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- LaHood: "Think outside the box" on funding transportation
Outgoing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the next secretary should push Congress toward considering new funding mechanisms for transportation. "The next decisions that will be made by this Congress, by this administration, will have to be bold if we're going to continue our efforts to fix up our roads, keep our highways in a state of good repair, to fix up unsafe bridges," LaHood said. "We need a bold plan, and a bold way to fund it." The Hill/Transportation blog
(2/6)     
| Infrastructure Watch | | |
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- First $5.4B in Sandy recovery aid going to 5 states
The first $5.4 billion tranche in funding for states affected by damage from Superstorm Sandy is ready to be distributed. New York will get $3.5 billion, and $1.9 billion will be divided among New Jersey, Maryland, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Each state and New York City will need to send the Department of Housing and Urban Development plans about how they want to use the money. Courier-Post (Camden-Cherry Hill, N.J.)
(2/5)
- Funding uncertainty could halt design work on 2 Md. transit projects
Without an increase in Maryland's transportation tax, design work on the proposed $2.15 billion Purple Line and $545 million Corridor Cities Transitway projects could be put on hold, according to state budget plans. "Without a revenue increase, it doesn’t make sense to proceed into a phase of design that we can't complete," said Leif Dormsjo, acting deputy secretary of the state's transportation department. The Montgomery County Council contends that if funding ends, "these two lines will stop dead in their tracks. After more than a decade of work on these two projects, this is unacceptable.” The Washington Post
(2/6)
| Trends & Technology | | |
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- 2030 forecast: A technology-driven building industry
By 2030, technological advances such as building information modeling, three-dimensional printing and assembly-type building materials will facilitate project completion by 50%, according to this article. "Increased precision, energy performance, and sustainable construction will result, with better quality control and much less job-site waste" that will make construction more similar to a manufacturing process, writes Phillip Bernstein. Engineering News-Record
(2/6)
| Sustainable Development | | |
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- Holistic approach could produce more sustainable buildings
 A holistic approach to building is needed, writes engineer Dino Green. Because buildings are a major energy hog, we need to build green, but at the same time provide structures that improve quality of life, he says. In this piece, Green looks at some solutions such as the elimination of "energy waste" and an adoption of a "greener lifestyle" that would integrate with energy-efficient structures. Green Building Elements
(2/6)
- $1.65B clean-coal project in Ill. moves to next phase
A $1.65 billion FutureGen 2.0 clean-coal project in Illinois will advance to the design stage after it received approval from the Department of Energy. The project's storage capacity is estimated to reach more than 1 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. "This groundbreaking project will help pave the way for other cleaner and more sustainable advanced coal-burning power plants," according to the DOE. The State Journal-Register (Springfield, Ill.)
(2/5)
| Advancing the Profession | | |
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- Why good leaders ask "power questions"
Smart leaders are good conversationalists, which means they know that it's better to ask questions than to talk incessantly, says business author Andrew Sobel. Your curiosity will empower the other person, allowing you both to make a good impression and to learn from them. "When you ask thoughtful questions you supercharge your conversations," Sobel explains. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership
(2/5)
| News from ASCE | | |
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Free webinar: Get the 2013 Report Card message out at the local level
Discover how you can take advantage of what will be a great opportunity this spring to raise awareness for infrastructure in a new ASCE eLearning Webinar, free for Society members. Your Section’s Role in the 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, presented by Emily Fishkin, ASCE senior manager of infrastructure initiatives, is intended for all members as well as Section and Branch leaders. You'll learn how to send key messages, resources available, what Section or Branch leaders can do, and get a special preview of the handy 2013 Report Card app for smartphones and tablets. The webinar will be held Tuesday, Feb. 12, from 2-3 p.m. ET. Register now.
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