Americans have turned to infrastructure to stimulate economic development throughout history and during this time of economic difficulty America remains enthusiastic about building big infrastructure projects. Read more about this in Infrastructure in the News.
NATIONAL NEWS
Governing: The Search for Infrastructure-Driven Transformation
...When we think of economic development, we don't always think of the transformational infrastructure project. We think of recruiting businesses and factories. Or we imagine nurturing the ecosystem of researchers, educators, entrepreneurs and financiers. Repeatedly throughout history, however, Americans have turned to infrastructure to stimulate economic development. And at a time when voters are resistant to higher taxes and skeptical about subsidies to business, they remain enthusiastic about building big infrastructure projects.
New York Times: Pipelines Get Safer as New Technology Is Adopted
Oil and gas industry experts say that despite these problems, pipelines keep getting safer as technology improves.
Washington Post: Not all aboard
President Obama wants Americans to zip around in high-speed trains, just as many Japanese, French, and Chinese already do. For him, the goal seems almost as much about national pride as job creation or energy savings. "There's no reason that Europe or China should have the fastest trains," he has said.
STATE NEWS
Business Wire: Partnership Formed to Pursue High Speed Rail (HSR) System in Florida
A group of leading companies serving the rail transportation industry today announced they have formed a partnership to compete for high-speed rail opportunities in Florida. The companies in the partnershipÑall of whom are number one in their respective fieldsÑinclude: VINCI, OHL, Virgin, Alstom; and non-equity partners: Archer Western, AECOM, and PBS&J. Each of the partners boasts strong ties to Florida and a long history of doing business in the state.
Central Valley Business Times: California Senators push for more high-speed rail money
In a letter Tuesday to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Sen. Barbara Boxer say California is committed to building an 800-mile high-speed rail system and could use the extra cash.
Streetsblog Capitol Hill: Shocker: Returning $3B to Feds Won't Cure Ailing NJ Transpo Budget
It seems that the stateÕs transportation fund is still drowning in debt and out of money to finance new projects. Returning nearly $3 billion in federal money promised for ARC didnÕt exactly help matters.
New York Times: N.Y.C. Studies Subway Tunnel to New Jersey
Ever since Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey killed an expensive plan for a new commuter rail tunnel to Manhattan, the Bloomberg Administration has been working on an alternative: run the No. 7 subway train under the Hudson River.