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- Sandy: A reminder to strengthen U.S. infrastructure
Superstorm Sandy was a stark reminder of how vulnerable U.S. cities are and how infrastructure is being taken for granted, according to this piece. Sandy "illustrate[s] just how critical infrastructure is to a metropolitan area's economy," said Robert Puentes, director of infrastructure policy program at the Brookings Institution. "Hopefully, it will spur some action, not necessarily just in terms of huge federal outlays, but in deciding what the infrastructure needs are for a 21st century economy, and what is needed to withstand the kinds of storms we're seeing." San Francisco Chronicle
(11/1)     
| Infrastructure Watch | | |
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- Engineers: Flood barrier may save NYC from future flooding
Some engineers and scientists say New York City should consider building flood barriers to protect it from repeated disastrous damage. "Look, the city is extremely vulnerable to damaging storm surges just for its geography," said Climate Central's Ben Strauss. "Having had two storm surges within one year, and their both being major ones, I just find it very difficult to think the city could not go ahead and act," said Robert Trentlyon, a community activist in New York. CBS News
(11/1), The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
(10/30), Slate
(11/1)
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Giant inflatable plugs: A tool to stop subway flooding? Flooding at some of New York City's subway tunnels could have been blocked off with massive inflatable plugs, plug manufacturers said. The plugs, which are currently in development as tools to protect subway tunnels from terrorist attacks, were found to successfully hold back water earlier this year. "I think they could have stopped a fair amount of incursion of water in the transit system," said Dave Cadogan of ILC Dover. CNN
(11/1)
- "Harriet" begins boring $1B PortMiami tunnel’s second leg
Harriet, the $45 million, German-made boring machine, has started drilling the second tunnel of the $1 billion PortMiami project. Work on the tunnel’s second leg is slated to be finished in April, said Chris Hodgkins, Miami Access Tunnel vice president. The entire twin-tunnel project is scheduled for completion in May 2014. The Miami Herald (free registration)
(11/1)
| Trends & Technology | | |
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- Smart infrastructure: A solution to U.S. infrastructure woes
The addition of smart technology to vehicles, roads and bridges could help solve America's deteriorating infrastructure instead of the "patch and repair" system now used, writes Noelle Knell. "The return on investment from smart infrastructure is significant," said Scott Belcher, Intelligent Transportation Society of America's president and CEO. "When we look out 25 years, some things will happen that we can’t even conceive of because we’ll have the ability to do things that we don’t even know about today," said Blaine Leonard, former president of ASCE. GovTech.com
(11/1)
| Sustainable Development | | |
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- Will N.J. rebuild its Sandy-stricken shoreline?
Superstorm Sandy swept away beaches, homes, amusement parks and boardwalks along New Jersey's coast, and Gov. Chris Christie wants to rebuild. Shoreline conservation advocates recommend that the state consider a plan to protect coastal areas from destructive storms and suggest relocating businesses and homes farther from the ocean and constructing more seawalls. "The next 50 to 100 years are going to be very different than what we've seen in the past 50 years," said S. Jeffress Williams, a scientist emeritus at the U.S. Geological Survey's Woods Hole Science Center in Massachusetts. Google/The Associated Press
(11/1)
- Sustainable cities cannot ignore their use of global resources
 The ideal sustainable city must account for the worldwide movement of products and services, according to researchers based in Sweden. "Urban areas drive much of the global changes we see, whether in energy use, food supply, resource depletion or land-use change," said Sybil Seitzinger of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program. "The sustainability of a city can no longer be thought of in isolation from the combined resource use and impacts of cities globally," the researchers wrote. United Press International
(10/31)
| Advancing the Profession | | |
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- 7 steps to leading past your fears
It may be impossible not to feel scared sometimes, but leaders must work through that to keep team members brave and on track, Kevin Eikenberry writes. Among the seven steps he advises taking: "Acknowledge the team's emotions. If the team is scared, let them know it is OK; and be genuine with them about your feelings too," he writes. KevinEikenberry.com
(10/29)
| News from ASCE | | |
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You could be the next membership renewal contest winner of $101
Congratulations to Ronald Lee Hartje, P.E. M.ASCE, of the Los Angeles Section-Orange County, and Donald A. White, Aff.M.ASCE, of the Colorado Section, the latest winners of $101 each in ASCE's 2013 Member Renewal Contest. You could be next. Fifteen winners are being chosen randomly from among all members who renew through Dec. 14, with new winners chosen weekly. So the sooner you renew, the more chances you have to win. Hartje and White also helped their respective Sections advance in the Section Renewal Race. The current race standings have the Louisiana, Iowa, and West Virginia Sections leading their respective large, medium, and small categories. Among Younger Member Groups, Kansas City, Iowa and Rhode Island are ahead in their categories. ASCE membership demonstrates your commitment to professionalism and our profession. Now, why is the prize $101? Turn to your 2012-13 Member Resource Guide, sent with your September Civil Engineering magazine, for the answer.
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Get insights and advice from experts on managing "gigaprojects"
Megaprojects, costing more than $1 billion, are being surpassed by gigaprojects, with price tags higher than $10 billion. Former ASCE President Pat Galloway, Ph.D., P.E., Pres.04.ASCE, helps you understand how such massive projects are managed by taking you to them in a new book, Managing Gigaprojects: Advice from Those Who've Been There, Done That. A stellar group of experts shares lessons learned and best practices developed as they grappled with difficulties specific to such large-scale projects. Find out more about this fascinating, enlightening volume, and add it to your shelf today.
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