Engineering News-Record

Court Ruling Clouds Future of MD’s Purple Line

Mon, 08 Aug 2016 16:05:00 -0400

Monday, August 8, was supposed to have been a day of celebration for Maryland’s Purple Line, as state transportation officials and the Federal Transit Administration would officially ink an agreement for a $900 million New Starts grant for the new $5.6 billion light rail system across Washington, D.C.’s northern suburbs.

DC Metro's Safety Surge Report Card

Wed, 20 Jul 2016 14:30:00 -0400

Early results are in on efforts to fast track rail system's voluminous maintenance needs.

Call to Action

Thu, 14 Jul 2016 15:30:00 -0400

A variey of trends and technologies are combining to increase telecommunications network access and capacity--good news for design firms and contractors serving this sector.

Lead Tests in Capitol Hill Office Building Leave Legislators, Staff Members Dry

Wed, 06 Jul 2016 10:00:00 -0400

A Date With "Disruption"

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 11:40:00 -0400

The looming influence of connected and autonomous vehicles on transportation infrastructure was the topic of an Infrastructure Week discussion on Capitol Hill, sponsored by AASHTO and the Eno Center for Transportation.

Journey Toward New NC Beach Bridge Begins With A Single Piling

Fri, 13 May 2016 14:40:00 -0400

What’s so special about a concrete piling? For North Carolina’s Outer Banks, it means quite a bit, especially when it’s the first of many to support a new bridge.

Baltimore Tackles Two Troublesome Time Tunnels

Tue, 26 Apr 2016 17:00:00 -0400

The rail infrastructure that helped fuel Baltimore's evolution into an East Coast port and industrial hub are not keeping up with the times.

HOT Lane Extensions Coming to Northern Va.

Sat, 02 Apr 2016 15:00:00 -0400

Virginia continues its use of P3 project delivery to expand capacity on some of its busiest DC-area highways.

As The Tide Turns: Virginia Beach’s Long-Running Light-Rail Saga

Thu, 10 Mar 2016 11:10:00 -0500

Opponents of a planned light-rail extension in Virginia Beach cast their hopes to the ballot box.

No DC Streetcar in 2015

Mon, 07 Dec 2015 10:00:00 -0500

Despite being seemingly on the cusp of full operations for months, a date for the official debut of DC's streetcar line remains uncertain.

VDOT Turns to Tolls to Solve I-66's Longstanding Congestion Woes

Fri, 18 Sep 2015 00:00:00 -0400

One road. One solution. Two plans. That’s the approach the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is taking with its latest attempt to rectify ever-increasing congestion on Interstate 66, Northern Virginia’s primary east-west corridor into Washington, D.C.

Four Teams Shortlisted for Chesapeake Bay Parallel Tunnel Project

Tue, 11 Aug 2015 16:03:07 -0400

Purple Line Gains Momentum, Albeit With Fingers Crossed

Tue, 28 Jul 2015 00:00:00 -0400

Following Governor's approval, the wheels are turning on Maryland Purple Line LRT. Will this positive traction be sustained?

I-66 Tolling Plan Could Put Va. Back in the P3 Business

Mon, 20 Jul 2015 16:25:23 -0400

The Virginia Department of Transportation has held conversations with five teams about the potential of using private dollars to help finance the addition of 25 miles of HOT lanes along I-66 between the Capital Beltway and Haymarket.

Northward Bound? Virginia Eyes Extending Beltway HOT Lanes Across the Potomac

Tue, 14 Jul 2015 17:20:37 -0400

VDOT study recommends exploring adding a Potomac River crossing to Virginia’s network of DC-area high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes.

Barrier Island Bridge Replacement is (Finally) a Go

Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:18:00 -0400

After years of litigation, dueling studies, and finger-pointing, the combatants in the long-running dispute over replacing the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge on North Carolina’s Outer Banks have finally found common ground. And, it’s the kind you can build on.

Will An "Engraved Inivitation" Make the Difference for Maryland's Purple Line?

Thu, 11 Jun 2015 15:44:06 -0400

How eager are proponents of Maryland’s proposed Purple Line light rail system to woo the state’s skeptical governor? How about pitching a site visit with a supersized “engraved invitation?”

Va. Beach City Council Vote Keeps Light Rail Extension Plan Rolling

Wed, 13 May 2015 00:00:00 -0400

The Virginia Beach, Va., City Council endorsesHampton Road Transit’s ongoing planning studies for an extension of the existing Tide system and including $20 million for the project in its FY 2016 budget.

DC Area’s “Silver” Transportation Projects Gaining a Tarnished Reputation

Wed, 29 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400

Transportation planners should have second thoughts before assigning a certain color to high-profile projects.

Light Rail Construction Milestone is a Welcome Bright Spot for a Beleaguered Airport

Sun, 19 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400

This week, the first precast concrete guide rail support girders for the Metrorail Silver Line will be installed at Washington Dulles International Airport.

Rebar Madness: NC Basks in Booming Solar Energy Market

Mon, 06 Apr 2015 10:44:06 -0400

California may be the runway leader among U.S. states in developing solar energy projects, but North Carolina is among the best of the rest.

Rebar Madness: Bullitt Center Tenants Profit From Green Design's Promise

Fri, 03 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400

Seattle's Bullitt Center took green design to new levels. And the results are exceeding expectations.

Rebar Madness: Va. Receives First Offshore Wind Energy Research Lease

Wed, 25 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0400

By the end 2017, two wind turbines off the coast of Virginia could be supplying 12 megawatts of power to the nation’s power grid, providing government energy regulators with valuable information about the practicality of large offshore wind farms.

Rebar Madness: $125M Renovation Wakes Up the Watergate Hotel

Fri, 20 Mar 2015 13:46:02 -0400

After being idled for seven years, Washington, D.C.'s Watergate Hotel is being readied to once again provide high-end hospitality that might make guests forget it's role in history...at least for a little while.

Rebar Madness: TBM Trials and Triumphs in Seattle

Thu, 19 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0400

The home of grunge, craft beer, and potent coffee is also the setting for several divergent tunnel boring machine (TBM) sagas

Rebar Madness: DC Streetcar System Faces an Uncertain Future

Tue, 10 Mar 2015 00:00:00 -0400

A bad night in February heightens concerns about a multi-billion transportation program already beset by skepticism.

Rebar Madness: Here Comes the Hyperloop

Thu, 26 Feb 2015 15:02:28 -0500

Construction is set to begin next year on a five-mile, $100 million test track for the Hyperloop, a transport system backed by entrepreneur Elon Musk.

Rebar Madness: New Surveys Reveal a Slightly Smaller Washington Monument

Mon, 16 Feb 2015 11:15:38 -0500

The National Park Service and the National Geodetic Survey have announced that the Washington Monument is not quite the 555 feet, 5-1/8 inches tall as measured by government surveyors following its long-delayed completion in 1884.

Rebar Madness: Telling the Story of Infrastructure Through Maps

Wed, 11 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Digital maps can tell us a lot about our infrastructure--and ourselves.

Rebar Madness: And Her Name Was Nannie

Fri, 12 Dec 2014 15:32:40 -0500

Nannie, the newest member of the DC Water’s $2.6 billion Clean Rivers Project team didn’t have much to say at her formal introduction on the banks of the Anacostia River on December 12. But then, tunnel boring machines (TBMs) tend to do most of their “talking” underground. Christened to honor