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January 2012 This Infrastructure News update is provided by Spartan Solutions' Executive Team: Sherry Little, Salvatore Mancini, Severn Miller & Mysore Nagaraja.Bipartisan Push for Vast Transportation Bill A bipartisan group of 110 U.S. House members (62 Democrats and 49 Republicans) has sent a letter to President Obama asking him to support a six-year surface transportation program reauthorization that would increase funding. The letter states that “short-term extensions fail to recognize that meaningful, large-scale transportation projects take years to plan, approve and implement.” States and contractors need a long-term bill in order to execute large projects and repair the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, the writers explain. Acknowledging the Congress’ austere mood, the letter stated “given our fiscal challenges, we recognize that a six-year transportation authorization will need to be paid for. We stand willing to work with your administration on a variety of funding options.” Congress is planning to take up surface transportation reauthorization early this year. CA High-Speed Rail The California High-Speed Rail Authority has approved the route for the initial Central Valley segment of the state’s high-speed rail project. “After reviewing the study results and listening to comments from the communities, it’s very clear that keeping the route in the Antelope Valley is the right decision,” said Board Chair Thomas J. Umberg. “The excitement we have seen out of Palmdale and their commitment to promote a strong system is exactly the kind of partnership we appreciate as we work to develop this critical statewide project."
Analysis Finds MD I-270 Busway More Cost-Effective than Light Rail Alternative An analysis for the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) found that bus rapid transit (BRT) could be built in the upper Montgomery County Interstate 270 corridor 10 to 12 years sooner than a light rail line. The analysis indicates that building the project as BRT would provide an additional decade of new jobs and tax revenue from resulting development. The consultant, Parsons Brinckerhoff, found that a $772M light rail line would generate a total economic impact of $1.3B between 2014 and 2050, while a $491M bus rapid transit would generate $2.2B. The 15-mile transitway would connect the Shady Grove Metrorail station in Rockville with Gaithersburg, Germantown and an area just south of Clarksburg. The transitway would also connect to a MARC rail station serving Frederick County and WV. The area to be served is west of I-270 and where planners envision a “science city” for bioscience research, along with retail and 9,000 housing units. The MTA said it was leaning toward a busway over light rail even before the analysis. VA Governor Approves State Contribution for Dulles Metrorail Phase 2 Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell (R) has approved the state’s financial share of the second phase of the Washington, DC area Metrorail line that will extend to Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County in VA. Loudoun and Fairfax counties are seeking public-private partnerships to build rail stations and parking garages to support the new service. Fifteen Billion Dollar "New York Works" Fund New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) has proposed a New York Works fund to leverage $15B to "improve or replace more than 100 bridges ... build a new Tappan Zee Bridge [and] repair 2,000 miles worth of roads." WA Taxpayers Willing to Pay More for Transportation The WA State Transportation Commission found that a solid majority of WA residents are willing to raise some taxes and fees to pay for a better transportation system. Key findings include:
Boston Area Rail Projects Face Funding Shortfall and Protest Because of fears of an increase in pollution, neighbors oppose a project to improve access to transit that would reroute commuter rail via the Grand Junction in Cambridge. The Grand Junction is a lightly used railroad that runs from Boston University through Cambridge and MIT to East Cambridge; it is the only link between the commuter rail corridors coming forth from Boston’s North and South Stations, which are on opposite sides of downtown. MassDOT would like to route some commuter trains from Worcester to North Station along this route in order to provide better access to Kendall and decrease congestion at South Station, which is expected to see increased use due to higher ridership and expanded Amtrak operations. Neighbors of the Grand Junction suggest that the project would increase air pollution due to the diesel emissions from the heavy unelectrified trains. In addition, the project would have provided only infrequent, limited-stop service. One proposal recommends reviving the project, but instead with low pollution diesel multiple unit trains, electric light rail or BRT. Budget limitations threaten the planned Green Line extension in Somerville. The $1B extension would carry about 45K daily riders along a four-mile, two-pronged route, with termini in Somerville’s Union Square neighborhood and Tufts University. Northern VA I-95 HOV/HOT Lanes Project Advances VA Governor Bob McDonnell (R) announced that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Fluor-Transurban have come to an in-principle agreement on the major commercial terms for building the I-95 High Occupancy Vehicle/High Occupancy Toll (HOV/HOT) Lanes project in northern Virginia. The parties will now finalize the details of a comprehensive agreement and financing package for the $940M project. The project will expand the existing HOV facility on I-95 to create 29 miles of HOV/HOT lanes between Fairfax County and Stafford County, with improved access to major Virginia employment centers and military sites. Tolls will be electronic and vary based on demand. To maximize the benefits of the new lane network, VA will spend $200M to expand bus service in Spotsylvania, Stafford, Prince William and Fairfax counties. Investments in Smart Transportation Will Total $13B through 2017 According to a new report from Pike Research, smart transportation systems will see increased investment in coming years even as government budgets are tightening, because smart transport is seen as a way to maximize existing transportation systems without making new major capital investments. Pike forecasts that global investment in smart transportation will total $13.1 billion between 2011 and 2017. The report, Smart Transportation Systems, focuses on drivers in four key smart transportation sectors: traffic management systems, charging for plug-in electric vehicles, public transportation systems, and vehicle-to-vehicle systems. The report also provides market forecasts for each region. An executive summary is available at http://www.pikeresearch.com/research/smart-transportation-systems. MO Toll Road Proposals The Missouri Department of Transportation has asked state lawmakers for authority to form a partnership with private contractors to rebuild Interstate 70, the state’s main east-west highway, and recover the costs through tolls. MoDOT says the rebuild would cost roughly from $2B to $4B, depending on the design. In addition, there is a proposal being discussed that would require motorists to pay a toll for driving on I-70, regardless of the rebuild. Implementing tolls on I-70 would require federal permission; however, a federal pilot program has given MO tentative approval to do so. Third Round of TIGER Program In December, USDOT announced 46 transportation projects that will receive a total of $511M from the third round of awards from the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Program: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2011/dot16511.html.
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