Missouri DOT to Upgrade 800 Bridges

Most of Missouri's worst bridges will be repaired or replaced by 2012 under an initiative planned by the Missouri Department of Transportation.
The Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Plan is expected to cost between $400 million and $600 million. MoDOT will dedicate existing federal bridge replacement funds to finance the program.

The plan targets 800 bridges in poor condition for improvement by 2012. To get such a large number of bridges fixed in a short amount of time, MoDOT will seek to award a single contract to design and build the bridge upgrades as well as maintain the bridges in good condition for at least 25 years.

"This is an extremely innovative program we're attempting-I don't know of any other transportation department in the nation tackling their bridges so aggressively-and I'm excited to see how the contracting industry will respond," Rahn said.

MoDOT is evaluating the state's bridge system to identify the 800 bridges that most need to be improved. Bidders will have until 2012 to get these bridges in good condition and maintain them for at least 25 years.

Runoff Analysis to Focus On Morgan County

Plans are under way to monitor storm water runoff into Morgan County, Ind., from Marion and Hendricks counties.

Under an agreement with the Indianapolis Airport Authority, the U.S.
Geological Survey will monitor stream flow in the east fork of White Lick Creek during the next five years. Information gained from the study will enable airport and local officials to gauge the impact of runoff on the creek and downstream communities.

"This study will enable the Airport Authority to accurately monitor any effect upstream development might have on the local drainageway," said IAA Assistant Project Director Greta Hawvermale.

The study will include the placement and monitoring of stream flow gauging stations in the east fork of White Lick Creek, which drains portions of Marion and Hendricks counties and bisects the airport near the site of the new main passenger terminal building under construction.

A storm water discharge study commissioned by the IAA showed that airport development was expected to have little impact on nearby stream flows. The new work by the U.S. Geological Survey is designed to gather real-time storm water flow data to compare with the predictions of the IAA study.

Missouri DOT Puts Forth Unique
Design-Build-Maintain Bridge Contract

Click Here for Full Story>>

Kin of Disabled Hoosiers To Get Financial Help

The Indiana Department of Transportation has announced a nonprofit corporation to provide assistance for the families of INDOT workers who are disabled or killed in the line of duty.

The foundation will be known as the Indiana Transportation Workers Foundation.

Front-line INDOT workers face the job-related risks of high-speed traffic and heavy machinery, and the newly created foundation will provide emotional and financial support to families of INDOT workers who are disabled or killed on the job.

The foundation will be governed by a board made up of former INDOT employees and other interested parties from outside the agency.

Funds will be raised from a wide variety of public sources, including current INDOT employees. Those funds will be used to provide prompt relief to the family of a fallen INDOT worker, allowing them to cope with short-term expenses, such as funeral costs. Assistance will also be provided through direct service, such as a foundation representative's visit to a family during a time of need.

For information, call Megan Kaderavek of the INDOT at 317-232-8558.

Declining Residential Work Reducing Cement Consumption

Although many regional markets throughout the U.S. experienced strong cement consumption growth earlier this year, a new forecast from the Economic Research department at the Skokie-based Portland Cement Association expects the second half of the year to be different.

PCA chief economist Ed Sullivan has predicted that the emerging weakness in residential construction will dissipate the strong growth recorded earlier in the year in many regional markets.

"In July 24 states showed significant declines in housing permit activity, including traditionally strong markets such as Nevada, Florida, and Arizona," Sullivan said. "I do not believe these declines will be temporary."
According to the Summer PCA forecast Sullivan expected housing starts in 2006 to decline by 10.6 percent, followed by a similar decline in 2007.

PCA's most recent forecast points to high new home inventories, raising interest and inflation rates, and slower net job creation as contributing factors to an even greater residential slow-down.

Year-to-date, U.S. cement use is up 5.6 percent over 2005 levels. PCA's summer projections indicated that second half weakness in residential would push the 2006 growth rate to 2.3 percent and to 1.2 percent in 2007.