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Infrastructure Watch

• Caltrans: Bay Bridge exceeds safety standards
  Caltrans is calling on the Sacramento Bee to retract a story that calls into question the safety of the new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in California. Caltrans says the newspaper's assertions are "completely inaccurate" and that the bridge exceeds "normal safety standards." Caltrans wrote to the Bee, pointing out what it said were flaws in the story. However, the paper's senior editor for investigations said Caltrans "misstate[d] what the story reported." The Sacramento Bee (Calif.) (free registration) (6/9)     

• $3.1B CRC is not high enough at 95 feet, river users say
  The $3.1 billion Columbia River Crossing's planned 95-foot clearance is inadequate and must be changed before the Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers provide a permit essential to proceeding. "I find that the vertical clearance for the proposed I-5 bridge does not fully address the reasonable needs of navigation for vessels which ply this stretch of the Columbia," according to Randall Overton, Coast Guard bridge administrator. The Oregonian (Portland) (6/8)     

• Rail work among Fla.'s preparations for wider Panama Canal
  Florida is investing in its rail systems in preparation for a widened Panama Canal in early 2015. For instance, more than $1 billion of work is being done in the Port of Miami and Port Everglades, including on-dock rail facilities that will provide direct access to Florida East Coast Railway. FEC is also building a transload facility later this year near Miami International Airport. DC Velocity online (6/7)     

• Other News

• Highway 4 widening project in Calif. reaches major milestone
  Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.) (6/9)     

Trends & Technology

• Engineers to split bridge lengthwise to widen it
  Vermont is working on a project to widen a historic Pennsylvania truss bridge by splitting it in two lengthwise. Engineers will jack the two sides apart, expand them and then reattach the sides. It should take only a day to separate, winch and refasten the bridge. Google/The Associated Press (6/10)     

• Analysis: Hopes for a robust U.S. recovery this year have died
  For a while it appeared that 2012 would be the year the U.S. economy picks up momentum, but those hopes are now all but dashed, and the outlook for the future is darkening, according to The Economist. Automatic spending cuts and tax increases equal to 5% of gross domestic product a year kick in at the end of 2012. "This all gives firms a powerful incentive to postpone hiring and investment until the resolution is known," the magazine notes. The Economist (6/9)     

Sustainable Development

• Want a down-and-dirty overview of LEED v4?
  This piece looks at the key revisions in LEED v4, formerly LEED 2012, that will apply to all of the LEED rating systems. Among the changes mentioned are the compliance paths in LEED BD+C and LEED ID+C and the splitting of the Neighborhood Development rating system into two paths. Green-Buildings.com (6/8)     

• Poticrete works its way into Wash. city's spec for recycled aggregate
  When the Public Works Department of Bellingham, Wash., developed a specification that required the inclusion of recycled aggregate in concrete, they also wanted to reduce the amount of construction waste going into its nearby landfills. One way to accomplish both goals is to use crushed ceramic toilets. Now, the department plans to create a wider market base for its Poticrete. "This project and this use of toilets is an example of the strategic risks that public agencies need to take in this day and age to encourage local markets that support recycled materials and more sustainable road projects," said Anthony Freeman, P.E., project engineer for Bellingham. EquipmentWorld.com (6/7)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by ASCE SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• MassDOT needs to replace Big Dig's crumbling concrete ramps (WHDH-TV (Boston))

• Updates to the wind, seismic load provisions of ASCE 7-10 (STRUCTURE magazine)

• 3 concerns prompt USGBC to postpone LEED 2012 (BuildingGreen.com)

• India to invest $1T on infrastructure projects in next 5 years (International Business Times)

• Nuclear plant construction: Challenging, complicated megaprojects (Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tenn.))

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Election 2012

• Pessimism grows about chance for long-term transportation bill
  Pessimism is growing about the chances of getting a long-term surface transportation bill before the current short-term extension runs out at the end of this month. That means more politicians are making more pointed comments. "Congress needs to do their job. Job number one is job creation," said Antonio Villaraigosa, Los Angeles mayor and U.S. Conference of Mayors' president. "We need to put people back to work," said Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy. "[States] are required to plan ahead. We need a federal surface transportation bill with a time horizon of more than one or three or six months." The Hill/Transportation blog (6/10)     

Advancing the Profession

• Solve problems by first saying, "I was wrong"
  Senior leaders can feel safe owning up to failures -- even indirect ones -- with an admittance of responsibility, even in front of a subordinate, says John Baldoni in this video. "It's a necessary step when you're seeking to turn around a situation. Sure, it shows vulnerability. To me, it also demonstrates strength of character," he says. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (6/8)     

• Leadership tips from former police chief William Bratton
  Good leadership boils down to creating teams that work well together, says William Bratton, who has headed the police departments of New York City and Los Angeles. That means picking the right people, creating platforms and incentives for collaboration, and making sure that your own passion and vision are clear to everyone in the organization. Inc. online (6/8)     

Featured Content

News from ASCE

• Does civil engineering run in the family? Tell us about it
  If you became a civil engineer because you were inspired by a parent and/or grandparent or other family member who was one, the ASCE Foundation would like to hear your story. Many engineers have entered the profession because it's practically a family tradition that spans generations, or they simply liked seeing what their dad did. Do you have such a legacy? Tell the Foundation about it. Your story will be included in a special compilation now being planned.     

Position Title Company Name Location Bridge Professionals Buckland & Taylor Ltd. US - WA - Seattle Professional Engineer/Project Manager BEC-LIN Engineering, LP US - TX - Houston ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER C.T. MALE ASSOCIATES US - NY - Latham Staff Tunnel Engineer Condor Earth Technologies, Inc. US - CA - Sonora

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SmartQuote

Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second." --William James, American psychologist and philosopher