The Ohio Dept. of Transportation has a draft list of projects worth almost $3 billion that could benefit from a federal stimulus program. But that list is growing�perhaps to even double that figure�as ODOT continues to gather information, says spokesman Scott Varner. �But so much will depend on the restrictions placed on the dollars coming from Washington,� he cautions. �An important factor will be the ability to invest dollars across broad spending categories, and not just on construction. Ohio is losing planning and design jobs every day. These are real jobs and are important to the economy and future of
Call it a double-edged sword, a perfect storm or—stealing a quote from Charles Dickens—American Public Transportation Association President William Millar describes the state of transit as, “The best of times, the worst of times.” From California to the Carolinas, the acceptance of and desire for transit systems is unprecedented. Voters in November approved more than 20 pro-transit ballot initiatives, most notably Proposition 1B in California that calls for $9.95 billion for a high-speed rail system stretching from Sacramento to San Diego. Slide Show Photo: California High-Speed Rail Authority Photo: Joseph Caserto/ENR But transit owners, designers and builders have no easy
For some, it is millions of dollars’ worth of deferred paving work. For others, it is billion-dollar highway expansions. Nationwide, state transportation departments are putting projects on hold due to shrinking budgets. Dwindling tax revenue from gas and other sources, a bleak economic environment and continued high materials costs are all taking their toll. An anticipated infrastucture-heavy stimulus package from the new Obama administration cannot come soon enough for industry officials. Photo: Brad Fullmer In Suspension. Planned major Utah highway projects are stalled for the time being. “In my 30 years in the industry, I’ve never seen anything like this,”
Earning a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification is a good start, but airport project designers and builders need to move beyond it, say industry officials. Simply relying on �checklists� of environmental items is �the tail wagging the dog,� said David Callan, director of sustainable design and high performance building technology for Syska Hennessy Group Inc., Chicago, at a roundtable held in New York City last month by McGraw Hill publications ENR and Aviation Week. The �tail wagging the dog� metaphor became a popular phrase for the four airport officials, three engineers, architect and contractor participating in the roundtable.�
“LEED is the tail wagging the dog.” So said David Callan, director of sustainable design & high performance building technology for Syska Hennessy Group, Inc., Chicago. He was describing the tendency to rely on “checklists” when designing and building an airport terminal. Photo: Aileen Cho Port Authority’s DeCota and Knoesel attended roundtable. Photo: Aileen Cho ENR and Aviation Week co-host gathering of airport movers, shakers. Speaking at a McGraw-Hill-sponsored aviation roundtable held Oct. 21 in New York City, Callan noted that building a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified facility amounts to implementation, but not innovation. “It’s not the be-all
Any money from a stimulus package will mostly fund bridge upgrades and repaving projects in Pennsylvania, along with expanding variable message signs and traffic management systems. The Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation released Jan. 16 its $1.5-billion wish list of highway and transit projects, just days after the House Appropriations Committee released its $775-billion draft proposal. �While the economic recovery bill is not yet enacted, we believe its primary thrust will be short-term improvements and the candidate list is in line with that assumption,� stated Allen Biehler, PennDOT Secretary. Related Links: Questions Swirl On Stimulus Plan Mong the largest projects on