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ARTBA Washington Newsline 03-07-2011
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Navigation - Machine Guidance & Control - GNSS Positioning
Nominate a “Rising Star” for ARTBA’s 2011 Young Executive Development Program!
ARTBA Washington Newsline
M A R C H 7 , 2 0 1 1
NewslineWashington
Obama Signs 7 Month Highway Extension, 2 Week CR
GAO Report Claims Duplicate Transportation Programs
Bridge Preservation Association Merges with ARTBA Bridge Council
The Bridge Preservation
Association (BPA), organized in
2008, has become the “Bridge
Preservation Action Team”
(BPAT) of ARTBA’s Bridge
Policy & Promotion Council, the
two organizations announced
March 1.
Under the merger plan,
the new BPAT will continue
to pursue the original BPA
mission and maintain its
leadership and committee
structure within the ARTBA
council. BPAT representatives
will also continue to serve
as private-sector technical
liaisons to the Bridge
Preservation Expert Task
Group, organized by FHWA,
and the Transportation
System Preservation Technical
Services Program, sponsored
by AASHTO. Existing BPA
members will become ARTBA
members.
The BPA was organized
to foster proactive activities
aimed at preventing, delaying
or reducing the deterioration of
the nation’s bridges. Members
include: Transpo Industries,
Inc., BASF Global, Amman &
Whitney, SCS, Inc., and AZZ
Galvanizing Services, among
others.
BPA Chairman Mike Stenko,
president of Transpo Industries
in New Rochelle, N.Y., said
BPAT is seeking executives
Congress passed last week
and President Obama signed
two key pieces of legislation
for the transportation
construction industry: H.R.
662, which extends the current
authorization of federal surface
transportation programs
through September 30; and a
two-week continuing resolution
(CR) that keeps the government
operating through March 18
while both chambers negotiate
A number of conservative
media outlets and members
of Congress have seized on
a March 1 U.S. Government
Accountability Office (GAO)
report about purported
duplicate federal activities
to help characterize federal
spending on transportation
and other areas as wasteful.
With respect to highway,
Continued on page 4
Continued on page 2
I-35W St. Anthony’s Fall Bridge, Minneapolis, Minn.
Continued on page 3
2 ARTBA Washington Newsline
President Signs Highway Extension, Two-Week CR
the ongoing FY 2011 appropriations
process.
The CR provides federal agencies the
funds needed to support their programs,
while the surface transportation extension
approved by the House last week authorizes
that spending. For trust fund supported
transportation programs, both measures’
components are necessary as states need
the ability to commit federal funds and the
actual resources to invest in transportation
improvements.
Continued from page 1
Upcoming Events
ARTBA Board & Council Meetings at CONEXPO-CON/AGGMarch 21–23Las Vegas, Nev.[Add to Calendar]
3rd Annual ARTBA Transportation Construction Law & Regulatory ForumApril 6–7 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
ARTBA Federal Issues Program & TCC Fly-InMay 23–25 Washington, D.C.[Add to Calendar]
ARTBA Young Executive Development ProgramMay 23–26Washington, D.C.[Add to Calendar]
International Bridge ConferenceJune 5–8 Pittsburgh, Pa.[Add to Calendar]
TransOvation 2011 WorkshopSeptember 7–9 Near Dulles Airport, Va.[Add to Calendar]
ARTBA National ConventionOctober 2–5 Monterey, Calif. [Add to Calendar]
ARTBA Public-Private Partnerships ConferenceNovember 15–16 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
ARTBA REGIONAL MEETINGsNortheastern November 28–29 New York, N.Y.[Add to Calendar]
southernNovember 30–December 1 Tampa, Fla.[Add to Calendar]
WesternDecember 5–6 Los Angeles, Calif.[Add to Calendar]
CentralDecember 7–8Chicago, Ill.[Add to Calendar]
Visit our Events Page for more information.
March 21: Amtrak’s Al Engel to Address ARTBA Joint Council Meeting at CONEXPO-CON/AGG, Additional Speakers Announced
3-5 p.m.: Joint ARTBA Bridge Policy & Promotion, High Speed Rail and Ports & Waterways Council Meeting, The Venetian Resort
Amtrak’s Vice President of High Speed Rail Al Engel will provide an update on Amtrak’s national and Northeast Corridor high speed rail plans.
C.C. Myers President Dan Himick will discuss a recent film and outreach project, “Today in America: A Behind the Scenes Look at Leading Developments in 21st Century Infrastructure.” Rancho Cordova, Calif. based C.C. Myers is well known for several emergency reconstruction projects in the state.
Former official at The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and renowned U.S. marine transport expert Paul Bea will discuss ports & waterways market opportunities and financing.
A networking reception will immediately follow this info-packed event.
REGISTER NOW!
Like the new look of the Newsline? Let us know what you think! Contact Jaime Mahoney with comments.
3ARTBA Washington Newsline
Bridge Preservation Association Merges with ARTBA Bridge CouncilContinued from page 1
Products & ServicesAflac Insurance Now Available to ARTBA Members Via special Program
In addition to its many other member services, ARTBA is pleased to introduce a new Preferred Vendor: USI Insurance Services. As a member benefit, USI is offering Aflac insurance plans and no-cost FSA administration, for companies with 50 or more employees. Contact Liz Cavallaro at 202.289.4434 for more information.
Visit the ARTBA Store today!
Become a P6 Scheduling Expert in Just Three Days! Register for ARTBA’s April 19-21 Scheduling Academy. Contact Laura Spitz for more information.
interested in leading and developing
bridge preservation promotion activities
in 10 product areas: foundations, super
structure, bearings, joints, drainage,
structural steel coatings, concrete coatings,
corrosion protection, deck wearing surfaces
and waterproofing, concrete deck repair,
and seismic.
Stenko said the BPAT plan of work
includes:
Developing national policy on bridge •
preservation promotion and issues
through ARTBA;
Creation of product and service area-•
specific “best practice” guides and
educational webinars for bridge owners,
planners, designers and contractors;
Assisting state and local agencies update •
their bridge specifications; and
Development of program content for the •
2011 International Bridge Conference,
June 5-8, in Pittsburgh, Pa., and
TransOvation™ 2011, the first annual
innovation workshop organized by
ARTBA, which will be held September
7-9 in Leesburg, Va. at the Lansdowne
Conference Center.
More information: contact ARTBA Vice President of Member Services Allison Wenograd at [email protected] or 202.289.4434.
Focused on the latest legal and regulatory developments impacting transporta- »tion improvement projects nationwide
Top industry lawyers and experts will share their expertise on topics such as: risk »management, contracting issues, environmental regulations, construction claims and P3s
Specifically geared toward in-house counsel, company leadership, senior level »project managers and others who deal with legal and regulatory issues
A limited number of seats are available so register today! »
*ARTBA is not liable for any information provided by instructors or attorneys during the forum. This forum is intended for general informational purposes only, and not as a substitute for particular advice from a qualified professional. No warranty is made regarding the forum.
April 6 - 7, 2011 | The ArTBA Building, WAshingTon, d.C.
VieW The progrAM
ARTBA’s 3rd Annual
TransporTaTion ConsTruCTion Law & reguLaTory Forum
4 ARTBA Washington Newsline
“What we really care about is maximizing the number of potential jobs that people can reach, which increase affluence. Traffic, then, is a symptom of an economy with a mobile workforce, where workers can seek out better jobs with ease. Modern, multi-lane highways, even when they are sometimes congested, are the road away from serfdom.”
Jonathan V. Last, “More Highways, Less Congestion,” The Weekly Standard
“A nation that does not maintain its infrastructure is doomed to economic decline. We look at U.S. spending as a Democrat, a Republican and an independent - and we believe our nation needs to invest more, not less, in infrastructure.”
Former N.J. Senator Bill Bradley, former Pa. Governor Tom Ridge and former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker
TRB Newsletter: March 1, 2011ARTBA is pleased to make available another service for members that highlights new research, technologies, industry best practices and information resources available to the transportation design and construction industry. This material comes from the Transportation Research Board. Read the most recent newsletter.
Learn & Meet with Industry Innovators at TransOvationWhat does it take to win the MacArthur “Genius” Award or the Engineering News Record Award of Excellence? Attend ARTBA’s first-of-it’s kind “TransOvation 2011” workshop and you will learn how to innovate at your firm from some of the industry’s best. This event will be held September 7-9 at the Landsdowne Conference Center near Dulles Airport in Virginia. Visit transovation.net to learn more.
Overheard
Fostering Innovation
“ ”Legislative & Regulatory News GAO Report Claims Duplicative Trans. ProgramsContinued from page 1
public transportation and safety
programs, GAO cites the U.S.
Department of Transportation’s
(DOT) “fragmented approach”
involving five agencies and over
100 different programs. The
GAO’s primary criticism of these
programs is that they do not
focus on national priorities and
state/local governments are the
primary decision makers. The
report does, however, include
some constructive reform
suggestions, such as prioritizing
goods movement and increasing
accountability. It is interesting,
however, that none of the
individuals heralding this
report as proof of wasteful
transportation spending, so
far, have embraced the GAO’s
primary recommendation that
federal surface transportation
policy be reformed to focus
on minimizing global climate
change and reducing the
influence of foreign oil.
House Repeals Troublesome 1099 Provision
The House March 3 approved
314-112, H.R. 4, a bill that
amongst other things would
repeal a provision included in
the 2009 healthcare reform
requiring businesses to generate
IRS Form 1099s for annual
expenditures over $600.
ARTBA wrote independently
and in cooperation with other
industry partners calling for
repeal of this provision to
reduce the paperwork burden
imposed on firms. The measure
now goes to the Senate for
consideration. ARTBA will
keep you apprised of any
developments.
Highway Travels Rebounds to 2007 Levels
Motorists in the U.S. logged
three trillion miles in 2010,
the most since 2007 and the
third-highest ever recorded
according the U.S. DOT Bureau
of Transportation Statistics.
“More driving means more
wear and tear on our nation’s
roads and bridges,” said U.S.
Secretary of Transportation Ray
LaHood. “This new data further
demonstrates why we need to
repair the roads and bridges
that are the lifeblood of our
economy.” Americans drove 0.7
percent more, or 20.5 billion
additional miles, in 2010 than
the previous year. December
was the 10th consecutive month
of increased driving compared
to 2009.
ARTBA Argues for Construction Exemption to Hours of Service Rules
ARTBA March 4 told the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration that revised
Hours of Service rules should
not apply to drivers in the
transportation construction
industry. ARTBA pointed out
that our industry’s drivers
generally operate short-haul
routes of less than 20 miles and
receive frequent driving breaks
throughout the work day when
performing other tasks. Both
of these realities differentiate
this sector from the long-haul
commercial truckers at whom
the rule is focused. Read the
full comments.
5ARTBA Washington Newsline
Foundation News
PRIDE Award Nomination Deadline This Week
Nominations are now being
accepted for the 12th annual
“PRIDE Awards,” which honor
“excellence in community
relations and public education
that enhance the image of the
U.S. transportation construction
industry.” Deadline is March
11. Entry forms are available on
the ARTBA-TDF website.
Nominate a Worthy Student for the Lanford Family Highway Worker Memorial Scholarship
These scholarships provide
financial assistance to help
the children of highway
construction workers killed or
permanently disabled in the line
of duty pursue post-high school
education. If you are aware of
students who fit the scholarship
criteria, please contact Holly
Bolton at 202.289.4434.
Applications for 2011-12 are due
April 1 and are available on the
ARTBA-TDF website.
Is Your Project Setting New Environmental Leadership Standards?
Nominate it for a Globe Award!
The transportation construction
industry’s top award for
excellence in environmental
protection and mitigation is
back for the 12th time. Deadline
is April 1. Entry forms are
available on the ARTBA-TDF
website.
Economics & Research News Industry Employment Unchanged in JanuaryEmployment by highway
and bridge contractors in
January 2011 was unchanged
from a year ago, with
218,200 workers employed,
according to the latest data
from the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics. The highway and
bridge construction industry
continues to feel the impact
of the economic downturn—
contractors employed an
average of 289,000 workers
in 2010, compared to 291,300
in 2009 and 327,300 in 2008.
The construction industry’s
unemployment rate dropped
to 21.8 percent in February,
down from 22.5 percent in
January. The nation’s overall
unemployment rate fell to 8.9
percent in February—a nearly
two-year low.
January-February
Now Available Online:
View the Magazine
Download a PDF copy of the digital “Washington Newsline.”
Safety News
Work Zone Clearinghouse Launches Ad Campaign & Unveils New Educational Resources
The National Work Zone Safety
Information Clearinghouse
has launched a new print ad
campaign featuring Federal
Highway Administrator Victor
Mendez and ARTBA Chairman
Bill Cox delivering messages
about the importance of
improving safety in roadway
construction zones. Also
available are several new
informational job site posters
that are designed to educate
workers on flagging best
practices, work zone sign
recognition and use, among
others. For more information,
contact Lisa McCluskey, or order
the posters.
ARTBA Safety VP Joins Work Zone Traffic Control Committee
Brad Sant, ARTBA’s vice
president of safety and education,
has been appointed to join the
Transportation
Research Board’s
(TRB) committee
on work zone traffic
control. This TRB
committee focuses
on optimizing
traffic flow while minimizing
hazards to work crews and road
users, including pedestrians, in
a cost-effective manner during
maintenance, construction, and
utility operations on streets and
highways. These concerns include
improved methods, procedures,
materials, equipment, devices,
and systems applicable to
traffic control in work zones.
They extend to the planning,
design, installation, operation,
maintenance, and removal of
such traffic control zones. View
additional information on TRB.
Meetings & Events
2011 Federal Issues Program & Transportation Construction Coalition Fly-In
The program of events and
registration information for this
annual event are now available.
Contact Ed Tarrant for more
information.