ARTBA Washington Newsline

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NewslineWashington

Leaders Bicker But Keep Focus on Final Bill

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ARTBA to Honor Corporate Women Leader Programs

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Marsh and ARTBA Launch Heavy Highway Insurance Program. Contact ARTBA’s Rich Juliano at 202.289.4434 for more information.

ARTBA National Convention 110th Anniversary Special: Register by July 1 and save $110!

Does your company have an exceptional program aimed at promoting women leaders? Do you encourage them to become leaders in construction industry associations or other community groups? If so, ARTBA wants to help you earn the national recognition you deserve.

Submit your nomination by June 22 for the ARTBA Foundation’s “Glass Hammer Award,” which is part of the association’s “Women Leaders

Elvis Wants You to Register Before July 1 for ARTBA Memphis ConventionWe’ll be “Talkin’ in Memphis” at the September 11-14 ARTBA National Convention, and we want you to participate in the conversation.

We’ve got a slate of top-notch speakers, including Scott McKain, a best-selling author of several business books, who will reveal how to create more compelling connections

Leaders of the surface transportation reauthorization conference committee last week expressed their frustrations with the negotiation process, but vowed to keep working on a final compromise ahead of a June 30 expiration of the federal surface transportation programs. Much of the bickering between House Republicans and Senate Democrats centered around the willingness of the other

to compromise on a wide variety of topics, including the Transportation Enhancements program, environmental streamlining, and the Keystone XL pipeline. Importantly, both Conference Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Vice Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) continue to maintain the goal is a final agreement before June 30. Although the clock is ticking, the chambers could schedule a

vote to approve a final package on very short notice compared to most legislative initiatives. Boxer last week said she would ask Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to hold a meeting with transportation leaders to push the negotiations over the goal line. As always, ARTBA will keep you apprised of developments as they occur.

2 ARTBA Washington Newsline

Upcoming EventsVisit our Events Page for more information.

TransOvation WorkshopJuly 25-27Leesburg, Va. [Add to Calendar]

National ConventionSeptember 11–14 Memphis, Tenn. [Add to Calendar]

LōTrans Virtual Conference & Innovation ShowcaseSeptember 18 - 20[Add to Calendar]

P3s in Transportation ConferenceOctober 11–12 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]

4th Annual Construction Law & Regulatory ForumOctober 24-25Washington, D.C.

Western Regional MeetingNovember 27-28San Francisco, Calif.[Add to Calendar]

Central Regional MeetingNovember 29-30Chicago, Ill.[Add to Calendar]

Southern Regional MeetingDecember 3-4Atlanta, Ga. [Add to Calendar]

Northeastern Regional MeetingDecember 5-6Boston, Mass. [Add to Calendar]

2012

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ARTBA National Convention

Video Length: 2 1/2 minutes

Read the exhibitor prospectus to learn more about the sales and branding opportunities with LoTrans 2012.

Contact ARTBA’s sales team Peter Embrey or Ed Tarrant at 202.289.4434.

www.lotransvirtualconference.org.

between you and your customers, and how to stand out and move up, regardless of the economic climate.

Bill Logue, president and CEO of FedEx Freight Corporation, will share the company vision for the nation’s transportation network. He’ll also provide the “inside scoop” on how FedEx is able to move 1.5 million packages daily, on 42 miles of conveyor belts, at its hub at the Memphis Airport. And Dexter Muller, a senior vice president with the Memphis Chamber of Commerce will lead a discussion called “Memphis Logistics: We’ve Got the Moves.”

The program features an optional visit to Elvis’s home—Graceland— for the ARTBA Political Action Team Reception. If you register before July 1, we’ll take $110 off the price as part of ARTBA’s 110th anniversary special.

Check out the full schedule: www.artbanationalconvention.org. Contact ARTBA’s Vice President of Meetings & Events Ed Tarrant at 202.289.4434 to join the growing list of convention sponsors.

3ARTBA Washington Newsline

Products & Services

Glass Hammer Awards Deadline Friday, June 22Continued from page 1

Connect with Industry Leaders: Advertise in ARTBA’s Digital Buyers Guide

Promote your firm’s products and services before a wide audience of material suppliers, manufacturers, design firms and contractors.

Contact ARTBA’s Peter Embrey for more information.

in Transportation Design & Construction Awards” program.

The Glass Hammer is given annually to three industry firms that have “innovative programs and activities directed at successfully promoting

women leaders within their organization.” Extra credit is given to those firms that

also “promote women leadership within the associations and community organizations they financially support.”

Last year’s winners were: Corman Construction, AECOM and the Texas Transportation Institute. To help you

Check out the 2012 Transportation Construction Safety Program Brochure

Transportation Construction Safety Program 1

TRANSPORTATION CONSTRUCTION SAFETY PROGRAM

Leadership...Innovation...Results

The ARTBA co-chaired Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) launched a radio advertising blitz June 13-15 targeting four members of the highway/transit bill conference committee: Reps. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Southerland (R-Fla.) and Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio).

“With billions of dollars at stake, and thousands of good paying jobs, it is time for Congress to take action,” the radio ads noted, asking, “Will your congressman be part of the problem, or part of the transportation solution?”

The ads also mentioned the number of deficient bridges in each congressional district and asked constituents to contact the district offices of the congressmen and urge them to make sure a new transportation bill is completed by the June 30 deadline.

The four members of Congress were targeted either because this is the first time they have been involved in negotiating a transportation bill (Southerland and Lankford) or because they serve on finance and tax committees in Congress and are in a position to help ensure the federal transportation program has adequate funding to improve road, bridge and transit quality and safety (Camp and Tiberi).

TCC Radio Ads Target Highway/Transit Bill Conferees

in preparing your nomination, learn more about their programs and why they were selected as winners by the judges.

Remember, the deadline is close of business on Friday, June 22.

Contact ARTBA’s Awards Program Manager Holly DiGangi with questions.

4 ARTBA Washington Newsline

Overheard“ ”

TRB Newsletter: June 12 Highlighting new research, technologies, industry best practices and information resources available to the transportation design and construction industry.

A service of ARTBA’s multi-modal councils, it features current transportation developments making news across all modes and regions. Contact: Caitrin Reed to become a subscriber.

Fostering Innovation

MultimodalNews

“Lawmakers are now in discussion shrouded in secrecy and working against a June 30 deadline to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions [of the highway and transit bill]. Sens. Boxer and Inhofe are united in support of their chamber’s bill; disarray among House Republicans seems to be the main obstacle to agreement.”

Ross K. Baker, political science professor at Rutgers University, in a June 12 “USA Today” op-ed “Polarization Cripples Congress?”

“We’re doing that all day, back and forth. They’re sending us language, we’re sending them language, and we’ve done it for about, say, 75 percent of the bill. I think everybody is moving toward one another — it’s good.”

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) June 12 on the progress of the reauthorization conference committee negotiations.

“I’m not ready to do an extension yet. I don’t even want to talk about it now. Senator Boxer and Senator Inhofe have worked very hard. I think that we could surprise everybody and get a bill done here.”

Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to reporters June 12.

“[I will reach out to House Republicans] to make sure they appreciate the reforms that we were able to get in over here, that I’m still in shock we were able to do it.”

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) June 13 on next steps in the conference negotiation process.

“I think it’s indicative of the way this administration and Senate Democrats do things. It’s Chicago-style thuggery politics and they’re trying to ram this through the Congress, just like they did the health care bill.”

Transportation Conferee Rep. Larry Buchson (R-Ind.) on the progress of the 32-month overdue surface transportation reauthorization.

Legislative & Regulatory NewsPresidential Candidates Offer Economic Visions

President Barack Obama (D) and Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney delivered speeches in Ohio last week laying out their respective visions for the economy. The president included investment in transportation infrastructure as a key component to future economic growth and made reference for the second time in as many weeks to his “American Jobs Act” proposals from last year:

“At a time when we have so much deferred maintenance on our nation’s infrastructure -- schools that are crumbling, roads that are broken, bridges that are buckling -- now is not the time to saddle American businesses with crumbling roads and bridges. Now is the time to rebuild America. So my plan would take half the money we’re no longer spending on war—let’s use it to do some nation-building

here at home. Let’s put some folks to work right here at home.

“My plan would get rid of pet projects and government boondoggles and bridges to nowhere. But if we want businesses to come here and to hire here, we have to provide the highways and the runways and the ports and the broadband access, all of which move goods and products and information across the globe. My plan sets up an independent fund to attract private dollars and issue loans for new construction projects based on two criteria: how badly are they needed, and how much good will they do for the economy.”

Referring to proposals to extend or increase tax cuts going forward, the president said, “I don’t believe that tax cut is more likely to create jobs than providing loans to new entrepreneurs or tax credits to small business owners who hire veterans. I don’t believe it’s more likely to spur economic growth than investments

5ARTBA Washington Newsline

Download a PDF copy of the digital “Washington Newsline.”

It’s that time of year again for the ARTBA Planning & Design Division “Engineering Issues” events at all of the regional AASHTO meetings. Here are the locations and dates:

WASHTO: www.washto2012.com (Colorado Springs, Colo. – Crowne Plaza Hotel – July 8-11) ARTBA CEO Luncheon: Wednesday, July 11 from 12 – 1:30 p.m.

MAASTO: www.maastoconference.org (Lexington, Ky. – Hyatt Regency Lexington – July 17-20) ARTBA CEO Breakfast: Wednesday, July 18 from 7 – 8:30 a.m.

SASHTO: www.sashto2012.org (Charleston, S.C. – Charleston Place Hotel – Aug. 25-29) ARTBA CEO Luncheon: Monday, August 27 from 12 – 2 p.m.

Space is limited so RSVP soon to ARTBA’s Brie Johnson at bjohnson@artba.org

ARTBA PLANNING & DESIGN DIVISION “ENGINEERING ISSUES” EVENTS

in clean energy technology and medical research, or in new roads and bridges and runways.”

Romney for his part made only one reference to infrastructure investment programs: “The president’s policies have made it harder to hire people…that stimulus didn’t work…that stimulus didn’t put more private sector people to work.”

The stimulus, formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provided $48 billion in federal transportation investments. Of this amount, just over $27 billion was dedicated to highway investments which supported 13,376 construction projects nationwide. Read ARTBA’s latest analysis of ARRA highway obligations.

Coordinating Internet with Interstates

The White House June 14 issued an executive order requiring federal agencies to coordinate the implementation of broadband Internet projects with ongoing highway construction whenever feasible to minimize the costs of excavating. According to the Federal Highway Administration, digging up and rebuilding roads solely for the purpose of installing fiber optic cables comprises 90 percent of private companies’ cost of broadband cable deployment, whereas adding the cables during existing construction adds just one percent to existing highway projects. The order coincided with the president’s campaign speech in Ohio on the economy, in which infrastructure investment was prominently featured.

ARTBA held its annual Engineering Issues Breakfast at the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials (NASTO) regional conference in Baltimore, Md., on June 12. ARTBA hosts a breakfast or lunch event at each of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials regional meetings, bringing together members of the ARTBA Planning and Design Division with state DOT leaders for updates on transportation programs and opportunities in each of the states.

Pictured above (left to right): ARTBA Northeast Region Vice Chairman Nick Ivanoff, Ammann & Whitney; Robert Zerillo, New York DOT; Doug Simmons, Maryland DOT; Ravindra Ganvir, DC DOT; Darrell Mobley, Maryland DOT; Ernie Blais, FHWA, New Jersey Division; and Dave Kuhn, New Jersey DOT. Other event speakers, not pictured, included: Shailen Bhatt, Delaware DOT; Michael Lewis, Rhode Island DOT and Brian Searles, Vermont DOT.

EPA Proposes Tighter Standards for Soot

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) June 14 announced a proposal to tighten the federal standards for particulate matter (PM), or soot. If implemented, any counties not in compliance with the new, stricter EPA proposal could face the withholding of their federal highway funds. ARTBA has repeatedly argued to the EPA in multiple sets of regulatory comments that counties are still trying to comply with existing PM standards and EPA should not negate such efforts by “moving the goalposts.” Further, ARTBA has urged EPA to take note of current progress in reducing overall PM levels before making new public policy decisions which would result in further regulation and delays to critically-needed transportation projects. While the details of the plan have not yet been released, EPA has announced there will be public hearings on the proposed rule in July, and there will also be a public comment period. ARTBA will be opposing the latest EPA attempt to tighten air quality standards in all available forums.

A Unique Workshop for Transportation Design & Construction Professionals

July 25-27Lansdowne Resort & Conference CenterLeesburg, Va.

Danny Forster,Host of “Build It

Bigger,” Discovery Channel

Ted Zoli, HNTB

Vice President

Victor Mendez, Federal Highway

Administrator

Ross Smith, Microsoft,

Director of Test

James Pinkerton, Fox News Channel

Sean Connaughton,Secretary of

Transportation, Commonwealth

of Virginia

John Hillman, HC Bridge Company

President & CEO

• Learnhowleadingfirmsarecreatingandsustaininggrowththroughinnovation.• Develop strategies for fostering innovative practices into everyday project management.• See how new technologies are changing the way we design, build and manage

transportation infrastructure.• ParticipateinacollaborativeworkshopwithstateDOTofficialsonwaystoreduce

roadway fatalities.

Register: www.transovation.org

Information provided by the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse, award #DTFH61-06-H-00015, does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, (FHWA) or the American Road & Transportation Builders Association-Transportation Development Foundation. References to specific products and services do not imply endorsement by the Clearinghouse or FHWA.

Best Practices in Work Zone Safety @ Local Transportation Asset Management

Virtual Conference & Innovation Showcase

We know that budgets are tight and travel limited. That’s why the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse is bringing a 21st century educational and exhibit experience directly to you…virtually! No registration fees. No travel expenses. No time out of the office or away from family. Scheduled for September 18-20 at your desktop or laptop, the Clearinghouse will host the comprehen-sive “Best Practices in Work Zone Safety” at the Local Transportation Asset Management Virtual Conference & Innovation Showcase, or LoTrans™ 2012. Top industry firms will be exhibiting their products and services, and the following industry leaders are confirmed for presentations on these topics: Roadway Safety+ Series • Don Elisburg, consultant: “Overview of Roadway Safety”• Melisa Finley, Texas Transportation Institute associate research engineer: “Speed Management in Work

Zones”• Emmett Russell, IUOE safety and health director (retired): “Preventing Runovers & Backovers”• Travis Parsons, LHSFNA senior safety and health specialist: “Work Zone Safety: Motorcyclists & Bicyclists”• Omar Lopez, ARTBA safety and Spanish training specialist: “Occupational Hazards” (Spanish) Hot Topics • Dave Fosbroke, NIOSH statistician: “Internal Traffic Control Plans”• Tim Gardner, manager, regulatory affairs, performance safety materials, 3M Occupational Health &

Environmental Safety Division: “The Art of Conspicuity”• T. Bella Dinh-Zarr, FIA Foundation safety director: “Decade of Action for Roadway Safety”• Bob Johnson, Granite Construction Company director of safety: “Best Contractor Safety Practices”• Bud Wright, Barrier Systems transportation policy consultant: “Why Investment in Safety Pays Back”• Jim Keaton, Barrier Systems vice president of sales and marketing: “Moveable Barrier in Work Zones”• Eric Hedman, marketing operations manager, 3M Traffic Safety Systems Division: “Sign Management

Strategies”• Kelly Hardy, AASHTO highway safety program manager: “Towards Zero Deaths”• Tracy Scriba, work zone program manager, FHWA Office of Operations and Paul Pisano, work zone team

leader, FHWA Office of Operations: “Work Zone Safety – The Federal Government’s Perspective” Free registration is available now: www.lotransvirtualconference.org. Contact Clearinghouse Communications & Project Manager Lisa McCluskey with any questions.

www.lotransvirtualconference.org LoTrans™ 2012

September 18-20, at your desktop

save the date