Sept. 27: FREE National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse Webinar, see page 5.

ARTBA Washington Newsline

S E P T E M B E R 1 9 , 2 0 1 1

NewslineWashington

Norquist & Rendell Spar on Transportation Investment

Using Coal Ash Will Save $100+ Billion Over 20 YearsThe cost to build roads, runways

and bridges would increase by

an estimated $104.6 billion

over the next 20 years if coal

fly ash is no longer available as

a transportation construction

building material, according

to a new study by the ARTBA

Foundation.

Fly ash—a byproduct of coal

combustion—is widely used as

a supplementary material in

the production of concrete and

is a mixture of choice for many

President Signs Surface & Aviation Program Extensions

Continued on page 4

Continued on page 3

Former Pennsylvania Governor

Ed Rendell and Americans for

Tax Reform President Grover

Norquist butted heads for 60

minutes about transportation

investment, taxes and federal

government budget priorities

during a September 16 policy

debate at Washington’s Union

Station.

Norquist criticized the

stimulus and the President’s

latest jobs proposal saying it

was more of “the same thing.”

He acknowledged the need

to make improvements to the

nation’s roads and bridges, and

said he would not oppose a gas

tax increase if it was offset by

tax cuts elsewhere.

Rendell said that a $200

billion infrastructure

investment spread out over a

decade would create five million

jobs. He called on Congress to

act on a long-term highway and

transit reauthorization bill that

significantly boosts investment.

Following the debate, a

panel of experts, including

the House Transportation

& Infrastructure Committee

majority staff director, and

representatives from UPS, the

Small Business Legislative

Council and the Metropolitan

Washington Council of

Governments, shared their

views for improving the

nation’s surface transportation

infrastructure.

More than 200

congressional staff, news

media, association executives

and other opinion leaders

attended the event hosted

by “National Journal,” and

co-sponsored by ARTBA

and the American Public

Transportation Association.

Watch the full debate.

President Obama September 16

signed H.R. 2887, legislation

that combines a six-month

highway/transit program

extension and a four-month

aviation program extension.

The measure cleared the U.S.

House of Representatives

September 13 with relative

ease, but met opposition

from Senators Tom Coburn

Vote: 2011-12 ARTBA Officers & Directors BallotPlease exercise your right as a member and vote online by the close of business, TODAY, September 19.

2 ARTBA Washington Newsline

Upcoming EventsVisit our Events Page for more information.

2011National ConventionOctober 2–5 Monterey, Calif. [Add to Calendar]

P3 ConferenceNovember 15–16 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]

Northeastern Regional Meeting November 28–29 New York, N.Y.[Add to Calendar]

Southern Regional MeetingNovember 30–December 1 Tampa, Fla.[Add to Calendar]

Western Regional MeetingDecember 5–6 Los Angeles, Calif.[Add to Calendar]

Central Regional MeetingDecember 7–8Chicago, Ill.[Add to Calendar]

2012Federal Issues Program & TCC Fly-InMay 22–24 Washington, D.C.

Young Executive Development ProgramMay 22–25 Washington, D.C.

National ConventionSeptember 11–14 Memphis, Tenn.

A recent column from Pulitzer-prize winning columnist Tom Friedman of the “New York Times” caught our eye because of its very

interesting observations. In case you missed it, here is part of what he said:

“Can you remember the last time you felt a national leader looked us in the eye and told us there is no easy solution to

our major problems, that we’ve gotten into this mess by being self-indulgent or ideologically fixated over two decades

and that now we need to spend the next five years rolling up our sleeves, possibly accepting a lower living standard and

making up for our excesses?

For me, this is the most important thing to say both on the anniversary of 9/11 and on the eve of President Obama’s

jobs speech. After all, they are intertwined. Why has this been a lost decade? An answer can be found in one simple

comparison: How Dwight Eisenhower and his successors used the cold war and how George W. Bush used 9/11. America

had to face down the Russians in the cold war. America had to respond to 9/11 and the threat of Al Qaeda.

“But the critical difference between the two was this: Beginning with Eisenhower and continuing to some degree with every cold war

president, we used the cold war and the Russian threat as a reason and motivator to do big, hard things together at home — to do

nation-building in America. We used it to build the interstate highway system, put a man on the moon, push out the boundaries of

science, teach new languages, maintain fiscal discipline and, when needed, raise taxes. We won the cold war with collective action.

“George W. Bush did the opposite. He used 9/11 as an excuse to lower taxes, to start two wars that—or the first time in our history —

were not paid for by tax increases, and to create a costly new entitlement in Medicare prescription drugs. Imagine where we’d be today

if on the morning of 9/12 Bush had announced (as some of us advocated) a “Patriot Tax” of $1 per gallon of gas to pay for education,

infrastructure and government research, to help finance our wars and to slash our dependence on Middle East oil. Gasoline in the U.S.

on Sept. 11, 2001, averaged $1.66 a gallon.”

Read the full column.

Tom Friedman: “The Whole Truth & Nothing But”

3ARTBA Washington Newsline

Continued from page 1

Obama Signs Transportation Extension

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(R-Okla.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) before

Senate passage September 15. Coburn

threatened to block the legislation, using a

parliamentary technique, unless the Senate

eliminated the requirement that 10 percent

of each state’ Surface Transportation

Program (STP) disbursements be set-

aside for so-called “transportation

enhancements”—allocations usually made

to non-motorized transportation. Paul also

sought to reduce the measure’s highway

authorization levels by $14 billion and the

transit program by $3 billion. Paul also

wanted to cut aviation funding to the 2008

levels.

A deal was struck allowing Paul to offer

two amendments to effect his wishes—

both were defeated. Senators voting with

Paul to cut the extension’s highway and

transit authorizations were: Tom Coburn

(R-Okla.); Jim DeMint (R-S.C.); Ron

Johnson (R-Wis.); Mike Lee (R-Utah); Pat

Toomey (R-Pa.); John McCain (R-Ariz.);

John Kyl (R-Ariz.); Mike Crapo (R-Idaho);

Jim Risch (R-Idaho); Saxby Chambliss

(R-Ga.); Bob Corker (R-Tenn.); Dan Coats

(R-Ind.); and Richard Burr (R-N.C.).

23rd Annual P3s in Transportation Conference

November 15-16, 2011Washington, D.C.

Mayflower® Renaissance Hotelwww.renaissancemayflower.com

800.228.7697

The ARTBA P3 Conference is the private infrastructure investment com-munity’s premier opportunity to connect with hundreds of key deci-sion makers, project sponsors, private sector finance executives, con-sortium leaders and officials from all levels of government. It will also feature a half-day workshop with FHWA’s Office of Innovative Program Delivery, and an optional project tour of one of the nation’s

largest P3 projects—the I-495 Capital Beltway HOT Lanes.

For sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, contact ARTBA P3 Division Manager Hank Webster at 202.289.4434.

Register : www.artbap3.org

4 ARTBA Washington Newsline

“Mr. Obama was right to call on Congress to support investments in infrastructure. But rather than focus on one-shot infusions of money for favored projects (much like the 2009 stimulus program), the president should urge Congress to enact a multiyear reauthorization of the nation’s core surface transportation, aviation and water resources programs with full funding. ”

Thomas Donohue, president and CEO of the United States Chamber of Commerce, in a September 16 WSJ op-ed,

“Why the Jobs Plan Falls Short.”

“It is a positive step for the country that the Congress has passed this historic combination of extensions, which is important for job creation and our nation’s infrastructure. With the FAA bill delayed four and half years and a two year delay on the highway measure, Congress must now act responsibly to enact long-term reauthorizations that will put Americans back to work and build our nation’s infrastructure.”

House T&I Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.)

Overheard

“ ”

TRB Newsletter: September 13, 2011ARTBA is pleased to make available another service for members that highlights new research, technologies, industry best practices and information resources available to the transportation design and construction industry. This material comes from the Transportation Research Board. Read the most recent newsletter.

Fostering Innovation

Legislative & Regulatory News

Boehner Could Trade Drilling for Transportation Investment House Speaker John Boehner

(R-Ohio) September 15

suggested linking increased

energy exploration and

development with the surface

transportation reauthorization

bill. Boehner said:

“I’m not opposed to

responsible spending

to repair and improve

infrastructure. But if we want

Continued from page 1

Using Coal Ash Will Save $100+ Billion Over 20 Years

transportation departments

and transportation engineers

because of its performance,

environmental and cost-saving

benefits.

Despite its many documented

advantages and widespread

use, new proposed disposal

regulations from U.S. EPA

may limit or eliminate its

availability.

Alison Premo Black, ARTBA

senior economist and the

report’s author, says the excess

$5.23 billion annual direct cost

includes a $2.5 billion increase

in the price of materials and

an additional $2.73 billion in

pavement and bridge repair

work due to the shorter

pavement and service life of

other portland cement blends.

“Without the availability of

fly ash, American taxpayers

would ultimately bear the

burden, either paying more for

the same level of transportation

improve¬ments, or dealing with

the consequences of a scaled

back improvement program,”

Black said.

30 and Congress has yet to

finalize any of the 12 annual

appropriations bills that fund

the discretionary programs,

including transportation. The

resolution would temporarily

reduce FY 2011 investment

levels for these programs by 1.5

percent while Congress works to

set final appropriations marks

for the full year. Transportation

program investment levels

for the six-week period would

be: highways $40.5 billion (a

decrease of $600 million);

transit $10.1 billion (a drop of

$200 million); and airports

$3.4 billion (a $50 million

decline).

The Senate has not indicated

how it will approach the

necessary interim measure.

EPA Releases New Medium/Heavy-Duty Vehicle StandardsThe U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) and

the National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA)

September 15 proposed final

rules to increase the fuel

efficiency and greenhouse gas

(GHG) standards for medium-

and heavy-duty engines

to do it in a way that truly

supports long-term economic

growth and job creation, let’s

link the next highway bill to

an expansion of American-

made energy production.

Removing some of the

unnecessary government

barriers that prevent our

country from utilizing its

vast energy resources could

create millions of new jobs.

There’s a natural link between

the two: as we develop new

sources of American energy,

we’re going to need modern

infrastructure to bring that

energy to the market.”

Boehner’s comments are a

departure from the House GOP

position to date that all future

highway and transit spending

must be constrained by

incoming Highway Trust Fund

revenues.

House Panel Unveils Temporary Spending PlanThe House Appropriations

Committee September 15

proposed a “continuing

resolution” to fund federal

government operations through

November 18. The current

fiscal year ends September

5ARTBA Washington Newsline

Download a PDF copy of the digital “Washington Newsline.”

and vehicles. ARTBA filed

comments January 31 urging

the agencies to augment their

regulations to compensate

for any projected dilution

of motor fuel tax revenues

resulting from decreased

fuel purchases. ARTBA has

consistently supported the

laudable benefits of reducing

fuel consumption, but insists

efforts to do so compensate

for the resulting impact on

Highway Trust Fund revenues.

Responding to a separate EPA/

NHTSA proposal to increase

light-duty vehicle fuel efficiency

and GHG standards, ARTBA

released a study showing future

fuel efficiencies could lead

to the loss of more than $65

billion in highway and transit

improvements between 2017

and 2025 due to declining fuel

tax revenues.

Industry Rallies Support for 3 Percent Withholding RepealRepresentatives Wally Herger

(R-Calif.), Mick Mulvaney

(R-S.C.), Richard Latta

(R-N.Y.), and Joe Walsh

(R-N.Y.) gathered outside of

the U.S. Capitol September

14 to rally support for H.R.

674, legislation to repeal a

requirement to withhold three

percent of nearly all federal,

state, and local government

contract payments, effective

January 1, 2013. The legislation

has 235 bipartisan co-

sponsors—significant because

only 218 votes are needed in

the House to pass legislation.

Additionally, House Majority

Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.)

included repeal of the provision

in the GOP’s fall jobs agenda.

In the Senate, there are two

competing proposals to repeal

the provision—neither of which

have the same magnitude of co-

sponsor support as the House

measure.

Upcoming Webinar

A FREE National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse Webinar

2009 MUTCD Compliance Dates and Definition of Standard StatementsSeptember 27, 1-2:30 PM, Eastern

The Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) team will discuss the two proposed rules that are currently open for public comments. Among the topics to be discussed will be the proposed rule on the definition of standard statements and the use of engineering judgment, and the proposed rule on MUTCD compliance dates.

There is no fee for attending the webinar, but registration at least 24 hours prior to the start of this webinar is required.

Register now.

Cost of Banning Fly Ash Concrete ($Billions)

Source: The Economic Impacts of Prohibiting Coal Fly Ash Use in Transporta-tion Infrastructure Construction

6 ARTBA Washington Newsline

Industry Events

Pre-SteelDay Event Set for September 22The National Steel Bridge

Alliance (NSBA) and the Federal

Highway Administration

(FHWA) will host a

transportation-focused flagship

event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

on September 22 at the U.S.

Department of Transportation

in conjunction with SteelDay,

which takes place on September

23.

One of the goals of the

event is to engage lawmakers

interested in job creation and

infrastructure and provide

an opportunity for them to

learn more about how steel

contributes to the success of our

nation.

The event will also feature

the AISC/ASCE Student Steel

Bridge Competition, where

college student from area

universities will erect and

display bridges. The bridge

competition highlights the

FHWA’s “Every Day Counts”

initiative to underscore the

benefits of Accelerated Bridge

Construction. ARTBA and

other industry organizations are

supporting SteelDay activities.

For more information and to

register: www.aisc.org.

Bridge Closure Gridlocks Midwest

The six-lane Sherman Minton Bridge, spanning the Ohio River between Indiana and Kentucky on I-64, which was ordered closed September 9 after inspectors found a crack in a tension tie, is wreaking havoc on traffic in the Midwest. The closure has forced 80,000 vehicles onto alternative routes and doubled commuting times for thousands.

“This is going to be a significant impact not just on Louisville but across the Midwest,” Becky Ruby Swansburg, spokeswoman for Greater Louisville Inc., the area’s Chamber of Commerce told the “Wall Street Journal.” “This is a national hub for logistics and advanced manufacturing…and traffic is tied up.”

The Journal reports it will take three weeks to assess the damage on the bridge and that U.S. Department of Transportation hasn’t provided any timeline on when it might reopen.

Read the full story.

ARTBA Chapter Executive Addresses Need for Transportation Reauthorization Bill