|
December TxDOT Letting Dates
The Texas Department of Transportation has scheduled its next highway letting for December 1 and 2. Seventy-five projects are approved to be let with an estimated total of $345,487,288.
A TxDOT report said projects may be added, advanced or delayed as deemed necessary.
ARTBA's CEO Addresses Texas
ARTBA President & CEO Pete Ruane recently addressed the 8th Annual Texas Transportation Summit in Irving. Ruane gave a keynote talk about the new highway/transit reauthorization law. (To read more about the Texas Transportation Summit, see Industry Events, page 40.)
Pete Ruane, ARTBA President & CEO, recently gave a keynote speech about the new highway/transit reauthorization law during the 8th Annual Texas Transportation Summit in Irving.
|
The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act--A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU)--which was signed into law by President Bush in August, is a step in the right direction, Ruane said, but will not come close to meeting the nation's highway/transit needs identified in repeated government reports.
"The costs of improving and modernizing America's transportation systems will be significant, but the costs of doing nothing for future U.S. economic growth, traffic congestion and air pollution levels and highway safety are far greater," Ruane said.
"President Eisenhower embraced a vision for transportation 50 years ago when he created the Interstate Highway System. It's now time for policymakers and the president to formulate a new transportation vision for the next 50 years. I believe it can be done, but it's going to take the unprecedented involvement and leadership of the business community and political will by Congress."
According to ARTBA, SAFETEA's average annual funding gains, adjusted for inflation, are only 1.8 percent, compared to the real increases of six percent annually in the previous law-TEA-21. Traffic congestion levels will increasingly threaten business productivity and just-in-time delivery.
With the U.S. population projected to increase 45 percent to more than 415 million people and the number of licensed drivers to grow another 86 percent to more than 380 million drivers over the next 50 years, there are a number of things policymakers should be considering to meet the nation's transportation challenges, the ARTBA president said.
"Number one is significantly increasing highway and public transit capital investment. All revenue raising options should be on the table."
Ruane cited a key provision in SAFETEA-LU mandating creation of a "blue ribbon" commission to identify the best ways to finance federal transportation investments after 2009. Ruane said that Congress has recognized the current revenue stream to the Highway Trust Fund is not sufficient enough to meet the federal government's responsibilities in transportation. The importance of the commission effort cannot be overstated, he added.
An ARTBA analysis of Federal Highway Administration data found that between 1998 (the most recent year available) and 2020, the value of domestic air freight will increase 300 percent; highway freight will increase 204 percent; rail freight will be up 132 percent and water freight will rise 145 percent. The value of international freight is also expected to skyrocket by 310 percent.
Ruane said the U.S. Department of Transportation should use the occasion of its 40th anniversary in 2006 to issue a "report card" assessing whether it has met its mission as defined in the 1966 law signed by President Johnson creating the agency, and also evaluate its role in shaping future transportation policy.
Ruane said the goal for policymakers, beginning with scheduled 2009 reauthorization of SAFETEA-LU, should be a major rebuilding, modernization of existing infrastructure and adding significant capacity across all modes of transportation.
"Toll-financed truck-only lanes should be considered for existing Interstate highway right-of-way, where appropriate. New interstates, free-trade corridors, elevated roadways and trains and high-speed rail routes, and tunneling in some urban areas should also be seriously considered as options." Modernization and expansion of ports, waterways and airport runways should also be part of the mix, he added.
PB Designing Turnpike Extension
The North Texas Tollway Authority has awarded a contract to the Dallas office of Parsons Brinckerhoff to design an extension of the President George Bush Turnpike.
The project extends eastward 2.75 mi. from Merritt Road to south of Main Street in Rowlett.
It involves construction of a six-lane toll facility with two-lane frontage roads, ramps, roadway and railroad bridges and cross-drain culverts. As the prime consultant, Parsons Brinckerhoff is responsible for the design of a roadway plan/profile, longitudinal storm drainage, cross-drainage culverts and bridge layouts as well as detailed bridge design of the roadway and railroad bridges. The firm will also design the roadway lighting, traffic signals, ITS systems and signing for the project. Construction is scheduled to start in fall 2006 with completion slated for early 2009.
Click here for past Infrastructure News >>
|
print this page
e-mail this page
