More than $150 billion worth of Build America Bonds for a wide range of infrastructure needs have been issued and a program focused on saving bridges. Read more in this issue of Infrastructure in the News.
National News
Journal of Commerce: Infrastructure Bonds Topped $150 Billion Through October
Cities and states issued more than $150 billion worth of Build America Bonds for a wide range of infrastructure needs, the Treasury Department reported.
USA Today: Programs focus on saving bridges
Want to rescue a piece of American history that's rugged, unique and rare? Adopt a bridge.
Transportation Nation: Norm Mineta, Former Sec. of Transportation, "Roads and Highways" top Transpo Priority, Defends Earmarks, Questions Some Defense Spending
Norm Mineta served as Secretary of the Department of Transportation in both the Clinton and George W. Bush Administrations. Lately MinetaÕs been teaming up with Republicans and Democratic DOT secretaries in the hopes of convincing Congress to make major new transportation investments, including a $50 billion infrastructure bill championed by President Obama.
State News
Clean Technica: Is California's High-Speed Rail Getting More or Less Money Under the New Congress?
The incoming Congress is turning a lot of things around that were on a steady, even path forward, or looking to do so, at least. One big thing many incoming Republicans are taking aim at is high-speed rail. No surprise here, since high-speed rail has been a big focus of the Obama administration (due to its many benefits), and the focus of such Republicans seems to just be taking down anything Obama is working on.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Transportation challenges 'enormous'
The study, released Tuesday by TRIP, a national transportation research group, estimated that poor roads, congestion and crashes cost the average Pittsburgh driver $892 per year in damage, maintenance costs and time lost to traffic delays.
Long Island Press: Long Island Leaders Want NJ's $3B Transit Funding
Long Island's two county executives literally passed the hard hat Wednesday at a news conference held to stake their claim to $3 billion in federal transportation funding presumably now up for grabs since New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie nixed his state's participation in a major Hudson River tunnel project.
NJ.com: N.J. officials urge residents to invest in water infrastructure systems
New Jersey and many other states could have a good start on upgrading or replacing their decades-old water infrastructure if people invest in their systems the money they spend on bottled water, according to a state officials.