Lawmaker Reactions Show Plenty of Work Ahead to Craft Investment Legislation
President Trump's call for Congress to pass major infrastructure legislation left some lawmakers praising his focus on rebuilding transportation and other critical systems. It also left some lawmakers ready to battle and many wondering how to pay for it. The initial reactions indicated that Congress will need to sort through many issues and often conflicting views to put together a big project investment bill this year. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., who as chairman of the Environment and Pub...
Wolf Administration Announces Investments to Improve Nine Airports
Harrisburg, PA – Nine airports will make safety and equipment upgrades with the assistance of nearly $2.4 million in state investments, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Leslie S. Richards announced today. "Supporting our roughly 400 airports not only keeps goods and people moving, but also supports hundreds of thousands of jobs," Richards said. "These investments ensure safe operations and assist with key upgrades." The funds are distributed through the Aviation Developm...
Chamber’s Donohue Urges 25-Cent Fuel Tax Hike Over 5 Years, With Inflation Indexing
The CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce proposed that Congress pay for modernizing roads, bridges and transit systems by raising the federal excise tax on motor fuels by 25 cents a gallon over five years and "indexed for inflation and improving fuel economy." CEO Thomas Donohue said those actions "would raise $394 billion over the next 10 years" for investments in surface transportation systems. The business organization has long been on record favoring a hike in motor fuel fees to shore...
Federal Highway Administration Provides $6.5 Million to the U.S. Virgin Islands for Repairs to Hurricane-Damaged Roads and Bridges
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today announced the immediate availability of $6.5 million in “quick release” Emergency Relief (ER) funds for further repairs to roads and bridges throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands. “The work continues to rebuild broken transportation links in the U.S. Virgin Islands in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria,” said Acting Federal Highway Administrator Brandye L. Hendrickson. “These additional funds...
DOT Chiefs Explore Options, Limits on States’ Efforts to Increase Project Funding
Generating new investment in transportation infrastructure at the state level requires building public trust and increasingly adopting "creative" or new approaches, CEOs of state departments of transportation said Jan. 9 during the Transportation Research Board's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. They made the remarks during a TRB panel titled "State DOTs Generating and Leveraging Dollars to Underpin Investment," which was moderated by John Schroer, Tennessee DOT commissioner and current pre...
Siemens Financial Services and Fluence Announce Comprehensive Financing Program for Energy Storage Customers Worldwide
Iselin, NJ: Siemens Financial Services (SFS) and Fluence, a Siemens and AES company, announce a comprehensive financing program to support customers in their investments in energy storage solutions. The new financing program will offer customers leasing and project finance options for qualified projects using Fluence’s industry-leading trio of energy storage platforms. Fluence’s combination of unmatched energy storage experience, proven technical solutions, and the availability of tailored fina...
Concrete Suppliers Say Federal Budget Delay Interrupts FAST Act Funding Hikes
Associations representing concrete suppliers and related businesses are pressing Congress to soon complete a full-year budget bill for fiscal 2018, saying the delay prevents highway agencies from accessing a scheduled funding increase under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act. Since the new fiscal year began Oct. 1 Congress has funded federal agencies with a series of short-term "continuing resolutions" that hold most spending to 2017 levels, including programs of the Highway Trus...
Groups Urge Infrastructure Plan That Maintains, Strengthens Current Investment System
A large coalition of national trade associations, all of which are stakeholders in infrastructure investment, called on Congress to pass a plan that increases direct federal project spending and encourages participation by states and private investors "without shifting federal responsibilities." In a Jan. 3 letter to congressional leaders...
Half Million Dollars Available from Idaho Curb Ramp Program through March 2 in Individual Grants up to $60k
BOISE - Individual grants of up to $60,000 are available to Idaho organizations statewide through a competitive application process ending March 2 for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Curb Ramp Program. In total, the Idaho Transportation Department will allocate $500,000 of state funds for this program. Local jurisdictions (cities, counties and highway districts) and tribal governments are eligible to apply. Applications are available on the Idaho Transportation Department website at...
DOT Awards Grants for Transit Needs of U.S. Tribes
Transportation is a lifeline for residents of tribal communities. Residents in these communities often must travel many miles to reach jobs, healthcare and other basic services. That’s why the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded nearly $5 million in grants to help tribal communities provide public transportation on tribal lands. FTA’s Tribal Transit Program makes funds available to federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaskan Native villages, groups or communities to support cap...
Stormwater Interview with Robert Page, P.E., Vice President, HNTB
Santa Barbara County North Branch Jail Expansion
February Issue 2026
