Infrastructure in the News: August 17, 2010

San Jose Mercury News reported that nearly $30 billion worth of major transportation projects are under way or about to begin in the Bay Area and adjoining counties and according to Crosscut patchwork projects will not solve freight-mobility problems. More in this Infrastructure in the News.

National News

 ABC This Week: Excerpts on Infrastructure
AMANPOUR: OK, well, let me ask -- let me ask about that, because when it comes to exports in manufacturing, we read quite a lot that America has been losing its competitive edge to places like China and -- and -- and other such. Laura, what do you think the United States can do to regenerate a competitive export in manufacturing?
TYSON: Well, I think the key word Jon raised is investment. And I think it is absolutely essential. You know, we get caught up in discussions of deficit reduction or stimulus. Let's forget those issues for a minute and just think about investment. And here it is investment in a number of things. I've heard Senator Corker talk about the importance of infrastructure. For years going into the Great Recession, it has been noted that the U.S. has been investing inadequately in its infrastructure, maybe to the tune of $200 billion a year of economically justifiable investment infrastructures we're not doing. Let me turn to investment in education. It is the case -- we used to be number one in the world in college graduation rates. We are now number 14, number 15. We're leading the world in high school dropout rates. And as I said, the unemployment problem is most severe in dropouts. So invest in people. Invest in infrastructure. Invest in knowledge. You know, we basically are trying to get the research and development spending in this country up to 3 percent so we can again be leaders in the world in that. Invest, invest, invest is really what we must do. Public-private partnerships, you know, with that, $100 billion of the stimulus package is levered to private spending. A dollar spent by the public sector on infrastructure can bring three dollars of private spending.

Gallup: Wellbeing Lower Among Workers With Long Commutes
American workers with lengthy commutes are more likely to report a range of adverse physical and emotional conditions, leading to lower overall scores on the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.

State News

Crosscut: Patchwork projects won't cure our freight-mobility problem
A Seattle Port Commissioner argues for comprehensive, strategic, national investments for moving goods and retaining competitiveness. Just look to Canada for an example, and a threat.

AP: Fall from bike spins LA mayor into cycle advocate
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is the new champion of cyclists' rights in the nation's second-largest city, a conversion that came after a bone-breaking fall from his own bicycle.

San Jose Mercury News: Billions earmarked for Bay Area transportation projects
Recession? What recession? Nearly $30 billion worth of major transportation projects are under way or about to begin in the Bay Area and adjoining counties -- the biggest building boom in almost two decades.