May 3, 2019 – According to a report on The Hill, a republican legislator is calling for the doubling of the federal gas tax and airline fees in order to pay for the $2 trillion infrastructure package being negotiated by President Trump and Democratic leaders. Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) is urging Congress to double the 18.4-cents-per-gal. gasoline tax, which has not been raised…
Read MoreTag: infrastructure
Trump, Democrats Want $2 Trillion for Infrastructure
According to news reports, Democratic congressional leaders announced April 30 after a meeting with President Donald Trump that an agreement had been reached on the price tag for a potential infrastructure plan: $2 trillion.
Read MoreMartin Marietta’s Outlook
April 30, 2019 – Martin Marietta Materials just released its first quarter report, with record results. How do they see things going for the remainder of this year? Glad you asked. In its report, it states: “Infrastructure construction, particularly for aggregates-intensive highways and streets, should benefit from recent accelerations in state lettings and contract awards in key Martin Marietta states, continued…
Read MoreExtinguishing the Fire
April 15, 2019 – Reports of progress on infrastructure funding last week may have been, shall we say, premature. Instead of stoking the fire, hopes are now extinguishing. In the House, leadership reportedly wants to move forward with a big infrastructure bill, hyping up the idea at a Democratic retreat last week, but details are scarce, according to Politico’s Morning Transportation…
Read MoreInfrastructure Talks Rumored
April 12, 2019 – Democratic leaders in Congress said they would seek President Donald Trump’s support in coming weeks for legislation to invest up to $2 trillion to rebuild U.S. infrastructure, including roads, bridges and schools. This episode of one-upmanship follows Trump’s long-standing line about $1 trillion in spending. Anyone want to propose $3 trillion? The problem is, everybody wants to…
Read MoreInfrastructure Rumblings
April 10, 2019 – Senate committee leaders have their sights set on an ambitious timeline for the surface transportation reauthorization, which is due by next September, Politico reports. Environment and Public Works Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) is hoping to pass a bill through the committee before the August recess, and ranking member Tom Carper (D-Del.) is on board. “In the past we’ve sometimes waited till…
Read MoreBridge Collapse a Dire Warning
April 2, 2019 – A 2018 report from TRIP indicated that roads and bridges that are deteriorated, congested or lack some desirable safety features cost Tennessee motorists a total of $6 billion statewide annually. Now they almost cost a motorist his life. One person was injured after a concrete railing section fell from a bridge in Chattanooga, Tenn., this week shutting down two…
Read MoreBridges in Poor Condition; Pace of Repair Slows to Crawl
The length of America’s structurally deficient bridges if placed end-to-end would span nearly 1,100 miles, the distance between Chicago and Houston, a new examination of federal government data shows. And it’s a problem that hits close to home.
Read MoreAirport Infrastructure Subject of House Hearing
On Tuesday, March 26, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) held a hearing to explore options to improve our nation’s airport infrastructure. During the hearing, titled “The Cost of Doing Nothing: Why Investment in our Nation’s Airports Matters,” Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) noted that “crippling congestion has become the norm in our country” and that the congestion is having a…
Read MoreKlobuchar Prioritizes Infrastructure
March 28, 2019 – The presidential candidates are already getting out in front on infrastructure. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) unveiled a plan to spend a trillion dollars in federal funds to upgrade the country’s infrastructure, the first policy announcement of her campaign for the Democratic nomination for president. The proposal would use a combination of federal dollars, tax subsidies and loan…
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