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December 4, 2012

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News for and about the civil engineering community

Top Story

Private funds could cover most of Calif.'s HSR project costs
California is looking for as much as $55.1 billion in private funding for its $68.4 billion high-speed rail project, according to Gov. Jerry Brown's administration. The project is looking at sovereign wealth funds, endowments and pensions. "We have active interest in and outreach to sovereign funds and foreign consortia that are looking at us," said Jeffrey Morales, CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Bloomberg (12/3)

Infrastructure Watch

Tunnel collapse in Japan highlights aging infrastructure
Just as America's infrastructure is aging, so too is Japan's. The tunnel collapse outside Tokyo that killed nine people last weekend highlights the need to spend on upgrading and replacing the country's highways and bridges. However, as in the U.S., finding the funding for the work is a huge challenge. The Boston Globe/The Associated Press (tiered subscription model) (12/4), The Minnesota Daily (University of Minnesota) (12/4)

Sasol's U.S. gas-to-liquids project moves ahead
Sasol will commence initial work related to its $14 billion natural gas-to-liquids refinery in Westlake, La. A final decision on the project will be made in 2014 after engineering and design activities are completed, the company said. "The abundance of natural gas in North America gives GTL a great future here," said David Constable, CEO of Sasol. Fox Business/Dow Jones Newswires (12/3)

N.Y. bridge to get nearly $236M makeover
The Verrazano Narrows Bridge in New York will undergo a nearly $236 million upgrade. The project includes replacement of the upper roadway and a reversible high occupancy vehicle lane. Construction will begin in 2013 and will take about four years to complete. NY1 (New York City) (12/2)

Other News

Borer for $800M third Lake Mead intake to undergo maintenance
Las Vegas Review-Journal (12/3)

Trends & Technology

October saw construction spending at 37-month high
The rise in construction spending in October marked a 37-month high -- beating expectations -- according to a report by the Associated General Contractors of America. Spending rose 1.4% in October over September figures, with the multifamily housing sector up by 53% since October 2011 and even the weak public sector's numbers inching upward in October. The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, Calif.)/The Inland Economy blog (free registration) (12/3), Reuters (12/3), Bloomberg (12/3)

Is your city in the smartest top 10?
Boston, San Francisco and Seattle are among the top 10 smartest cities in North America, according to FastCoExist, which used data from a variety of sources -- including Siemens Green City Index and the Brookings Institution's Global Metro Monitor. The smart cities are "pushing the envelope of technology, sustainability, and better living conditions," writes Boyd Cohen. FastCoExist (12/3)

Trail called "intelligent infrastructure" built in Russian forest
An approximately 170-foot-long trampoline-like trail developed by Estonian architecture studio Salto has been installed in a Russian forest. Fast Track, the trail made of black rubber, is "an attempt to create [an] intelligent infrastructure that is emotional and corresponds to the local context, giving the user a different experience of moving and perceiving the environment," according to Salto. The Guardian (London) (12/3)

Sustainable Development

TVA seeks permanent measures to avoid major flooding in Tenn.
The Tennessee Valley Authority is working on an updated strategy for worst-case flooding at its Tennessee nuclear plants, including raising the height of dams and berms. The company years ago installed sand baskets to raise berm levels alongside some of the dams in the state, but these temporary measures aren't intended to last 100 years, said Mike Eiffe, TVA program manager for hydrology and hydraulics. Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tenn.) (12/3)

Advancing the Profession

Why good bosses don't get impatient


YouTube/JBaldoni52

Good leadership includes the ability to control the things you are able to while not worrying about things beyond your influence, John Baldoni notes. "We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond to it," Baldoni writes. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (11/30)

News from ASCE

Add ASCE professional certification to your credentials
The Academies of ASCE offer a post-licensure credential to civil engineers to help distinguish themselves in the fields of water resources, geotechnical, coastal, ocean, port, and navigation engineering. Certification recognizes the attainment of advanced knowledge and skills in a specialty area of civil engineering. ASCE created professional post-licensure certification in the various specialties within civil engineering. Specialty certification complements ASCE's goals of developing leadership, advancing technology, advocating lifelong learning, and promoting the profession. For more information, visit www.asce.org/certification.

Civil Engineering online exclusive: Ind. Completes Highway Years Early, Millions Ahead

The Indiana Department of Transportation capitalized on an innovative funding source to complete a portion of the long-awaited Interstate 69 far ahead of schedule and under budget. Read how they pulled it off, then discover more fascinating articles at www.asce.org/cemagazine.