Tag: Congress: Page 2

Roadbuilding

Army Corps to fund additional $1.8B in projects with new work plan

The plan includes $1.772 billion provided in Congress’ $1.3 trillion spending package enacted March 23. Details here.

June 15, 2018

Roadbuilding

TIGER grants refocused by Trump; get $1.5 billion and new name

The TIGER grant program the U.S. Department of Transportation provides to states and local communities for transportation projects has a new focus, more money and a new name. Under the Trump administration, the grants will be known by the acronym BUILD, which stands for Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development. TIGER, formed during the Obama […]

May 1, 2018

Roadbuilding

Trump infrastructure adviser resigns; President touts plan as job creator

A week after President Donald Trump traveled to Ohio to push his infrastructure plan, the designer of the $200 billion proposal has announced his resignation. D.J. Gribbin, the special assistant to the president for infrastructure, joined the White House in January 2017 and is credited with developing the infrastructure plan, which calls for $200 billion […]

April 9, 2018

Business

Dodge economist: Trump tariffs won’t halt construction growth

Though there are some concerning signs on the horizon, including President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, they won’t stop the continued expansion of the overall construction industry through 2018 and into 2019, according to Bob Murray, chief economist for Dodge Data & Analytics. Murray said the industry was able to absorb the […]

April 6, 2018

Roadbuilding

Ad campaign calls on Congress to act on transportation infrastructure funding package

The Transportation Construction Coalition and Americans for Transportation Mobility Coalition developed a new ad campaign that urges Congress and the Trump administration to act now to develop and pass a robust transportation infrastructure funding package and provide a permanent fix for the Highway Trust Fund, according to a release from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). The ad […]

March 16, 2018

Business

Jan. construction starts slip 2%, pulled by 18% nonbuilding construction dip

Following December’s 13-percent hike, the value of new construction starts in January slipped 2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $725.9 billion, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. In addition, the Dodge Index for January was 154, compared to December’s revised 156 and November’s 138. There were several contrasts to the December results. […]

February 22, 2018

Roadbuilding

Trump backs 25-cent gas tax hike, but Congress appears reluctant

President Trump is backing a 25-cent federal gas tax increase to help pay for his infrastructure plan. The infrastructure plan calls for an additional $200 billion in funding spread over 10 years. It also seeks to attract $1.3 trillion in state, local and private funding. Trump posed the 25-cent increase February 14 during a meeting […]

February 19, 2018

Roadbuilding

U.S. Chamber calls for 25-cent gas tax, among other measures to aid infrastructure

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is calling for a 25-cent gas tax to help pay for the nation’s roads, bridges and transit. But the Chamber’s vision for an infrastructure package goes well beyond the gas tax. On Thursday, Chamber President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue pledged that the Chamber will push for an entire toolkit […]

January 19, 2018

Roadbuilding

Former transportation secretary calls for infrastructure fix, higher gas tax

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is calling on Republicans and Democrats and all levels of government to work together to fix America’s infrastructure problems. Writing an opinion article at Newsweek.com, LaHood, who served from 2009 to 2013, says Congress missed an opportunity with its tax-reform legislation to inject “much needed revenue into the Highway […]

January 11, 2018

Roadbuilding

RAND report: U.S. infrastructure not as bad as some politicians say

U.S. infrastructure definitely needs attention but political alarms about crumbling demise are overblown, according to a new study by the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit policy research organization. Concerns about transportation and other infrastructure – roads, bridges, airports, water systems – have led some politicians to call for large spending increases, but the RAND study says “much of […]

December 13, 2017

Business

Construction starts predicted to rise 3% in 2018

Total U.S. construction starts will grow 3 percent next year as the industry moves into “a mature stage of expansion,” according to the 2018 Dodge Construction Outlook. The pullback will continue in areas of multifamily and hotel construction starts. The increase will be led by continued growth in single-family houses, warehouses and office buildings. A […]

November 3, 2017

Roadbuilding

New AASHTO president hopes to work with Trump on infrastructure

Tennessee Transportation Commissioner John Schroer has been elected the new president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ board of directors. Schroer said he hopes to lead AASHTO’s efforts to work with the Trump administration and Congress to enact an infrastructure package and a new long-term transportation reauthorization bill. The impacts of […]

October 2, 2017