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December 9, 2008

News for and about the civil engineering community

Industry News

Obama's infrastructure plan may ease D.C.'s commuter woes
Politicians and transportation experts in the nation's capital hope President-elect Barack Obama's economic stimulus package will include infrastructure projects that will ease commuting problems. Virginia and Maryland have cut their transportation budgets and need federal funding to proceed with projects to ease traffic congestion. Obama is proposing up to $700 billion to build highways, schools and renewable energy sources as part of a plan to revive the U.S. economy. The Washington Post (12/9)

Residents of Maryland county push for new bridge
The two-lane Governor Thomas Johnson Memorial Bridge is the only major evacuation route for the southern half of Maryland's Calvert County, home to a nuclear power plant. Some local lawmakers support building a new bridge to handle a mass evacuation of the 40,536 residents within a 10-mile radius of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. The current bridge, built in 1977, handles daily traffic of 28,000 but is notorious for delays. WTOP-FM (Washington, D.C.)/Capital News Service (12/8)

Task force prepares final recommendation on Virginia water plan
The South Fork Reservoir Stewardship Task Force in Virginia is preparing to make a final recommendation on a water supply plan. Under the new plan, the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir pipeline would allow water to be transferred from Ragged Mountain Reservoir if more water was needed. The city of Charlottesville maintains the Ragged Mountain reservoir for periods of drought, but uses the South Fork reservoir for most of the city's water. Charlottesville Tomorrow (12/8)

Technology and Trends

Budget woes put California public-works projects at risk
Budget problems could force California to halt or delay $5 billion in public works projects, and lead to thousands of job cuts. Construction of a carpool lane on Highway 101 in Sonoma County and the planned fourth bore in the Caldecott Tunnel are among the projects in jeopardy. "Without a budget solution, state financing of infrastructure projects will stop," said Bill Lockyer, state treasurer. "It's as simple, and dire, as that." San Francisco Chronicle (12/9)

Buildings & Structures

Santa Clara council continues to negotiate stadium financing plan
The Santa Clara, Calif., City Council will continue negotiating a financing agreement for the San Francisco 49ers' proposed $900-million-plus NFL stadium. The council has approved a contract extension with consulting firm Keyser Marston, the firm helping city officials negotiate a deal. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors last week approved a resolution endorsing the funding plan for the $1.4 billion redevelopment of Candlestick Point and Hunters Point, including a new stadium for the 49rs. GlobeSt.com (12/7)

Sustainability

Deep-water wind farms face obstacles
Deep-water wind farms 10 to 20 miles offshore that would operate on floating platforms have the potential to provide massive amounts of energy, experts say. Blue H USA of Boston is among the companies interested in wind farms, and it hopes to place a demonstration floating turbine in federal waters off Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. But experts list a number of challenges -- including building the 300-foot towers so far from land, protecting sea life, high costs and regulatory obstacles. NYTimes.com/The Associated Press (12/9)

Smart grids have the potential to produce power
The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/Green Inc. blog (12/8)

Management Practices

How to play innovation as a team sport
What an individual experiences as a flash of brilliance tends to be the product of prolonged group effort. But brainstorming is a waste, one expert says. Instead, try "systematic inventive thinking" by creating "pre-inventive" concepts that then can be expanded into innovations. International Herald Tribune (12/7)

Policy Update

EPA rule would require best management practices for erosion control
The EPA last month proposed a rule that would require contractors, developers, and others who engage in projects that disturb the land to use specific best management practices for erosion and sediment control, as well as pollution prevention. The rule, which was proposed under the Clean Water Act, would also require projects that involve 10 acres or more to implement storm-water treatment processes. Larger sites would also have to comply with turbidity levels. Mondaq (free registration) (12/8)

Critical Infrastructure

Mayors make case for public-works funding
Big city mayors were the latest group to ask federal officials for rescue funds. Mayors converged on Washington, D.C., Monday to ask lawmakers to approve a package that would allow them to fund public works projects as part of an economic stimulus plan. There are 11,391 "shovel-ready" infrastructure projects in 427 cities that could get under way with government help, according to the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Reuters (12/8)

Canadian pipeline faces another delay
The $16.2 billion Mackenzie gas pipeline continues to face regulatory delays that could postpone its construction indefinitely. Last week, a Canadian government-appointed joint review panel said it would release its environmental impact report in December 2009, instead of spring 2009, fueling speculation by some that the panel is incompetent. If completed, the pipeline would open Arctic gas reserves to North American markets and boost the economy of Canada's North region. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (12/8)