Ohio To Invest $3 Billion in New Infrastructure Projects

On July 22, Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) announced the state will invest $3 billion in infrastructure improvements over the next several years. The governor says a "world-class highway system" is needed for the state to prosper. The plan will advance 41 new construction projects, Kasich says. The plan will be funded in part by bonds backed by turnpike-toll revenue dedicated to northern Ohio. "The plan helps to fill ODOT's budget deficit without raising taxes that would kill jobs," Kasich says.

Seattle Launches Mega-TBM

Placed in a 400-ft-long, 80-ft-wide and 80-ft-deep launch pit, the 57.5-ft-dia earth-pressure-balance tunnel-boring machine called Bertha is slated to begin excavating some 850,0000 cu yd of various soil types for the $3.1-billion program to replace Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct. Built by Hitachi Zosen Corp., it took eight weeks to lower segments of the 6,700-ton, 326-ft-long TBM into the pit. Once Bertha is 1,000 ft into helping to build a 1.7-mile-long, double-stacked tunnel, it becomes the property of Seattle Tunnel Partners, the joint venture of Dragados USA and Tutor Perini Corp.