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| Infrastructure Watch | | |
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- Lawmakers in Ore. must make CRC decision soon
The $3.2 billion Columbia River Crossing project is a 5-mile-long project that includes a bridge between Oregon and Washington, freeway expansions and rail transit. Each state must commit about $450 million in order for the project to gain federal funding. Lawmakers in Oregon aren't vocal in their support as the election nears, but they've been told their decision needs to be made soon, or the states risk losing the federal dollars. The Oregonian (Portland)
(9/12)     
- N.Y. Hudson Yards project to enter second stage in mid-2013
The second part of the Hudson Yards project in New York is slated to begin in the middle of 2013, according to Stephen Ross, chairman of Related Cos., the project developer. This phase -- still on the eastern side of the project -- calls for construction of a second office tower, a large retail complex, hotel and some residential units. Completion of the eastern portion of the site is expected to cost $6 billion. Bloomberg
(9/12)
- Land sale would advance $1.5B medical village project in Nevada
A specialty land sale from the city of Henderson, Nev., will help advance a $1.5 billion mixed-use health care project and generate jobs for the state, writes Tony Illia. Union Village, a public-private partnership project, is expected to generate 17,000 jobs, according to project principal David Baker. However, the initiative needs to obtain approval from the Henderson City Council to be able to secure escrow on the land sale worth $11.6 million, Baker said. Engineering News-Record
(9/17)
| Trends & Technology | | |
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- Invasion of the robots? Not yet
Robots have yet to be seen on construction sites, but some companies are actively pursuing technologies and innovations that could make them a part of the crew. For instance, Quantum International Corp. is working on developing home-building robots that can read CAD drawings and use 3D printing. Construction Informer blog
(9/11)
| Sustainable Development | | |
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| Election 2012 | | |
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- Professors: Presidential election won't affect U.S. economy
President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney say they offer a clear choice for the U.S. economy, but three professors at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School say the outcome of the presidential election will have little effect on the economic outlook. "The notion in the political debate is that if you just do something a little bit differently, things will get much better," said finance professor Franklin Allen. "But it doesn't work like that." Knowledge@Wharton
(9/12)
| Advancing the Profession | | |
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- How to fool your brain into succeeding
If you use "don't" messages -- such as "don't fail" or "don't hit the ball in the water" -- your brain tends to latch on to the messages' core content, with disastrous results, S. Chris Edmonds writes. It's more effective to use positive messaging, such as "succeed" or "hit the ball onto the fairway," which leaves no room for cerebral confusion. "At least, with positively stated messages, your brain won't sabotage your efforts right out of the gate," Edmonds writes. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership
(9/11)
- Leadership lessons learned on the water
Leading a company, like piloting a stand-up paddle board, requires the willingness to address big challenges, writes Julie Winkle Giulioni. "While paddle boarding, you learn to point the board directly into the most intimidating part of the wave and paddle with conviction," she writes. Leaders should also keep driving the company forward and shouldn't let the possibility of failure discourage them, she writes. TanveerNaseer.com
(9/11)
| News from ASCE | | |
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ASCE issues new "Failure to Act" report on airports, marine ports, inland waterways
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In its latest "Failure to Act" report on the economic impact of underinvestment in America’s infrastructure, ASCE has projected a significant gap between planned investment and spending needs for the nation's airports, marine ports and inland waterways. With ports and inland waterways critical to our nation’s global competitiveness, ASCE's report forecasts investment falling $16 billion short of the $30 billion needed through 2020. For airports, ASCE projects a gap of $19 billion from a total need of $114 billion. Failing to meet the gaps creates a drag on the economy by causing congestion and delays, especially for U.S. importers and exporters, leading to higher transportation costs and causing the price of goods to rise. Read and download the full report. The fourth in the Failure to Act series was released at an event in Washington, D.C., moderated by ASCE President Andy Herrmann, joined by Virginia Port Authority Executive Director Jerry Bridges and President of Cargo Carriers Rick Calhoun. Previous Failure to Act reports have analyzed electricity, surface transportation, and drinking water and waste water. Access the complete series at www.asce.org/failuretoact.
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