New Tricks Result in Treat for I-95 Commuters: Collaboration Key to Early Project Completion
On Halloween, Oct. 31, 2017, commuters who use the heavily congested I-95/395 highway in Virginia received a special treat: a new 2-mile-long reversible express lane that would significantly ease congestion on the heavily travelled interstate. Although they surely appreciated reduced slowdowns, more-navigable merges and lane changes, and ultimately a shorter commute, most were unaware of the coordinated teamwork that took place behind the scenes to make the treat a reality. Project Genesis a...
Commercial Construction Looks to Advanced Technologies to Alleviate Workforce Challenges and Improve Productivity
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Q4 2018 USG Corporation + U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index (Index) released today indicates that despite staunch concerns over labor shortages and skilled workers, three-quarters of contractors believe advanced technologies may improve labor productivity on jobsites. According to the Q4 report, while just over half of contractors currently use technologies like drones, equipment tagging, wearable technology, and augmented/virtual reality for their...
Committee Leadership Comes into Focus for 116th Congress
Congressional transportation committee leadership is poised to change come January following the results of the midterm elections on Nov. 6, which gave control of the U.S. House of Representatives back to the Democrats while keeping the Senate in Republican hands. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., will become chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, while Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., will serve alongside him as the ranking member. Rep. DeFazio noted during a Dec. 5 round tab...
Commercial Construction Looks to Advanced Technologies to Alleviate Workforce Challenges and Improve Productivity
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Q4 2018 USG Corporation + U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index (Index) released today indicates that despite staunch concerns over labor shortages and skilled workers, three-quarters of contractors believe advanced technologies may improve labor productivity on jobsites. According to the Q4 report, while just over half of contractors currently use technologies like drones, equipment tagging, wearable technology, and augmented/virtual reality for t...
Solar Power Companies Employ New Business Models to Generate Growth Opportunities and Overcome Price Barriers
London, UK – After a dip in 2016, the European solar power market recovered remarkably in 2017 to add 8.6 GW of solar capacity. This growth was largely driven by technological progress, cost reductions, and the development of novel business models such as on-site direct wire mini power purchase agreements (PPAs). This business model is particularly popular among large-scale solar project developers to overcome regulatory barriers, while fully automated energy management across all sectors and se...
Growth Projected for Transportation Projects, but Costs a Challenge
The U.S. transportation infrastructure market is expected to grow 4.2 percent in 2019, according to the annual economic forecast released Dec. 5 by the American Road &Transportation Builders Association. Yet a report issued by Fitch Ratings, also on Dec. 5, cautioned that “external factors” such as “protectionist trade policies, rising interest rates and volatility in fuel prices” bear close watch. [Above photo by Arizona DOT.] “As interest rates rise, so will the cost to fund new infrastr...
Committee Leadership Comes into Focus for 116th Congress
Congressional transportation committee leadership is poised to change come January following the results of the midterm elections on Nov. 6, which gave control of the U.S. House of Representatives back to the Democrats while keeping the Senate in Republican hands. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., will become chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, while Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., will serve alongside him as the ranking member. Rep. DeFazio noted during a Dec. 5 round tab...
China, India and US will Drive Global Power Transmission and Distribution Conductors Markets over Next Four Years, says GlobalData
China, India and the US will be the driving forces for the global transmission and distribution conductors markets over the next four years, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. The company’s report: ‘Power Transmission and Distribution Conductors, Update 2018’ reveals that the aggregate global market value of power transmission and distribution conductor markets were valued at $25.99bn and $103.50bn during the period 2013–2017 and are estimated to be valued at $29.5...
Alaska Hit by Major Earthquake; ALASKA DOT&PF Assessing Infrastructure Damage
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Alaska on Nov. 30, centered about 7 miles north of Anchorage, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. [Above photo via Twitter.] The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities immediately deployed crews to inspect roads and bridges following the quake, while also placing its Alaska Marine Highway System on alert due to Tsunami warnings issued by the National Weather Service; warnings which were subsequently cancelled by the NWS. Outgoing G...
Why the Upsurge in Microgrid Development?
For more than a century, advanced economies abided by the ‘bigger is better’ philosophy for electric power supply. The world built massive grids that connected power plants to homes and businesses via wires that traversed thousands of miles. As a result, the US grid, alone, now contains enough high-voltage transmission wire to circle the Earth six times over, making it what some describe as the world’s biggest machine. The grid build-out served its purpose well; 84 percent of the global popul...
Stormwater Interview with Robert Page, P.E., Vice President, HNTB
Santa Barbara County North Branch Jail Expansion
February Issue 2026
