ARTBA: Strategy Needed for Moving Freight

The development of a national strategy to improve the efficient movement of freight is critical to future U.S. economic productivity and should be a top priority for federal policymakers charged with writing the next highway and transit reauthorization bill in 2009.

That's the message American Road & Transportation Builders Association President Pete Ruane delivered recently at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's "Moving Enterprise: Transportation & the Global Economy" conference held in Washington, D.C.

Ruane cited a Federal Highway Administration report showing that freight bottlenecks are causing trucks more than 243 million hours of delay annually, at a cost of nearly $8 billion.

"If the U.S. economy grows at a conservative annual rate of 2.5 to 3% over the next 20 years, domestic freight tonnage will almost double and the volume of freight moving through the largest international gateways may triple or quadruple," the FHWA report says. "Without new strategies to increase capacity, congestion at freight bottlenecks on highways may impose an unacceptably high cost on the nation's economy."

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, Ruane said, the U.S. population is expected to reach 400 million people by 2043. With traffic levels expected to increase 135% and new highway capacity projected to increase only 9% over the same period, there will be serious consequences for the future mobility of products and people, he warned.

In his remarks, Ruane outlined a plan approved by the ARTBA Board of Directors in September 2006 that is aimed at addressing the nation's future surface transportation needs. The ARTBA plan envisions two separate, yet equally important, components.

The current highway and transit programs should be significantly better funded through the existing user fee structure and reformed to address future safety and mobility priorities, with the focus on upgrading and protecting the nation's enormous past investments in surface transportation infrastructure, particularly on the Interstate and National Highway Systems.

The federal government should initiate a new program, funded with new, "fire-walled" freight-related user fees or other innovative mechanisms, such as public private partnerships, that would improve U.S. freight movement and emergency response capabilities. This new component of the federal surface transportation program would be called the "Critical Commerce Corridors (3C) Program."

Greenbuild Moves To Chicago

The Washington-based U.S. Green Building Council's Greenbuild International Conference and Expo is moving to Chicago for its 2007 show, which will be held on Nov. 7 to 9. It was previously held in Denver.

The USGBC cited a number of reasons for the move, including Chicago's being a cradle of American architecture, being among the first cities to adopt the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System and having more building projects registered to earn this prestigious certification than any other city in the world.

Greenbuild 2006's show welcomed 13,500 attendees and more than 700 exhibit booths.

For information on Greenbuild, visit the 2007 Web site, at www.greenbuildexpo.org.

Miron Named Wisconsin Best

Neenah-based Miron Construction Co. Inc. was named the 2006 General Contractor of the Year by the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin.

The AGC's specialty contractors annually recognizes a general contractor by presenting an award to one that exemplifies the principals of "skill, integrity and responsibility."

Specialty contractors determined the winner by voting on areas that include bid ethics, safety policy and practices, payment practices and jobsite supervision.

Indiana Ready Mixed Group
Gets National Award

The Indianapolis-based Indiana Ready Mixed Concrete Association has been named the 2006 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association State Association of the Year, the Silver Spring, Md.-based organization announced. The award honors state and area associations for their contributions in research, education, advocacy and promotion.

IRMCA accomplishments in 2006 include becoming an American Institute of Architects training provider, developing a one-hour pervious training video and partnering on a playground using pervious concrete as a base for a rubber surface accessible to all children.

IRMCA brought six NRMCA education programs to its members in 2006 to enhance its own offerings. In the advocacy arena, IRMCA's executive director serves as a board member of the Build Indiana Council, which is working to fix a statewide shortfall in funding for roads and bridges. IRMCA also partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build a home using insulating concrete forms technology.

IRMCA contributes funding for a concrete paving industry professorship at Purdue University, as well as a research scientist for one of the state DOT research labs. IRMCA staff has also researched pervious mix designs and placement methods that specifically address issues that have occurred with pervious placements in other markets.