ARTBA P3s in Transportation Conference One Week Away: Register Today! ARTBA Washington Newsline NOVEMBER 7, 2011 Newsline Washington Senate Rejects Partisan Infrastructure Bills Senate Passes Transportation Appropriations Bill HouseRepublicans to Pair Energy & Transportation Proposals Continued on page 4 Continued on page 2 ADVERTISEMENT The U.S. Senate November 3 rejected two proposals—one offered by each party—to invest in the nation’s transportation infrastructure. Senate Democrats offered S. 1769, which would have provided $50 billion for highways, transit, rail, and airports, and also $10 billion to establish a national infrastructure bank for energy, water, and transportation projects—the measure is the infrastructure components of President Obama’s “American Jobs Act,” which was defeated in September. The cost of the bill would be covered by a surtax on incomes above $1 million for married couples ($500,000 for individuals), a provision opposed from the outset by Senate Republicans. Senate Republicans offered S. 1786, legislation that included a two-year surface transportation extension with environmental streamlining reforms. However, Senate Republicans also included controversial non- transportation items and a $40 billion cut in discretionary spending. The two measures were defeated largely along party lines. ARTBA President Pete Ruane said, “We strongly encourage all Senators to channel the energy from today’s activities into finding a revenue solution that will enable quick passage of the two-year, surface transportation reauthorization proposal from Senate Environment & Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Ranking Republican Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.). This proposal is viable legislation capable of passing the Senate on a bipartisan basis.” Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced November 3 the House is developing legislation to “remove barriers from American energy production and would use revenue from that new production to help pay for initiatives to repair and improve infrastructure around the country.” Boehner and House Transportation The U.S. Senate November 1 approved 69-30 legislation to fund the federal transportation programs for FY 2012. The measure contains $41.1 billion for highways (current level), $10.6 billion for transit (a $300 million increase, mostly for capital investment grants), and $3.5 billion for airport infrastructure improvements (current levels). These funding levels contrast with those passed by the House Transportation Appropriations President Obama November 2 pushed his jobs bill at Georgetown’s Key Bridge, located near The ARTBA Building.
Transcript
ARTBA P3s in Transportation Conference One Week Away: Register Today!
ARTBA Washington Newsline
N O V E M B E R 7 , 2 0 1 1
NewslineWashington
Senate Rejects Partisan Infrastructure Bills
Senate Passes Transportation Appropriations Bill
House Republicans to Pair Energy & Transportation Proposals
Continued on page 4
Continued on page 2
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
The U.S. Senate November 3 rejected two proposals—one offered by each party—to invest in the nation’s transportation infrastructure. Senate Democrats offered S. 1769, which would have provided $50 billion for highways, transit, rail, and airports, and also $10 billion to establish a national infrastructure bank for energy, water, and transportation projects—the measure is the infrastructure components of President Obama’s “American Jobs Act,” which was defeated in September. The cost of the bill
would be covered by a surtax on incomes above $1 million for married couples ($500,000 for individuals), a provision opposed from the outset by Senate Republicans.
Senate Republicans offered S. 1786, legislation that included a two-year surface transportation extension with environmental streamlining reforms. However, Senate Republicans also included controversial non-transportation items and a $40 billion cut in discretionary spending.
The two measures were
defeated largely along party lines.
ARTBA President Pete Ruane said, “We strongly encourage all Senators to channel the energy from today’s activities into finding a revenue solution that will enable quick passage of the two-year, surface transportation reauthorization proposal from Senate Environment & Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Ranking Republican Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.). This proposal is viable legislation capable of passing the Senate on a bipartisan basis.”
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced November 3 the House is developing legislation to “remove barriers from American energy production and would use revenue from that new production to help pay for initiatives to repair and improve infrastructure around the country.” Boehner and House Transportation
The U.S. Senate November 1 approved 69-30 legislation to fund the federal transportation programs for FY 2012. The measure contains $41.1 billion for highways (current level), $10.6 billion for transit (a $300 million increase, mostly for capital investment grants), and $3.5 billion for airport infrastructure improvements (current levels).
These funding levels contrast with those passed by the House Transportation Appropriations
President Obama November 2 pushed his jobs bill at Georgetown’s Key Bridge, located near The ARTBA Building.
Upcoming EventsVisit our Events Page for more information.
2011P3s in Transportation ConferenceNovember 14–16 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
2012Transportation Construction Project Management Academy January 30 - February 3Washington, D.C.
4th Annual Construction Law & Regulatory ForumApril TBDWashington, D.C.
Global Innovations in Work Zone Safety Virtual Conference & ExpositionApril 24–26
Global Safe Roads Virtual Conference & Exposition April 24–26
Federal Issues Program & TCC Fly-InMay TBDWashington, D.C.
Young Executive Development ProgramMay TBDWashington, D.C.
TransOvation WorkshopJune TBD
National ConventionSeptember 11–14 Memphis, Tenn.
P3s in Transportation ConferenceOctober 11–12 Washington, D.C.
Transportation Approps. Bill Maintains Funding Levels Continued from page 1
“New York Times” Best-Selling Book Focuses on Transportation Infrastructure
In a new book that caught ARTBA’s attention, “That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World and How We Can Come Back,” Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tom Friedman, and Michael Mandelbaum address the nation’s transportation infrastructure challenges head on, saying:
“Our airports? Some of them would probably qualify as historic monuments. We would nominate both Los Angeles International Airport and several terminals at John F. Kennedy in New York for this distinction. LAX’s, dingy, cramped United Airlines domestic terminal feels like a faded 1970s movie star who once was considered hip, but has had one too many face-lifts and simply can’t hide the wrinkles anymore. But in many ways, LAX, JFK and Penn Station [in New York] are us. We are the United States of Deferred Maintenance.”
The authors put forth “five pillars of prosperity” that have been the keys to success during the nation’s history; the second of which is the “building and continual modernizing of our infrastructure.” They write:
“The second pillar is the building and continual modernizing of our infrastructure—roads, bridges, ports, airports, bandwith, fiber-optic lines and wireless networks—so that American workers and firms can communicate and collaborate effectively and deliver their goods and services swiftly and cheaply. Since the building of the Erie Canal between 1817 and 1825, governments at every level in the United States have financed the infrastructure necessary for commerce to flourish.”
Subcommittee earlier this year, which would reduce federal highway and transit investment to the levels supportable by current Highway Trust Fund revenues—a 30 percent cut. House GOP leaders indicate they are moving away from those appropriations figures and are now working on a six-year reauthorization bill current investment levels.
The FY 2012 appropriations bill now goes to a conference between the two chambers to develop a final agreement to be presented to the full Congress. We will keep you apprised of any developments as they occur.
*Be sure to mention ARTBA to receive the discount-ed rate. Contact Ed Tarrant with questions.
Ad Materials Deadline This Friday, Nov.11!
This is the definitive book of “who’s who” in the transportation design and construction industry. It contains nearly 400 pages of information describing ARTBA and its mission, a transportation industry buyers’ guide, and a comprehensive listing of ARTBA member companies and individuals along with contact information for each listing.
New for 2012: The Buyers’ Guide Listings will be featured in print and digitally.
The directory will mail to our 6,300 members in late December 2011.
Contact Peter Embrey for advertising options.
To learn more about other products and services available, visit the ARTBA Store today!
Register Now for the Nearest ARTBA Regional Meeting!
Purchase the 2011 ARTBA Highway Construction Salary & Wage Guide
As you plan for your 2012 budgets and consider your personnel needs, you will want to purchase the most comprehensive guide providing salary and wage information for 112 occupations in the transportation design and construction industry, including management, engineering, construction, finance, administrative and safety-related positions.
The “2011 U.S. Highway, Street & Bridge Construction Salary & Hourly Wage Guides” utilize just released U.S. Department of Labor data for national, state, urban and rural areas so that you can benchmark your company’s wages against competitors.
Check out a sample report. Order the national or state guides. Contact ARTBA’s Peter Embrey with questions.
At ARTBA’s upcoming November-December regional meetings, the association’s top staff will provide you with a briefing on the latest developments with the pending House and Senate multi-year highway/transit proposals, and explain what comes next.
You will also receive expert insights into the current transportation construction market conditions in your region and the outlook for 2012, hear about the latest federal and environmental regulatory issues, along with information on public-private partnerships and project delivery
methods. Industry leaders will discuss key state, regional and local transportation improvement projects.
Each meeting will include plenty of time for networking and business development opportunities.
Register: www.artba.org/regionalmeetings.
Northeastern: Nov. 28-29, New York, N.Y. Limited hotel rooms still available. Contact Radisson’s Brian Huang directly at 212-277-2655 to book your room. Room rate: $229*
Southern: Nov. 30–Dec. 1, Tampa, Fla. Hotel Deadline: November 7Room rate: $169*
Western: Dec. 5-6, Los Angeles, Calif. Hotel Deadline: November 16Room rate: $119*
Central: Dec. 7-8, Chicago, Ill. Hotel Deadline: November 18Room rate: $184*
“Everybody believes we have infrastructure deficiencies and more needs to be spent to repair, replace and in some cases build new infrastructure. The problem is nobody wants to pay for it.”
U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R- Ohio) in a November 1 “Associated Press” article,
“U.S. House Speaker Promotes Transportation Projects.”
“Our highways are clogged with traffic. Our railroads are no longer the fastest and most efficient in the world. Our air traffic congestion is the worst in the world. And we’ve got to do something about this, because our businesses and our entire economy are already paying for it.”
President Obama November 2 at an infrastructure rally at the Key Bridge in Washington, D.C.
Overheard
“ ”
TRB Newsletter: November 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.
Fostering Innovation
Legislative & Regulatory News
Continued from page 1
House Republicans to Pair Transportation and Energy Proposals
ARTBA & Allies Continue Push for Reauthorization Action
ARTBA, joined by 21 other associations and two coalitions, wrote October 31 to Senate Finance Committee members and House GOP leaders to demonstrate the broad support that exists for finding the revenues necessary to at least maintain current levels of highway and public transportation investment in the two chambers’ multi-year reauthorization bills.
Additionally, the Transportation Construction Coalition last week began running a print ad in Capitol Hill publications, highlighting a September letter from 20 business executives to congressional leaders urging passage of a “well-funded, multi-year reauthorization of the federal highway and public transportation programs.”
White House Releases Report on Benefits of Infrastructure Investment
The White House November 2 released a report titled “Recent Examples of the Economic Benefits From Investing in Infrastructure,” to bolster the case for making federal transportation investments part of any economic recovery plan.
The report highlights recent projects in several states, including: Arizona; Florida; Illinois; Indiana; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maryland; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Ohio; Oregon; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Virginia; Washington; and West Virginia.
Economy Adds 80,000 Jobs, Construction Loses 20,000 in October
Despite adding 80,000 jobs nationally, the U.S. economy shed 20,000 jobs in the construction sector last month, according to the latest U.S. Department of Labor. The
job losses in the construction field nearly offset the gains of 27,000 jobs in September and unemployment in the sector stands at 13.7 percent. Employment specifically in highway and bridge construction remained about the same in September—the most recent data available—as compared to a year ago, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Budget Director Outlines Future Spending Choices
Doug Elmendorf, director of the Congressional Budget Office, testified before members of the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction October 26 that efforts to trim the long-term federal deficit, cutting certain discretionary spending, may have a detrimental effect on the economy.
Elmendorf cautioned that cutting investments in discretionary programs, like transportation, may create ripple effects because “reducing federal support for such activities would force other levels of government to make
and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) have both indicated Republicans are searching for revenues to supplement the Highway Trust Fund and maintain surface transportation investment levels in a multi-year reauthorization bill.
Boehner said the proposal would be released “in the coming weeks” and that he intends to push for passage of the bill by the end of the year.
Download a PDF copy of the digital “Washington Newsline.”
Upcoming Safety WebinarThe next Work Zone Safety Clearinghouse webinar, “Guidance on Managing Speeds in Work Zones” is set for Nov. 30, 1-2:30 p.m., EST. Melisa D. Finley, of the Texas Transportation Institute, will discuss the many factors that impact the decision to reduce the regulatory speed limit in a work zone, implement speed limit management strategies and utilize speed reduction strategies. The information presented in this webinar should aid agencies and highway contractors in understanding these factors and the interaction among them.
Registration is free, visit: www.workzonesafety.org.
decisions about decreasing the scope of the activities, increasing their own funding, or some combination of the two.”
Elmendorf said “charging users—such as drivers, air travelers, and users of waterways—for services they receive from federal programs would allow those programs to operate more efficiently and reduce the amount of government spending needed to maintain or improve service.
ARTBA Events
P3 Entrepreneurs and Projects to be Honored at Nov. 14-16 Conference
ARTBA is proud to announce the honorees for this year’s Public-Private Partnership (P3) “Entrepreneurs and Projects of the Year.” The FasTracks Eagle P3 in Denver, Colo., and Puerto Rico’s PR-22/5 Highway P3 projects will be honored at this year’s awards ceremony, part of the November 14-16 ARTBA P3 Conference in Washington, D.C. The public sector “Entrepreneur of the Year” is Kome Ajise, the P3 program manager for CalTrans, for his work on the Presidio Parkway in San Francisco, Calif. The private sector recipient is Jordi Graells, managing director at Abertis for his work on the PR22 - PR5 tollroad.
The 23rd Annual ARTBA P3 Conference is the year’s best
opportunity to network with hundreds of industry executives and public officials. With over 20 interactive sessions, the P3 conference offers something for everyone, covering all major modes and P3 state markets. Key plenary sessions include an update from the Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Innovative Program Delivery, and an update on the federal surface transportation bill.
This year’s event will also feature a project tour of one of the nation’s largest P3s, the 495 Capital Beltway HOTLanes Project. The session will include a visit to the brand new HOT Operations Center as well as a driving tour to view the improvements underway. Space for the tour is limited, so please contact ARTBA’s Hank Webster to register.
The ARTBA P3 Conference is also the best value nationally at only $950 for ARTBA members, less than half the price of most other P3 events. Exhibitor opportunities are available at www.artbap3.org or by contacting ARTBA’s Hank Webster at 202.289.4434.
ARTBA P6 Scheduling Academy, December 7-9
Join the ARTBA Transportation Builder Institute in Washington, D.C. for its December 7-9 P6 Scheduling Academy. The intensive three-day program is designed to help schedulers, project managers and estimators develop the skills necessary to manage transportation projects with greater efficiency.
Highly acclaimed Brigham Young University Professor Jay Newitt will lead the academy
Komi Ajise
Jordi Graells
and provide “hands on” scheduling experience with Primavera Project Planner (P6)—the industry’s most widely used scheduling software.
When program “graduates” depart the Nation’s Capital on December 9, they will carry a new skill set that empowers them to use schedules to manage and track people, materials, key operational benchmarks and payment schedules for transportation projects.
One of the past attendees, Jonathan Dodd of Dement Construction, said: “The ARTBA Scheduling class was the most beneficial class that I have ever been to. I came out of the class with a firm understanding of the
various scheduling techniques as well as P6.”
Jeff Markle of FCC, put it this way: “The instruction
for this class was top notch. The instructor had a firm grasp and was knowledgeable in the aspects of the program, and it carried through to the students. Also, before this class, I would rate my understanding of
CPM scheduling as average at best. Moving forward, the skills I have learned will help with my scheduling practices in the future.”
Prepared by ARTBA’s expert economics and research team, these value-added reports are ARTBA’s best-selling products. With monthly and quarterly reports, we help make sure to cover the market from every angle, including the highly sought after “Contract Awards” data. This premium subscription service provides the most current information on the transportation construction market so that analysts and industry firms are armed with the data they need to make smart, well-informed decisions.
There are two options available to you, including:
#1
• Monthly Transportation Construction Contract Awards• Monthly Value of Transportation Construction Put in Place• Monthly Federal Highway Obligations• Monthly Transportation Construction Employment• Quarterly Market Conditions Survey
