Aid Road Act.
1986: ARTBA Washington, D.C., event celebrates 30th anniversary of Interstate Highway Program.
1923: Association launches member magazine (today’s “Transportation Builder”).
1989: ARTBA organizes “Building a Better America Through Transportation Construction” campaign to push for increased federal investment.
1927: ARBA-American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) Joint Committee established. 1934: ARBA-supported Hayden-Cartwright Act is signed into law authorizing $200 million for highway projects. 1940: Annual convention & “Road Show” in Chicago attracts 47,500.
1991: ARTBA-pushed highway/transit program bill (ISTEA) provides $155 billion in federal investment. 1993: ARTBA files first environmental lawsuit to protect transportation construction industry market interests.
1942: ARBA helps form “The Road Gang.”
1994: ARTBA holds second “National Conference on Highway Work Zone Safety” in Washington, D.C.
1945: ARBA member Harry S. Truman elected U.S. President.
1995: ARTBA successfully pushes enactment of National Highway System Designation Act.
1948: Record 300,000 attend ARBA “Road Show” in Chicago.
ARTBA initiates “Alliance for Truth in Transportation Budgeting Coalition.”
1956: ARBA Founder Earle’s vision of Interstate Highway Construction Program and the federal Highway Trust Fund established by law.
1996: ARTBA-TDF “Young Executive Development Program” established.
1966: ARBA-advocated cabinet-level U.S. Department of Transportation created. 1968: ARBA Board of Directors creates The Road Information Program (TRIP), which is headquartered in ARBA’s office. 1970:ARBA-pushed federal Airport Trust Fund established.
ARTBA initiates “Transportation Construction Coalition” (TCC). 1997: ARTBA’s official website (www.artba.org) launched. 1998: ARTBA-led coalitions successfully push for record $218 billion federal highway/transit program bill (TEA-21). ARTBA “PRIDE in Transportation Construction” campaign launched.
ARTBA and the FHWA establish nation’s first National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse. 2000: ARTBA-led coalition secures passage of AIR-21, increasing federal airport capital investment by more than 60 percent. 2001: Association holds first-ever “International Conference on Roadway Work Zone Safety” in Saint Louis, Mo. 2002: ARTBA celebrates 100th anniversary in New York City and Washington, D.C. ARTBA “Transportation Makes America Work (TMAW) Campaign” launched. 2004: ARTBA achieves long-time industry goal of ethanol tax reform, which results in an additional $2 billion annual revenue stream for transportation improvements. 2005: ARTBA-pushed highway/transit program bill (SAFETEA-LU) signed by President George W. Bush. 2006: ARTBA celebrates 50th anniversary of the Interstate Highway Program in Washington, D.C., with a gala dinner featuring General Colin Powell. 2007: ARTBA hosts “National Traffic Management & Work Zone Safety Conference” at Intertraffic North America in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. ARTBA forward-looking, federally-led “Critical Commerce Corridors” goods movement proposal unveiled. 2009: President Barack Obama signs the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, which provides an extra $48 billion for transportation improvements. 2010: ARTBA-TDF “Transportation Development Hall of Fame” established. 2011: ARTBA launches first-ever TransOvation™ Workshop, an interactive event aimed at fostering a culture of innovation within the industry. 2012: The 27-month highway/transit program bill (MAP-21) signed into law by President Barack Obama. ARTBA hosts first-ever “Local Transportation Management Virtual Conference & Innovation Showcase” featuring “Best Practices in Work Zone Safety.”