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- Failing infrastructure has "cascading impact" on U.S. economy
Failure to spend $157 billion between now and 2020 to upgrade the U.S. infrastructure, including surface transportation, aviation, waterways, the electrical grid and sewers, could lead to losses of more than $3.1 trillion in gross domestic product and $1.1 trillion in total trade -- as well as a loss of 3.5 million jobs, according to the "Failure to Act" report by the American Society of Civil Engineers. "Infrastructure is the lifeblood of our economy and provides the foundation for assuring a high quality of life for all Americans," said ASCE president Gregory DiLoreto. "If we don’t invest now, all Americans will pay more in the long run." Bloomberg
(1/15), Reuters
(1/15), Business Insider
(1/15)     
| Infrastructure Watch | | |
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- $50.5B Sandy relief bill passes House
The House has passed a $50.5 billion spending bill to pay for recovery from superstorm Sandy. The bill would provide $16.3 billion to the Federal Transit Administration; $5.7 billion to Army Corps of Engineers projects; and $2 billion to the Federal Highway Administration. It moves next to the Senate. Engineering News-Record
(1/15), The Washington Post
(1/15)
- Report: Nearly $2B needed to fix Nev.'s highways, roads
Nevada needs $1.9 billion to restore 4,664 lane miles of its highways and roads, according to the Preservation of Highway Report. The growing backlog of road repairs "is primarily due to highway construction inflation not being matched by revenue increases from fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees over the years," the report noted. Las Vegas Sun
(1/14)
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| Sustainable Development | | |
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- Envision helps project gain "maximum sustainable performance"
The Envision rating system helped a Freese and Nichols design team maximize the sustainability of a road retrofit in Dallas. The team used low-impact design strategies to plan the retrofit and then used Envision to see how the retrofit could become more sustainable. Envision "allowed the project team to craft the project for maximum sustainable performance by taking advantage of the objective and subjective criteria brought forth by the system." The retrofit won the North Texas Land/Water Sustainability Forum Low Impact Design competition. Building 2050 Today blog
(1/9)
- Green infrastructure as tool to manage water resources
 Now is the time to broaden the use of green infrastructure techniques as a tool to manage water resources in the U.S., write Todd Gartner and James Mulligan. "We're in a critical moment -- natural ecosystems continue to degrade, existing gray infrastructure continues to age, and costs continue to rise," they note. "Even if just a portion of upcoming water infrastructure investment is directed toward green infrastructure, the opportunities for cost savings and water-related benefits are immense." WRI Insights
(1/10)
| Advancing the Profession | | |
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- 7 steps to becoming your own leader
Everyone is capable of being a leader, Kevin Eikenberry writes, but the key is to find the right leadership style. He suggests starting by getting to know yourself, beginning with understanding your values, personality, strengths and weaknesses. Becoming a leader takes time, Eikenberry writes, as well as a desire to receive feedback and continuously learn. KevinEikenberry.com
(1/14)
- 6 questions to help you define work balance
What are the parts of your work life you won't compromise? To find out, ask yourself what tasks, activities and other characteristics of your work and co-workers you want to protect or maintain, Mike Figliuolo writes. "Once you have the answers to these questions, you can begin to better define your boundaries at work, which should improve your job satisfaction and therefore improve your morale and performance," he writes. ThoughtLeaders blog
(1/14)
| News from ASCE | | |
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ASCE issues final Failure to Act study linking infrastructure investment and the economy
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A new economic study unveiled Tuesday by ASCE offers a comprehensive evaluation of the long-term effects on jobs, GDP and other economic indicators if the nation cannot meet the investment needs of key infrastructure sectors. Failure to Act: The Impact of Current Infrastructure Investment on America's Economic Future analyzes and quantifies the interactive effect that investment gaps in surface transportation, energy, water and wastewater, as well as airports, inland waterways, and marine ports could have on the nation’s economy. It found that if infrastructure investment remains at current levels, our nation will face losses of $3.1 trillion in gross domestic product and $1.1 trillion in trade by the year 2020, costing the average household $3,100 per year in disposable income. The fifth and final study in ASCE’s Failure to Act series is also a preface to the Society's 2013 Report Card for America's Infrastructure, due for release in March. Download the full report, as well as easy-to-follow infographics explaining the study’s findings.
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ASCE urges your comments on draft of key federal climate report
The National Climate Assessment is a key resource for understanding and communicating climate change science and its effects across the United States. Its findings influence federal science priorities as well as guide engineers, citizens, communities, and businesses to create more sustainable and environmentally sound plans for the nation's future. Through Feb. 15, civil engineers have an opportunity to review the draft 2014 assessment. You will get an advance look at its findings and be able to make recommendations for its improvement, including any additional research needed. Find out how and where you can act now to offer your input on this influential federal report.
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