A key component in the just passed MAP-21 transportation reauthorization legislation is a significant increase in funds made available through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program. Funding for TIFIA was increased from $120 million in FY 2012 to $750 million in FY 2013 and $1 billion in FY 2014.
In a conference call with state Departments of Transportation today, Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez announced the 15 priorities that will be pursued by FHWA as round two of its Every Day Counts Initiative (EDC). Seven of these priorities are continuations from the original EDC initiative which was started two years ago. The core focus of EDC is shortening project delivery. Therefore, all of the initiatives –with the exception of the two safety initiatives – have time saving as a significant characteristic.
The 2012 Highway and Utilities Contractors issues Meeting is scheduled for Nov. 1-3, 2012, at the Miramonte Resort and Spa in Indian Wells, Calif.
The Obama Administration issued guidance this week to implement Executive Order 13604 issued in March 2012 that is intended to speed up the environmental review and permitting process for major infrastructure projects. The Executive Order called for creation of a Federal Plan detailing a government-wide initiative to modernize the Federal permitting and review process to achieve better projects, improved environmental and community outcomes, and shorter decision-making and review timelines for infrastructure projects.
At a White House Rose Garden ceremony on Friday, July 6, President Obama will sign the Moving Ahead for the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Congress passed the transportation reauthorization legislation just in time to beat the June 30, 2012, expiration date. A one week extension (the tenth of its kind) was also approved to allow time for the legislation to be filed in the proper format.
At a White House East Room ceremony Friday, July 6, President Obama signed the Moving Ahead for the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Congress passed the transportation reauthorization legislation just in time to beat the June 30, 2012, expiration date. A one week extension (the tenth of its kind) was also approved to allow time for the legislation to be filed in the proper format.
By a vote of 373-52 in the House and 74-19 in the Senate the conference report for, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), the transportation reauthorization bill has been approved. Although the vote was overwhelmingly bipartisan, all 52 House members and 19 Senators who opposed the bill were Republican (see the list here). The President is expected to sign the bill sometime this week. A one week extension of program authorization was approved to allow time for the legislation to be put in its proper format.
The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement today in reaction to Congressional passage of a 27-month highway and transit measure:
The House and Senate leadership and conferees reached an agreement yesterday on the final outstanding issues in the transportation reauthorization negotiations. Logistical issues related to finalizing language and getting sign-off from all conferees has kept the conference report from being formally filed.  The Senate and House, however, are still expected to vote on the measure before the June 30 deadline, in time to avoid the need for a 10th extension of highway and transit program authorization.
The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in response to the recently-announced deal on a 27-month federal surface transportation bill by the Congressional conference committee: “The members of the conference committee have demonstrated the kind of tenacity, perseverance and flexibility that is often required to craft significant pieces of legislation like this new highway and transit bill.