FHWA video features GRS–IBS history and construction techniques
October 5th, 2018
A Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) YouTube video showcases the history and construction techniques of the geosynthetic reinforced soil–integrated bridge system (GRS–IBS). The video illustrates how to build a GRS–IBS. It is intended to educate designers, engineers, contractors and inspectors on the fundamentals of the GRS–IBS. The video follows the GRS–IBS Interim Implementation Guide (FHWA-HRT-11-026). The […]
FAA to award $616.9 million in infrastructure grants to airports
August 29th, 2018
U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced on Aug. 24 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $616.9 million in airport infrastructure grants, as part of the total $3.18 billion in Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding for airports across the United States. “The department has been investing heavily in our nation’s airport […]
Talking geosynthetics with Congressman Bruce Westerman
August 1st, 2018
One of the few professional engineers in Congress, Republican Rep. Bruce Westerman of Arkansas pulls no punches when discussing the potential use of geosynthetics in federal infrastructure projects. “I think geosynthetics should be part of the toolkit,” Westerman said during a phone interview with Geosynthetics magazine on May 19. First elected to Congress in 2014 […]
Sen. John Hoeven, four former USDOT secretaries and three Trump Administration officials to speak July 19 at ARTBA’s P3s conference in D.C.
July 18th, 2018
Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., will join former U.S. transportation secretaries Jim Burnley, Sam Skinner, Rodney Slater and Mary Peters as featured speakers on July 19 at the American Road & Transportation Builders Association’s (ARTBA) 30th Annual Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) in Transportation Conference at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. Senior Trump administration officials Alex […]
ARTBA petitions USDOT to end federal rule blocking the use of innovative products in highway and bridge projects
May 22nd, 2018
The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) announced it had formally petitioned the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to repeal a 102-year-old federal procurement rule the group says has blocked, since its inception, the use of products that could improve safety and quality on the nation’s major roadways. At issue is 23 CFR 635.411, […]
USDOT launches BUILD Transportation program and announces $1.5 billion Notice of Funding Opportunity
April 30th, 2018
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) on April 25, 2018, published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to apply for $1.5 billion in discretionary grant funding through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grants program. USDOT said, BUILD Transportation grants replace the preexisting Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program. […]
FHWA accepting grant applications for advanced transportation technologies
April 23rd, 2018
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced April 18, 2018, it is accepting applications for grants from a pool of up to $60 million in federal funding under the 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The grants will be made to eligible entities to develop model deployment sites for large-scale installation […]
USDOT announces $1 billion in emergency relief for road and bridge repairs
April 17th, 2018
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced April 13, 2018, the release of more than $1 billion in Emergency Relief (ER) funds to help 32 states, several U.S. territories and some federal land management agencies repair roads and bridges damaged by storms, floods and other unexpected events. FHWA’s ER program reimburses […]
TRB Annual Meeting is Jan. 7–11, 2018
January 6th, 2018
More than 13,000 people—including industry leaders, policymakers, administrators and researchers from government, industry and academia—are expected to gather for the Transportation Research Board’s 97th Annual Meeting. The event will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., from Jan. 7–11, 2018, and will involve thousands of presentations at nearly 800 sessions and […]
U.S. DOT releases draft strategic plan for public comment
October 24th, 2017
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released a draft DOT Strategic Plan for fiscal years 2018–2022 for public comment. The DOT said the draft plan reflects Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao’s priorities for achieving DOT’s mission through four strategic goals, including some relevant to geosynthetics practitioners. The secretary’s priorities are: Safety: Reduce transportation-related fatalities and serious […]