| News for and about the civil engineering community |  |
| Top Story |  |  |
|
- Tappan Zee Constructors only team in talks with Gov. Coumo
Tappan Zee Constructors -- made up of Fluor Enterprises, American Bridge Co., Granite Construction Northeast and Traylor Bros. -- has been chosen by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration to enter contract negotiations to build the $5 billion replacement of the Tappan Zee Bridge, The Wall Street Journal reports. This doesn't necessarily mean the team will win the design-build contract. However, other contenders have been told there is no reason for more discussions with them. The Wall Street Journal
(10/25)     
| Infrastructure Watch | | |
|
- Seattle's SR 520 bridge estimated cost drops, shrinking funding gap
The gap in financing the construction of Seattle's new State Route 520 bridge has shrunk from $2.1 billion to $1.4 billion, thanks to a new federal loan and "good" progress on the east approach to the bridge. However, one of the repaired concrete pontoons is still leaking, causing some concern. The state will not accept the pontoons "until they are watertight." The Seattle Times
(10/25)
- Illinois Tollway's tentative 2013 budget includes $771M for 2 projects
The Illinois Tollway has launched a tentative 2013 budget that would provide $771 million for the Elgin-O'Hare bypass project and reconstruction and widening of the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The projects are part of a $12.1 billion, 15-year public works program. "This budget doubles the tollway’s capital spending over 2012, prioritizes improvements to our roadways and customer service," said Kristi Lafleur, the state's Toll Highway Authority executive director. Chicago Tribune (free registration)
(10/25)
| Trends & Technology | | |
|
- Using iPads in curb-ramp inventory saves Minneapolis $250,000
Inventory of Minneapolis' 15,000 pedestrian curb ramps was expected to take eight months and cost $500,000, but use of Apple's iPad reduced the project to 3½ months and $250,000. "Instead of having to have to drive out to that intersection, engineers can actually just pull up that intersection now and take a look at it," city engineer Barbara McCloud said. The project aimed to improve infrastructure and ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. KSTP-TV (Minneapolis)
(10/25)
| Sustainable Development | | |
|
- L.A.'s new bridge to be an icon of sustainability
Los Angeles' Sixth Street Bridge, known for its concrete arches, suffers from "concrete cancer," and Missouri-based HNTB Corp. has won an international competition to design a replacement. Sustainability will be a key component of the $401 million project, which includes bridge access for bicycles and pedestrians, as well as a park and plaza. Construction could begin in 2015 and the bridge should be finished in late 2018. Inhabitat
(10/25), The Kansas City Star (Mo.)
(10/22)
- Self-sustaining, vehicle-free satellite city planned in China
Chengdu Tianfu District Great City is being designed as a self-sustaining, car-free, environmentally conscious satellite city that can be a model for all of China. The project, designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, will be constructed within eight years and host 30,000 families made up of 80,000 people. "This project will provide all basic services to its residents through a sustainable infrastructure that supports education, commerce, culture and an improved quality of life," said architect Adrian Smith. Popular Science
(10/25)
| Advancing the Profession | | |
|
- Do you lead or do you just pretend?
Leaders can be thought of as the actors of business -- the bad ones are transparently inauthentic, while the best inspire and enrapture, Alan Derek Utley writes. Along with authenticity is the need to receive honest feedback. "For most of us, our reviews aren't likely published for public view. But the best leaders seek out reviews, and don't stop at the ones that are glowing. They find the truth tellers who genuinely want them to be better," Utley writes. LeadChangeGroup.com
(10/25)
- Companies should communicate like humans
Leaders should use authentic, down-to-earth language and insist that their communications team do the same, writes Rod Sweet. Stuffy, ostentatious language and an over-reliance on corporate buzzwords get in the way of direct communication and turn off your customers, Sweet warns. "Make your sentences so short, naked and plain that it hurts," he advises. ThoughtLeaders blog
(10/24)
| News from ASCE | | |
|
-
Celebrate ASCE's 160th anniversary with our T-shirt
ASCE turns 160 years old next week! Yes, the Society's origins date officially to Nov. 5, 1852. Commemorate the occasion with your own ASCE 160th Anniversary T-shirt; short ($12) or long sleeve ($17), sizes men's small to 3X. These shirts were the hit of ASCE's Annual Conference last week in Montreal and have been very popular on Facebook, so don't delay -- order today. Visit www.asce.org/giftstore and scroll toward the bottom to get your own.
| SmartQuote | | |
|
 | Be a lion at home and a fox abroad."
|
| |
| |
|
Read more at SmartBrief.com |
|
A powerful website for SmartBrief readers including:
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| | Recent ASCE SmartBrief Issues:
- Thursday, October 25, 2012
- Wednesday, October 24, 2012
- Tuesday, October 23, 2012
- Monday, October 22, 2012
- Friday, October 19, 2012
| | | Lead Editor: Jennifer Hicks
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 | |
| |
|
| © 1999-2012 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information |
|
