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- National HSR blueprint to cost $500B, says LaHood
The U.S. High Speed Rail Association recently unveiled a proposed map for a 17,000-mile nationwide high-speed rail system. The four-stage project, which would cost about $500 billion to build, could connect 80% of the country's population within a 25-year period, said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The project would "revitalize our economy, reactivate our manufacturing sector, create millions of jobs, end our oil dependency, reduce congestion, and cut our carbon footprint by epic proportions," according to USHSR. International Business Times
(2/6)     
- Video of NYC's 3 giant transit expansion projects
 This piece provides updates on three of the biggest transit projects in New York City: the East Side Access project, the Second Avenue Subway project and the No. 7 subway line extension. The projects together are worth about $15 billion and could be completed in 2019. "These are vital projects, and they'll reinforce the infrastructure of the city," says Mitchell Moss, director of the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management at New York University. KOMO-TV/KOMO-AM (Seattle)/The Associated Press
(2/7)
- 2 finalists vie for $975M Minn. Vikings stadium contract
Minneapolis-based Mortenson Construction and the team of Hunt Construction and Kraus-Anderson are the two finalists vying to build the $975 million Minnesota Vikings stadium in Minneapolis. "We've got two great candidates and either one could do the job and deliver the project that we need," said Lester Bagley, Vikings vice president for stadium development. The winning bidder will be announced next week because the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority needs more information before the decision is made, according to Michele Kelm-Helgen, chairwoman of authority. Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.)
(2/8)
| Technology & Trends | |
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| Sustainability & Green Building | |
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- Higher-ed institutions leading the way to sustainability
 Several hundred U.S. colleges and universities have said they want to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Large corporations and small businesses can learn from the schools' experience because they face the same challenges sustainability challenges as the schools do, writes Georges Dyer. Dyer explains how Arizona State University overcame sustainability challenges through cultural transformation. GreenBiz.com/@edu Blog
(2/7)
| Leadership & HR | |
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- Planning and strategy aren't the same thing
Creating a "strategic plan" isn't the same thing as crafting a meaningful strategy, writes Roger Martin. A strategic plan is often simply a souped-up budget, while a strategy "is the making of an integrated set of choices that collectively position the firm in its industry so as to create sustainable advantage relative to competition," Martin argues. Harvard Business Review online/HBR Blog Network
(2/5)
| Policy Watch | |
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- Unlikely allies: Chamber, labor work on immigration reform
The Chamber of Commerce and labor unions have teamed up to advocate for immigration reform and propose changes to the current guest-worker program. Unions suggest that a panel of experts could use economic data to determine the number of guest workers needed. That number would change as the economy changes. However, the Chamber is skeptical, saying a panel would be "unwieldy" and slow. Both groups do see a need to devise a way in which undocumented workers could gain citizenship. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
(2/7)
| ACI News | |
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- Attention students: Free E-membership from ACI
In an effort to provide students worldwide with the connections, resources, and opportunities to be successful in their studies and -- ultimately -- in their careers, the American Concrete Institute has made membership free and easily accessible... electronically. Please take a few moments to learn more and apply for free membership today.
- Guide for Precast Concrete Wall Panels (533R-11)
This guide presents recommendations for precast concrete wall panels. It should be used with ACI 318, "Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete." This guide discusses the basic principles of design, tolerances, and materials, as well as fabrication, installation, quality requirements, and testing. Order your copy today.
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