Wind energy is often harnessed in large fields and land across the U.S. and around the world. What about offshore wind energy? What if we used the ocean and waterways to expand where we collect wind and take advantage of coastal winds? Would it be an eyesore or harm wildlife?…
Riding Out The Storms Ahead Models from researchers and meteorologists predicted a forceful hurricane season in the Atlantic this year. If these predictions hold, we can expect millions of dollars in damage to electrical transmission and distribution lines, roads and levees, and other local infrastructure along the coast. Knowing these…
Beneath Our Feet Underground infrastructure in America run for millions of miles. These make possible the basics of modern American life, carrying water, energy resources, electricity, cable, Internet, and phone service. Often we see utilities over our heads, like electrical lines, or even along the sidewalk, like pad-mounted transformer boxes….
The Highway Trust Fund is funded through a federal excise tax on gasoline and diesel fuel. The fuel tax, along with supporting revenue from road permits, commercial taxes, and interest payments make up the Fund. The onset of the coronavirus drastically disrupted the normal revenue intake of the Fund, because…
China has not been shy about its expansion into global markets. Through the Made in China 2025 and Belt and Road Initiative, the communist nation has broadcast its intention to be more involved around the world, to project power, and to integrate itself in the infrastructure, economics, and politics…
Public door handles and knobs are some of the most touched surfaces imaginable. The constant entry and egress at stores, restrooms, gas stations, and offices mean people are touching grease, grime, and germs. Perhaps central to conversations around hygiene are bathrooms. Many practices and procedures emphasize hand washing. But…
Lockdowns and stay-at-home orders mean fewer cars on the road. This must mean the nation’s roads get a break from the daily wear and tear of millions of vehicles pounding the pavement. But this historic time only highlights another historic moment: the insolvency of our nation’s Highway Trust…
nnovators and explorers at heart dream of one day terraforming Mars – converting it into a habitable, blue and green world. But there seems to be dichotomy over what humans can truly achieve. With the same breath, some lament humanity’s inability to control the pace and severity of climate…
Excavating any site can be risky. Even when all the proper procedures are followed, the 20 million miles of underground facilities can cause dozens of complications. Maps can be incomplete, locators can mark improperly, and excavators can misjudge their dig. At its worst, these mistakes and oversights can result…
Washington D.C, District of Columbia – April 23, 2020 – The Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure (Aii) is officially launching a new Virtual Classroom featured at Aii.org. As COVID-19 keeps students and parents at home, Aii is offering educational resources, lessons, and interactive content to encourage learning. The resource provides…
For years, the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund has been accumulating billions of dollars. Despite an overflowing fund dedicated solely to ports and harbors, our waterside infrastructure has been in decline. Now, with an emergency coronavirus stimulus package, Congress has remedied this issue. The Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure (Aii)…
In March of 2005, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designated 811 as the nationwide phone number for excavation damage prevention. Now, 15 years later, we have seen damages decline as everyone from homeowners to construction crews call before they dig. The federal designation unified the nation’s programs into one simple,…
Explosions can destroy homes, cost thousands, and threaten human lives. Worse than a tragic explosion is one that happens in spite of it being entirely preventable. This type of tragedy, whether by willful disregard for the law or lack of competence is why best practices for excavation are so critical….
As our nation faces a public health crisis in the form of the Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19, many are working or studying from home. With this mass transition from corporate or college life to homes and communities, the nation’s telecom and digital infrastructure could be under new and unprecedented use,…
Underneath the feet of every American are millions of miles of buried cables, electrical lines, pipelines, water systems, and more. This vast network of underground utilities is coursing with the information, power, and resources we rely on every day. But because it is buried under our yards, sidewalks, gardens, parking…
