John LattaRoadbuildingIt’s a start.How about this in the lead from a Reuters story out of Washington today: “……..the House of Representatives approved a $15 billion package of tax credits and highway construction.” As you might expect there are twists, turns, compromises and another run through the Senate before anything actually happens. But still. It’s a start. Read the […]March 5, 2010RoadbuildingAmerica: We’re not the team we used to beThat’s us in the corner, losing our competitiveness. My guess is that most Americans still think we are world leaders in a field where, in fact, we are not. Actually, we are not even in the leading group of countries when competitiveness is measured. And for those who read the tea leaves trying to assess where […]March 4, 2010RoadbuildingDo they know we’re watching?Washington, March 3, 2016: Congress extends SAFETEA-LU for 86th time. You think? If Senator Jim Bunning’s standing on the shore trying to hold back the waves act showed us anything it is that the will to create and pass a six-year bill is all but non-existent in key offices in D.C. Despite the rhetoric, which flowed […]March 3, 2010RoadbuildingI’m taking my ball and going homeI was thinking about Jim Bunning because I am a huge fan of Tom Paine.  The Kentucky senator has created all sort sof upheaval by virtually single-handedly blocking an extension to the highway bill. States are facing a shutdown of work and possibly even compromised  safety situations. Government workers are furloughed. Congress is scrambling to clean […]March 2, 2010RoadbuildingThe Cost of This Latest DelayAre we all looking at the same thing? Are all the leftover Avatar 3-D glasses finding their way into D.C.? Here’s a good basic view of the cost of what’s happening in Washington because of Senate moves this week, this time from John Horsley, executive director of AASHTO. Because of the impending expiration of the […]March 1, 2010RoadbuildingSenate does it again. States under the gun again.The Senate has plowed into another logjam in the highway funding boondoggle. A breaking news story from The Bond Buyer newspaper says that States will not receive highway payments from the federal government starting Monday because of the Senate’s inability to clear a temporary extension of federal aid to states, although payments may resume next […]February 26, 2010RoadbuildingA Bond Summit: help for Government AgenciesAt a time when recession-hit government agencies are checking in the back of sofas for loose change, along comes a conference that can be really useful in a hurry. The National Municipal Bond Summit in Miami, March 17-19 could be something of an oasis in this recession desert for your agency. But hurry, early bird […]February 26, 2010RoadbuildingMica: What goes on “behind closed doors” is so wrongApparently what is happening behind closed doors in Washington with with stimulus funds would make Charlie Rich blush. Floridian congressman John L. Mica the Republican leader in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, says he has declared war on executive branch bureaucrats earmarking taxpayer dollars “behind closed doors.”  “Billions of dollars in stimulus grants have recently been doled out […]February 24, 2010RoadbuildingUnbalanced Stimulus Distribution?Is there a disconnect between where our roads are most travelled and where stimulus money is being spent? In the Up Front blog from the Brookings Institution, Robert Puentes looks at America’s 100 largest metropolitan areas and, not surprisingly, finds that this is where most of our commerce is and where most of our highways miles […]February 23, 2010RoadbuildingFerries with Wings. Very California.There are certain occasions when you think “only in California.” Here’s an idea that would change the way ferries operate on San Fransisco Bay. You simply put sails on them, modern sail similar to aircraft wings. So when the wind blows you use less fuel. Savings around 40 percent according to the people behind the […]February 19, 2010Previous PagePage 36 of 43Next PageTop StoriesTelehandlersBobcat Unveils Electric Telehandler PrototypeThe new zero-emissions machine is powered by liquid-cooled batteries and has a rated operating capacity of 5,511 pounds.Safety & ComplianceContractor Faces $394K in Fines After Worker Dies in TrenchWheel LoadersLiebherr Debuts World's First Large Wheel Loader with a Hydrogen EngineDozersHyundai Breaks into the Dozer Market with HD100The DirtTest Run & Review: The Market's First Electric Mini Excavator, JCB’s 19C-1E