The Pacific Northwest faced several record-breaking days of sweltering weather during the first week of July. Temperatures in Portland, Oregon reached 116 F, while Lytton, British Columbia broke the Canadian record for highest recorded temperature at 121 F. These heat waves have ramifications for both residents and the underlying infrastructure…
Potholes. Steel plates. Grooved pavement. Faults in America’s roadways seem to be increasingly common, as does the traffic from road work. The roadways that connect our homes, businesses, cities, and states are a crucial part of America’s infrastructure, but seem to be in terrible condition. Is it really as bad…
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…
By Samuel G. Bonasso, PE FASCE* As we look up at the sky and dream of tomorrow’s new sustainable infrastructure ideas, we must also remember to look at what is under our feet. The answer to many of the problems which drive our sustainable infrastructure concerns today will not be…
By Samuel G. Bonasso, PE* The sheer size of the U.S. requires a sophisticated interstate highway system to facilitate commerce, tourism, and more, essentially making the surface transportation system our most important public utility. While most people associate the term “utility” with their electricity, water, or gas services, Webster’s New…
Written by Shane Skelton, Aii Executive Director Last month, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its most current Highway Trust Fund (HTF) baseline projecting that the fund would suffer a $107 billion cumulative shortfall by 2026. By almost any measure, this is bad news, but compared to other recent estimates,…
