From: Anthony R. Giancola [mailto:agiancol@naco.org]
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2008 2:31 PM
Subject:

 

NACE UPDATE

The almost bi-weekly newsletter for Board members & Committee Chairs

July 2, 2008- Volume 08 Number 14

 (Note: Sources of information include the AASHTO Journal, NACo staff, Senate and House publications, the Federal Highway Administration, and other association news journals)

 

A Message From NACE President Sue Miller, Freeborn County Engineer, MN

I always thought that engineering was about defining a problem and finding the perfect solution.  Then I had that moment of a lifetime where everything changes. I was reading a book a friend had given me…..The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch and I never even made it past the introduction when the author notes the following:  “But engineering isn’t about perfect solutions; it’s about doing the best you can with limited resources.”  My world changed as I looked back at projects and realized they weren’t perfect, but the best we could do at the time with the given resources.  Now when I look ahead, admittedly my outlook is different as I have now matured enough to know it won’t be….it can’t be perfect.

 

As Mother Nature’s wrath included my county in her path of destruction with the floods of the Midwest, I was confronted with the lack of perfection again.  A county road washed away and a life was lost.  In a perfect world with unlimited resources we could design every structure on every road for a 200 or a 500 year storm event that seem to come every 4 years now.  In a perfect world the same washed out road, now barricaded awaiting emergency repair would not claim any additional lives.  Two weeks later, at the same location, tragedy again struck as a car load of young people feeling invincible allegedly drove around the barricades and road closed signs not realizing the hazard that lies ahead.   This should not happen in a perfect world.

 

But it is not a perfect world and we do not have the resources needed for perfect solutions.  What we do have is an amazing amount of talented public servants that are left the clean up when it is not perfect.  The nightly news now highlights some of our comrades in dirty tee shirts and baseball caps as they have been up day after day fighting flood waters or closing roadways threatened by leaping flames.  We all stand together with you as you do the best you can with what you have got.

 

380,000 Jobs Now in Jeopardy Because Congress Fails To Rescue America’s Transportation Account

An estimated 380,000 thousand jobs and hundreds of construction projects are in jeopardy across the nation after Congress failed this week to fix a 3.3 billion dollar deficit in the Highway Trust Fund.  The House and Senate dropped a provision from a three-month aviation tax extension bill that would have provided $8 billion to keep the nation’s transportation account solvent.  AASHTO Executive Director John Horsley expressed his strong disappointment saying, “If members of Congress believe that this failure to act has no consequences, they’re wrong.”  Most states depend on federal funding to support transportation projects, but states won’t know if their federal highway funding will be cut by 34 percent until their fiscal year begins. For many states, the fiscal year started on July 1.  This failure to act sets the stage for a last minute effort in late September to rescue America’s Transportation Account. If that does not occur, the federal-aid highway program will be reduced by $13.5 and $20 billion.  This loss would be another blow to the transportation industry, which is suffering from a stagnant economy, high fuel prices, inflationary pressures, and natural disasters.

 

AASHTO's Executive Director Appears on NBC Nightly News: Report Draws National Attention to Skyrocketing Construction Costs

NBC News spent several days interviewing a number of local, state and national experts, including AASHTO Executive Director John Horsley. When asked about the financial difficulties many states are facing, Mr. Horsley said, "We're experiencing the perfect storm in terms of maintaining the nation's highways." Please note Jefferson County, Colorado and New Jersey Governor also highlighted.  The NBC News report can be viewed at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25442074#25442074

 

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Issued on Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in State and Local Government Services

The DOJ issued on June 17, 2008 a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking which could impact on County Engineers and Professional road managers. A very quick review does not yield any specific requirements for roads and bridges but it does discuss recreation and some building requirements.  Please note the below link below.  The comment period is 60 days and the National Association of Counties is also reviewing.  Please let me know if you see areas of concerns to our members and whether NACE should provide comments from our organization. The deadline for comments is August 16, 2008 so if you have any input please provide by August 10, 2008. http://www.ada.gov/NPRM2008/t2NPRM_federalreg.pdf

 

U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary Barrett Announces University of Minnesota as National Clearinghouse to Improve Rural Road Safety
The U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary Thomas J. Barrett  has announced that the University of Minnesota will be home to a new national clearinghouse for information about the best way to make rural roads safer. The clearinghouse is part of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters’ national strategy to bring new focus, including resources and new technology, to reducing deaths on the nation’s rural roads. “The only way we will cut the number of deaths and injuries on the nation’s roads is by finding a way to get officials the right information at the right time,” said Barrett, “The University of Minnesota is going to do just that – and as a result, it is going to make our roads safer.”  Built by the University’s Center for Excellence in Rural Safety, the online clearinghouse will distribute the lessons that are being learned by researchers to transportation officials and first responders nationwide. It will also collect and distribute lessons that are being learned by transportation officials that are successfully combating rural road fatalities. “It’s not every day that researchers and administrators get to save a life simply by talking about their work,” said Barrett, “Hundreds of drivers will one day soon owe their lives to the faculty and staff of this great institution.” The Department’s Rural Safety Initiative will help states and communities develop ways to eliminate the risks drivers face on America’s rural roads and highlight available solutions and resources. The new endeavor addresses five key goals: safer drivers, better roads, smarter roads, better-trained emergency responders, and improved outreach and partnerships. Approximately $287 million in existing and new funding is available to support the effort.  The Clearinghouse site is located at: http://www.ruralsafety.umn.edu/clearinghouse/index.html , and is a project of the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety (CERS).  

 

HPC Bridge Views is now electronic

Sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration and published by the National Concrete Bridge Council, HPC Bridge Views provides current information on design and construction of high performance concrete (HPC) bridges in a newsletter format.  Included in the newsletter are articles on design, construction practice, and concrete mixes used on actual bridge projects and research findings. HPC Bridge Views is designed so that bridge professionals can keep abreast of the latest information on such topics as high strength, lightweight, and self-consolidating concrete, durability, structural design, and testing.  Published every two months, new and previous issues of HPC Bridge Views are posted on the dedicated website www.hpcbridgeviews.org.  To receive HPC Bridge Views subscribe online at www.hpcbridgeviews.org.  Issue #49 will be published in June 2008.  So sign up now.  For more information contact Sarah Crane Research Manager, American Road & Transportation Builders Association & Program Manager LTAP/TTAP Clearinghouse; ph: 202-289-4434

 

Congestion Pricing Helping – View American City and County Article

View this article on how congestion pricing is helping relieve traffic in urban areas. (http://americancityandcounty.com/pubwks/traffic_parking/breathing_room_hot/)


Transportation Solutions to Create Active, Healthy Counties

NACo has published an issue brief outlining how county transportation leaders can become partners in childhood obesity prevention efforts. The brief describes four best practices counties can implement to support the creation of healthy and active communities:

·        Improve safety infrastructure along routes to school

·        Enhance bicyclist and pedestrian safety

·        Build bikeways and trails

·        Improve public transportation systems

 

This is the first in a series highlighting collaborative approaches to promoting healthy lifestyles and childhood obesity prevention.

Contact: Christina Rowland, crowland@naco.org or 202-942-4267.


National LTAP/TTAP E-news

Visit the LTAP/TTAP e-news which is now online and get the latest on what is happening with one of NACE’s most valued partners.  Check out what your state LTAP is doing.   http://www.ltapt2.org/newsletter/2008/spring2008.php

 

ACPA CONCRETE PAVEMENT PROGRESS (06-27-08)
Visit http://www.pavement.com/CPP/2008/CPP-05-08.html to read the latest edition of ACPA's CONCRETE PAVEMENT PROGRESS, "Spotlight on Equipment.” Headlines in this issue include:

* Spotlight on Equipment
* Equipment Innovations Save Time, Money on the Grade
* ACPA Webinars Focus on Essential, Timely Topics
* International Conference to Focus on Future Concrete Pavements
* Products & Services Spotlight

Let us hear your comments about CONCRETE PAVEMENT PROGRESS! Contact Bill Davenport or Erin McKnight, or phone us at 847-966-2272 to share feedback or discuss story ideas.

Geosynthetics 2009, February 25-27, 2009, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Conference theme: Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering. The areas of focus include: Shoreline and water protection, conveyance and storage, mining, agriculture, aquaculture, temporary roads and drainage. It is expected that approximately 150 technical and educational programs will be scheduled during Geosynthetics 2009. Visit the following website for more information www.geoshow.info  

 

New Signal Timing Manual Ready for Free Download

The FHWA Office of Operations has issued The Signal Timing Manual, the first comprehensive guide to current practices related to traffic signal timing.  Property timed signals save gas by keeping traffic moving smoothly.  All the elements of signal timing, from policy and funding considerations to timing plan development, assessment, and maintenance are covered.  The manual is the culmination of research into practices across North America and serves as a reference for a range of practitioners, including traffic engineers, signal technicians, design engineers, teachers, and university students.  It is available at http://www.signaltiming.com.  on YouTube at http://youtube.com/watch?v=zG5iLMYF3wA

 

National Sign Maintenance and Management Workshop Set for October

ATSSA – in partnership with the FHWA and NACE – will host a National Sign Maintenance and Management Workshop in Addison (Dallas County), Texas, Oct. 20-21. Twenty exhibitors will display the latest in sign technology during the two-day event, which will also feature many informative workshops, including discussions on new retroreflectivity requirements, sign management and maintenance research methods, funding, and implementation perspectives at the city, county and state levels. The workshops will be led by guest speakers from the federal, state and local levels, as well as industry professionals who specialize in a wide variety of signage issues. Preliminary information regarding this event, including names of guest speakers and timelines for workshops and exhibit hours, is available by clicking here.

 

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION WEATHER AND SNOW REMOVAL AND ICE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY: FOURTH NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SURFACE TRANSPORTATION WEATHER AND SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SNOW REMOVAL AND ICE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY

http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=9165

TRB Transportation Research Circular E-C127: Surface Transportation Weather and Snow Removal and Ice Control Technology includes papers that were presented at the 4th National Conference on Surface Transportation Weather (June 16-17, 2008), and the 7th International Symposium on Snow and Ice Control (June 17-19, 2008), which were both held in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The E-Circular includes papers that explore the application of weather information in transportation agencies, snowplow operations, maintenance decision support systems, modeling and forecasting weather in surface transportation, data collection and assessing technologies, impact of weather on traffic operations, weather information for drivers, environmental stewardship, blowing snow, pavement surface temperature, surface friction measurement, and characteristics of materials.

 

RECOVERING FROM DISASTER: A SUMMARY OF THE OCTOBER 17, 2007, WORKSHOP OF THE DISASTERS ROUNDTABLE

http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=9022

The Disasters Roundtable, part of the National Academies' Division on Earth and Life Studies, has released a summary of a workshop that explores what has been learned about disaster recovery from scientific research and based on the experience of policy makers and practitioners. The report also examines recovery actions following the September 11th terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina and highlights examples of both

pre- and post-disaster recovery planning.

 

EVALUATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SECTION 4(F) STREAMLINING PROVISIONS, A REVIEW OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S PHASE I DRAFT STUDY PLANS: JUNE 9, 2008

http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=9188

The TRB Committee for a Review of U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Study on Implementation of Changes to the Section 4(f) Process has delivered a letter report to the Honorable Mary E. Peters, Secretary of the U.S. DOT.  Legal rulings and regulations pursuant to Section 4(f) of U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966 set high standards for protecting parks, recreation areas, wildlife refuges, and historic properties from being adversely affected by transportation projects.  The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users requires the U.S. DOT to streamline the Section 4(f) evaluation process and to study the consequences of these regulatory changes.  Congress also required that a TRB committee evaluate the design and outcomes of the U.S. DOT studies.  In its first letter report, the committee finds that given the lack of baseline data and the qualitative nature of the issues under study, a truly experimental study design is not possible. Nonetheless, the committee makes several suggestions for how the proposed study design can be strengthened to allow reasonable inferences to be drawn.

 

TRANSPORTATION STATISTICS ANNUAL REPORT 2007

http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=9199

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics, a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration, has released its annual statistical report on the U.S. transportation system.  The report includes information on the system's physical components, safety record, economic performance, energy use, and environmental impacts.

 

STATE TRANSPORTATION STATISTICS: 2007

http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=9200

The U.S. Research and Innovative Technology Administration's (RITA's) Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) has released a report that presents a statistical profile of transportation in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.  The report presents transportation information from RITA and BTS, other federal government agencies, and other United States sources.  Through the use of tables, the report includes information about each state's infrastructure, freight movement, passenger travel, safety, and more.

 

DRIVE SAFELY AND HAVE AN ENJOYABLE JULY 4th WEEKEND!