tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25427694716622746222024-03-13T10:01:55.904-07:00The ACEC California Blog and ForumThis Blog is for the exchanging of ideas and commentary on behalf of ACEC California members and the public on various issues affecting the private engineering and land surveying industries.ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-6705143351314267442014-08-25T10:47:00.000-07:002014-08-29T15:55:01.707-07:00Recycled Water a Potential Solution to California's Water Woes<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BglOxZ5ReBU/U_tvEk4_ofI/AAAAAAAAAMc/OwQ5_AVw54E/s1600/Presser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BglOxZ5ReBU/U_tvEk4_ofI/AAAAAAAAAMc/OwQ5_AVw54E/s1600/Presser.jpg" height="200" width="146" /></a></td></tr>
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Bruce Presser</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: start;">
Principal, CEO/CFO</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: start;">
The Covello Group</div>
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<a href="http://www.covellogroup.com/">www.covellogroup.com</a></div>
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On April 1<sup>st</sup>
the California Department of Water Resources conducted their snowpack survey
which determined we are only at 32 percent of average. This was no April Fool’s
joke; only providing more evidence that California is in the midst of its worst
multi-year drought since the mid-70’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Studies have shown that California has had extended drought periods
throughout history; water has always been a concern to those living here. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now couple that with the numerous demands on
the current water supply; urban, industry and agriculture and geographical
splits; North versus South.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It becomes
clear why not one single idea works in solving the State’s water woes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Water is the
life blood of the State’s economy and if water agencies are struggling to meet
current demands how are they expected to meet the future demand when
California’s population is expected to increase by 15.4 million by the year
2064; a 41 percent increase?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
traditional approach of creating storage and conservation isn’t sufficient to
meet our water needs; plus there’s no room to put a brick in our low flow
toilets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must look to other sources
to augment our supplies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One such reliable
and locally available water source that can be made available in a relatively
short time is “Recycled Water”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What is Recycled
water?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite simply it is the practice
of using water more than once rather than just sending it out to the river or
ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several agencies throughout the state for
years have been treating their wastewater and distributing it for non-potable use;
such as, watering golf courses, cooling water for oil refineries, and
re-charging aquifers (for saltwater barriers or indirect use). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now is the perfect time to increase the volume
of water produced and expand the ways in which we use it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My first
professional experience with recycled water was in 1998 when our firm was
retained by the Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD) to manage the
construction of their <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Clean Water
Revival” project. Following the path forged by pioneering agencies in Orange
County, the District was building a new advanced treatment facility using the
latest technology; micro-filtration (MF) and reverse osmosis (RO) treatment and
ultra-violet disinfection (UV) to produce a product that exceeded potable water
standards. The District planned on taking this new water source and injecting
it deep into the local aquifer where it would spend the next nine (9) years migrating
through the groundwater aquifer before finding its way back into the local
water supply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately a few vocal
critics labeled the project “Toilet to Tap” which ultimately forced the District
to change their plan and use the water to supplement local urban irrigation
instead of bolstering ground water supplies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The citizens of the state have been slow to
adopt Recycled Water as a true source of water. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perceptions are improving and there is hope
that the recent move to consolidate the drinking water program under the State
Water Board will help.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Governor
is behind the effort to promote the wider use of recycled water by signing
Senate Bill 322 in 2013 which requires the State to investigate the feasibility
of developing uniform water recycling criteria for direct potable reuse by
September 2016. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what is holding the
agencies back from building the facilities?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Recent
surveys of the wastewater and water utilities have shown that the largest
impediment to recycled water projects is funding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are currently 44 projects that are
permitted and “shovel ready” that could produce 220,000 acre-feet of new water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately those agencies don’t have all the
funding needed to build their projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like
the public perception about recycled water, acceptance to fund these projects
is changing too. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In March the State
Water Board approved $800 million that will be used to fund recycled projects for
agencies who submit applications by December 2015.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a good start but unfortunately only a
‘drop in the bucket’ for what is really needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>More money is needed to fund future projects to expand this water supply
source. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The State and its citizens can
no longer afford to ignore this reliable and locally available water supply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><b>For more information on California's water crisis, read ACEC California's latest issues of Engineering and Surveying Business Review at the link below. You will find articles about the severe drought that continues to impact the entire state and ACEC California members offer potential solutions to our state's water woes.</b></i></div>
<div>
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/CCEB/CCEB0114/index.php#/0" target="_blank">California's Water Crisis</a></b><br />
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<br />ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-39647449647041187522014-08-18T12:44:00.000-07:002014-08-18T12:44:14.986-07:00States, Municipalities Push Ahead with Innovative P3s<div class="MsoNormal">
Even in an improving economy, and with Congress’s temporary
rescue of the Federal Highway Trust Fund, states are faced with <a href="http://acec-ca.blogspot.com/2014/08/time-for-california-to-take-road-less.html">further
shortfalls</a> in federal funding for vital transportation infrastructure such
as roads and bridges. But some states are
finding a solution in alternative delivery mechanisms such as Design-Build and
Public Private Partnerships (P3s). </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Some are </span><a href="http://www.dbia.org/advocacy/state/Pages/default.aspx"><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">moving ahead</span></a><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> at a rapid
pace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In Pennsylvania, the state department of
transportation is moving forward a plan to use P3 delivery for an </span><a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/business/2014/08/12/Bridge-initiative-promises-savings-and-efficiency/stories/201408120003"><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ambitious program</span></a><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> to replace
and repair at least 500 of the state’s bridges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Four teams have been selected to submit
proposals based on their ability to finance the project, their background and
experience in managing similar assignments and their understanding of the
project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Selection of a preferred team
is expected this fall with construction slated to begin in 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><i
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span style='font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:major-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:major-latin'>“Going
with a P3 and design build approach shaved at least 10 years off the
project, say officials” - ENR</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="font-family: Cambria;">In Florida, the state DoT has just completed
its first ever transportation P3 funded by a TIFIA loan from the US DoT, adding
three innovative reversible lanes to the six-lane </span><a href="http://595express.info/"><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Interstate 595</span></a><span style="font-family: Cambria;"> in Broward County to relieve congestion around Ft.
Lauderdale. So far, the $1.8 billion
project has been a </span><a href="https://enr.construction.com/infrastructure/transportation/2013/0624-interstate-595-widening-marks-florida8217s-first-p3-effort.asp"><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">major success</span></a><span style="font-family: Cambria;">, shaving
years off the state’s project timeline and coming in $275 million under budget.</span></div>
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mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia'>“A partnership could get the proposed rail
done in five to eight years…while a strictly government project would take
considerably longer” – Miami Today<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
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and Miami Beach, working with Miami-Dade County, are considering a P3 to build
a <a href="http://miami.curbed.com/archives/2014/04/30/baylink-options.php">passenger
rail link</a> between the two communities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Although the current plan is in its infancy, the project has been talked
about for many years and almost got off the ground in 2004 at a cost of $480
million.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s now become the county’s
top priority transit initiative and studies suggest a P3 delivery could result
in a lower cost to build and a faster delivery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Estimates suggest that the project could
cost as little as $532 million, not much over the cost estimates anticipated 10
years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Alternative deliveries such as P3s, Design-Build and Design-Build-Operate-Maintain
are no panacea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are times, situations
and projects where traditional delivery methods still work best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All methods of delivering construction
projects create valuable jobs needed to keep the economy moving forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for states like California to remain
competitive, they must embrace innovation, creativity and global best
practices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Design-build and P3s must be
part of the solution.<o:p></o:p></div>
ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-45931811702985373132014-08-04T09:00:00.002-07:002014-08-04T09:00:47.983-07:00Time for California to take the road less traveled?<div class="MsoNormal">
Like the roads and bridges we drive on, our state’s
transportation financing policy is in a state of collapse. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Washington, D.C., legislators <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-is-congress-paying-for-the-short-term-highway-trust-fund-fix/">went
down to the wire to temporarily rescue the Highway Trust Fund</a>, the primary
source for financing this country’s highway and mass transit improvements. The
rescue is only a stop-gap measure; the Highway Trust Fund will run out of money
again by next June. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Highway Trust Fund supports fifty percent of California’s Highway
Capital Program.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If that weren’t bad enough, in California we face our own funding
issues. The successful $20 billion Prop 1B bond program that financed many
projects over the last few years has ended and Caltrans has projected a $290
billion shortfall through 2020 for the maintenance and expansion of the state’s
roads and highways. Future state and federal revenue for transportation
improvements is expected to drop by 40%, compared to the levels of the last
five years. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3GgJWF7kJI/U9-t-ob31TI/AAAAAAAAAL4/dr_Q-bDqqEE/s1600/BlogPic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3GgJWF7kJI/U9-t-ob31TI/AAAAAAAAAL4/dr_Q-bDqqEE/s1600/BlogPic1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, here’s the dilemma:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>in order to grow our economy in a sustainable way, we need good roads and
highways – to carry goods and our growing population.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Roads need constant maintenance and, as our
population grows, more cars use those roads, traffic patterns change and require
new road solutions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do we pay for
them?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<a href="http://www.acec-ca.org/doc.asp?id=2397">Build California Better</a>,“ a
white paper just released by ACEC California, addresses this issue and looks at
alternative paths California may take to keep our roads and highways in the
condition needed to support further economic growth. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Key to the issue is understanding the state gas tax, which was
conceived to help finance road maintenance and improvements. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gas tax revenue however, hasn’t kept pace with
inflation and is actually on the decline as more Californians drive vehicles
with greater fuel efficiency or, increasingly, no dependence on gas at all: in
2010 there were just two models of electric car on the market, <a href="http://www.plugincars.com/2014-electric-cars">today there are more than
20</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, an increase in the gas tax – viewed as political suicide
by many – isn’t even a long term guarantee that the state will take in more
revenue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As more Californians adopt
hybrid or electric technology, fewer will purchase gas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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It’s time for some ‘outside-the-box’ thinking on this
issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The purpose of “Build California
Better” is to promote that kind of thinking, enhance discussion and, hopefully,
encourage our state’s politicians and visionaries to deliver a long term,
sustainable funding plan for our transportation infrastructure. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-9974422929911066382014-07-08T12:01:00.002-07:002014-07-08T12:01:56.114-07:00Stanford Tour Highlights Engineering ExcellenceOn June 11th, about two dozen members of ACEC California toured the Bing Concert Hall on the campus of Stanford University. The $112M project, which opened in January, was given ACEC California's highest award for engineering excellence, the Golden State Award, earlier this year.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MX0DcmPNjYg/U7w-CGg2JwI/AAAAAAAAALc/XqVU4Xnyhtc/s1600/ConcertHall.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MX0DcmPNjYg/U7w-CGg2JwI/AAAAAAAAALc/XqVU4Xnyhtc/s1600/ConcertHall.png" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
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Principal and project engineer Ray Pugliesi and President and CEO Stacy Bartoletti of San Francisco-based Degenkolb, the ACEC member firm which designed the Bing project, were on hand to discuss the project's engineering challenges. According to Pugliesi, the entire project took more than six years from concept and design to completion of construction.<br />
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In the words of concert hall's operations manager and tour director Matt Rodriguez, "The Bing is really a unique building and Stanford had the foresight to put together a great team to design and build it."<br />
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Matt added that the team, combined with a BIM process that saw the entire building engineered and design on computer before construction began, kept the project on time and on budget.<br />
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The 842-seat symphony hall is visually and structurally impressive and was designed to provide superior acoustics for symphonic music, no audience member is more than 75 feet from the stage. Benefactors and Stanford alums Dr. Peter Bing and his wife, Helen, insisted on making the viewing experience as comfortable and "organic" as possible. As a result, the hall has seats that are up to six inches wider than standard theater seating and some have more than a foot of extra leg room.<br />
<br />ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-73796640111818593202014-06-09T10:24:00.000-07:002014-06-09T10:24:10.080-07:00Congress Moves Ahead on Transportation Reauthorization<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt;">Good news out of Washington – not
coincidentally, </span><a href="http://www.infrastructureweek2014.com/"><span style="color: #000fff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">National Infrastructure</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt;"> Week and </span><a href="http://www.ndtahq.com/events_national_trans_week.htm"><span style="color: #000fff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">National Transportation Week</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt;"> -- as the
U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously approved
a bill reauthorizing $265 billion in funding for critical infrastructure and
transportation-related development.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The bi-partisan bill</span><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Files.View&FileStore_id=1e3c777c-8d48-49f0-b9b6-2e725470a1bb"><span style="color: #000fff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">, S-2322</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">, also known as the Moving Ahead for
Progress in the 21</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">st</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Century or MAP-21 Reauthorization Act,
would provide the states with six years of funding stability, protecting
current levels of investment and including an inflationary adjustment.
The bill maintains the core programs and formulas established in MAP-21,
creates a new freight mobility program, leverages more private sector
investment through the TIFIA program and state infrastructure banks, and
authorizes a new pilot study on mileage-based fees to fund the Highway Trust
Fund in future years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The bill is </span><a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:S.2322:"><span style="color: #000fff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">. A summary of the bill is </span><a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Files.View&FileStore_id=f331a434-eec7-41f2-8cc6-5bbc34c49b3d"><span style="color: #000fff; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-72371271205710820272014-05-27T10:00:00.000-07:002014-05-27T10:00:14.346-07:00The Key to Good Planning is Balance<div class="MsoNormal">
As a statewide organization representing more than 800
private engineering and land surveying firms and some 18,000 professionals, ACEC
California is often asked to engage in efforts related to new zoning
regulations and regional and urban planning.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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There are a lot of legislative attempts to bring clarity to
planning processes but because of the sheer weight of legislation already on
the books, it takes an extremely well-crafted bill to make the grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A <a href="http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140AB1961">bill</a>,
now before the Assembly, which aims to protect agricultural land, may be well
intentioned but doesn’t make the grade.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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California should be sympathetic to the desire to guard
against and mitigate for the loss of important farmlands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, some good, tested programs are
already on the books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <a href="http://www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/lca/Pages/Index.aspx">Williamson Act</a>
provides a property tax reduction incentive to farmers who want to commit land
to agricultural use. The <a href="http://resources.ca.gov/ceqa/">California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)</a> requires a finding of significant impact
if a project converts farm or forest land to another use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And <a href="http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/sb375/sb375.htm">SB 375,</a> establishes a
framework for regional planning agencies to integrate transportation, housing
and land use plans into performance targets for greenhouse gas emission
reductions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Any additional legislation needs to be accretive to this
body of law, not contradictory or duplicative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Through this lens, ACEC California works to ensure that present and
future legislative efforts to add to this body of law be balanced, focused, and
funded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-23748347912937772642014-05-12T09:45:00.000-07:002014-05-12T09:46:23.089-07:00Where is State Support for School Facilities?<div class="MsoNormal">
In 1998, the <a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/03-04/bill/sen/sb_0001-0050/sb_50_bill_20040929_chaptered.html">Leroy
F. Greene School Facilities Act</a> (Senate Bill 50) was signed into law,
establishing what has proven to be one of the state’s most successful
partnerships. Since its enactment, the
partnership between state and local funding sources has generated upwards of
$116 billion in total revenues dedicated solely to the construction and
renovation of California’s school facilities from kindergarten through
university. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But like the re-painting of the Golden Gate Bridge, the job
is never finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just last year in its <a href="http://www.ascecareportcard.org/">California Infrastructure Report card</a>,
the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) estimated that despite public
school districts in California spending $38.8 billion on capital outlays for
construction and renovation between 2005 and 2008, there was still a critical
need for $25.4 billion in infrastructure funding.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unfortunately, despite an improving economy the state is
effectively out of bonding capacity and has no cash on hand to support its
portion of the program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The revitalization and strength of an urban community is
found centered around school facilities however, and we have an obligation to
house our students in safe and adequate facilities. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Historically, there has been overwhelming
support for statewide bonds to fund such investment, with $35 billion being
raised through bonds since the Act was adopted. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The legislature must act now <a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_2201-2250/ab_2235_bill_20140221_introduced.htm">to
approve a school facilities construction and modernization bond</a> for the
November ballot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only will a bond
measure support the education of our students within the best possible facilities,
but will create much-needed jobs.<o:p></o:p></div>
ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-91545698748323394602014-04-29T10:36:00.000-07:002014-04-29T10:36:08.895-07:00California Should Not Restrict Private Sector Work<div class="MsoNormal">
ACEC California has long believed that the public favors a
state government that can promptly and efficiently achieve its goals and serve
its citizens while maintaining fiscal responsibility.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The State of California already has in place an overly
complex procurement process for hiring private sector firms in all aspects of
its business, including engineering and land surveying services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it seems counterproductive and unnecessary
to add any further complexity to the process without clear public benefit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But that’s exactly what some are trying to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>California is finally emerging from the
economic downturn and could rest on a solid economic footing well into the
future if government keeps the flexibility to use private sector expertise and
allows those experts to do an efficient job.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A <a href="http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140AB1578&search_keywords=">bill</a>
now in the Assembly seeks to place additional cost on the state and create additional
time-consuming steps for its agencies by requiring the Department of General
Services and other agencies using private contractors to create and maintain an
online database of these contracts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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This bill not only hurts competition, but is unnecessary and
part of a larger national effort to further restrict local agencies’ ability to
contract with the private sector. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps
our citizens’ hard earned tax dollars would be better spent finally addressing
the real problems within our bureaucracy?<o:p></o:p></div>
ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-83340349682432400982014-03-17T17:05:00.003-07:002014-03-17T17:05:21.983-07:00Question: What do George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Henry David Thoreau have in common?<div class="MsoNormal">
Answer: They all spent part of their careers, (before
they became famous as POTUS’ 1, 3, and 16 and a pond-adoring transcendental
idealist) as surveyors. This week is <a href="http://www.nsps.us.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=667&parentID=524&nodeID=2">National
Surveyors Week,</a> highlighting the contributions made to society by members
of the surveying profession.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the State Capitol, Senator Andy Vidak (R-Hanford) and
Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) graciously introduced<a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/sen/sb_0001-0050/sr_32_bill_20140304_introduced.html">
resolutions</a> acknowledging the 3,488 licensed surveyors working in
California and celebrating National Surveyors Week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See
our press release <a href="http://gallen.com/releases/140317-ACEC.pdf">HERE</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, what do surveyors do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This “Day in the Life” <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_X3dqDRXhM">video</a> by a Canadian
surveying firm, looking to hire surveyors out of college, gives a great insight
into the profession.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s a more
formal <a href="http://www.fig.net/general/definition.htm">description</a> from
the International Federation of Surveyors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Surveyors are accurate and detail oriented, want to solve problems, and,
as you can see from the video, are not only happy to work in an office
environment but also love to be outdoors.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Like many professions, the job of the surveyor has changed
due to the introduction of technology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
advent of GPS systems, for example, has made the surveyor’s life a little
easier, but surveyors still need to spend a lot of time “in the field” in order
to make sure their surveys are as accurate as possible. <o:p></o:p></div>
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According to some in the industry, attrition within the
surveying sector could lead to there being less than 3,000 licensed
professionals in California by 2025.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet
even as the number of surveyors dwindles, their services are more in demand
than ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a list of schools in
California offering courses in surveying, visit:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://www.californiasurveyors.org/colleges.html">https://www.californiasurveyors.org/colleges.html.</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-31655855369041052222014-03-03T08:13:00.000-08:002014-03-03T08:13:26.551-08:005 Reasons the Gas Tax Won’t Adequately Support Highway Infrastructure in California by 2020 <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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#1: <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100907911">We’re driving less. </a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2542769471662274622" name="_GoBack"></a> During any
recession, people tend to economize by driving less, and the Great Recession
was no exception. But even a
slight improvement in the economy since 2009 hasn’t resulted in greater use of
the car, <a href="http://www.vehicleservicepros.com/news/11133027/americans-driving-less-since-great-recession">unlike
in other recessions up to the mid 1990s</a>. Less driving means less gas consumption means less gas tax
revenue. What it doesn’t mean is
less wear and tear because, increasingly, we’re using public transit and alternatives
to gas-powered vehicles.</div>
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#2. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/11/electric-cars_n_2115124.html">Like
Dylan, we’re going electric. </a> Sure,
the technology is still developing and it’s been talked about for a long, long
time but it seems the disruptive change we’ve been waiting for in the auto
industry is finally here and California is leading the way. A recent survey of transportation
trends in <a href="http://peninsulatransportation.org/new-palo-alto-transportation-study-suggests-options-to-reduce-driving/">Palo
Alto</a> revealed that one fifth of all households had switched to alternative
fuel vehicles.</div>
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#3: <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-06/automakers-refuse-to-give-up-on-millennials-who-don-t-buy.html">Our
kids (and grandkids) won’t buy as many cars</a>. Of course, kids will buy cars, but the pressure to buy isn’t
as great for a demographic that is increasingly urban (vs. suburban), comfortable
with public transit and eco-friendly.
Factor in things like cost and upkeep, and gas-consumption cars will be
less attractive propositions for future generations. Plus, <a href="http://www.jwtintelligence.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/F_INTERNAL_Gen_Z_0418122.pdf">you
can’t text and drive</a>.</div>
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#4: We’re being
encouraged to walk and bike more. The
Palo Alto study also revealed that 93 percent of households reported owning at
least one bicycle, while 53 percent owned four or more bicycles. Other <a href="http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/transportation/blogs/bicycle-commuting-sees-strong-growth-in-american-cities-over-the">national
studies</a> show more of us are commuting by bike. </div>
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<br /></div>
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#5. <a href="http://www.umtri.umich.edu/what-were-doing/news/vehicle-fuel-economy-highest-mark-ever">Rising
fuel economy = lower consumption. </a> Whether you agree with it or not, we’re legislating away
future gas sales by requiring more efficient gas powered vehicles. This year’s cars are expected to <a href="http://www.buffalonews.com/business/new-cars-trucks-sold-in-us-hit-record-236-gas-mileage-last-year-20131212">average
24 mpg,</a> an increase from 2012’s 23.6 mpg. So, even if we do buy more gas powered cars in the future
(we won’t) each car will use far less gas. The trend is clear and is one of the biggest reasons we need
an alternative to the gas tax for funding transportation infrastructure.</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-15300045174705642452014-02-18T10:42:00.000-08:002014-02-18T10:42:48.395-08:00Calling Student Engineers<!--[if !mso]>
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If you are in high school, it’s never too early to consider
what you might want to study in college or pursue as a career. </div>
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February 16<sup>th</sup> sees the start of <a href="http://www.discovere.org/our-programs/engineers-week">National Engineers
Week</a>, a nationwide celebration of the important role played by engineers in
our society. Designed to
coincide with the birthday of the person regarded by some as the nation’s first
engineer, <a href="http://www.pointtopointsurvey.com/blog/did-you-know-that-george-washington-was-a-land-surveyor/">George
Washington</a>, National Engineers Week also features <a href="http://www.engineergirl.org/8463.aspx">Girl Day</a> on February 20<sup>th</sup>,
encouraging more girls to consider joining the ranks of engineers. In
California, Sen. Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres), at ACEC California’s request,
introduced a <a href="http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml;jsessionid=9bb1c74dca51ec97c3a44bd28adb?bill_id=201320140SR27"><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria;">Senate Resolution</span></a> acknowledging the valuable contributions
made to society by engineers. </div>
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Without engineers, the world just wouldn’t be the same. Engineers solve complex, critical
problems facing states, municipalities and communities. In doing so, they often innovate and
make our world a better place, whether it be by designing a screen to protect
endangered fish species so water can continue to flow to agricultural users,
setting new standards in seismic safety for a tunnel spanning a major fault
line or figuring out a way to move 100-year old train tracks so that a city’s
downtown core can expand and flourish.
</div>
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It was engineers who were responsible for devising a way to
navigate LA’s busy streets and get the <a href="http://framework.latimes.com/2012/10/12/space-shuttle-endeavour-2/#/0">Space
Shuttle Endeavor</a> to its new home at the California Science Center in
October 2012. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GtMlWSaUGio/UwOpGgUpE_I/AAAAAAAAAKk/vfyVKJPuWJw/s1600/Shuttle+Endeavor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GtMlWSaUGio/UwOpGgUpE_I/AAAAAAAAAKk/vfyVKJPuWJw/s1600/Shuttle+Endeavor.jpg" height="154" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Photo Credit: Don Kelsen/Los Angeles Times</span></div>
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The space shuttle project and many more were taken on by
California engineering companies and were so successful they received recognition
in this year’s <a href="https://www.acec-ca.org/doc.asp?id=916">ACEC’s
Engineering Excellence Awards</a>. These projects all have one thing in a
common: a talented engineer, or
team of engineers, was presented with a problem and came up with a practical,
efficient solution.</div>
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<br /></div>
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There are many <a href="http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/theengineeringplace/students/top10.php">reasons</a>
to consider a career in engineering. If you are creative, like to solve
problems and work with other talented people, or you want to travel and are
looking for the potential for rapid advancement in your career, engineering
might be a good choice for you. </div>
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<br /></div>
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A recent <a href="http://m.sacbee.com/sacramento/db_98822/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=Q1PfEsnK&full=true#display">report</a>
released by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) also showed
that engineering majors were seven of the 10 highest paid starting majors among
2013 graduates. </div>
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For more on why you should consider a career as an engineer,
check out this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMZ8NfmccwA">video</a>.</div>
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<br />ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-47713223834007234632014-01-20T13:24:00.001-08:002014-01-20T13:25:02.878-08:00Fresno State Students Take on Civil Engineering Design Challenge for Senior Projects<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Education is the backbone of our industry and the California
economy. Last month, 25 students
from Lyles College of Engineering at Fresno State, under the direction of CSUF
professor Fariborz Tehrani, Ph.D.,
PE, SP, PMP,<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16pt;"> </span>delivered their final
presentations for a senior design project co-sponsored by ACEC-California’s San
Joaquin Valley Chapter (including member firms<b><i> AECOM, BSK, Brooks Ransom,
Cornerstone, Kleinfelder, Provost & Pritchard, URS, Yamabe & Horn</i></b>).
</div>
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This is a program the San Joaquin Valley Chapter has supported for many
years and all of the presentations were high quality, which tells us that
there’s some great talent headed into our industry in the next few years. </div>
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The projects included designs for a retirement facility, a
natural history museum, a community center and a grade separation for the BNSF
railroad.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Thanks also to Walt Plachta of <b><i>Blackburn Consulting</i></b> and
Mike Hartley of <b><i>Bedrock Engineering </i></b>for their support of the program and
bringing this to our attention. </div>
<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-22448235068374346412014-01-06T10:36:00.000-08:002014-01-06T10:36:21.483-08:00Why we need to look at new options for funding highway projects
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<br />
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A recent <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303661404579177860694973876?KEYWORDS=commuters+go+it+alone">story</a>
in the <i>Wall Street Journal</i> shows why
we need to look for new ways to finance highway transportation. </div>
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According to the latest American Community Survey released
by the Census Bureau, carpooling is declining at an alarming rate. In 1980, carpooling was at an all time
high of 20 percent; today it is 9.7 percent. And we aren’t leaving our cars behind and taking public
transit, either; that declined slightly from 6 percent to 5 percent in 2012. We are telecommuting more, but again,
only slightly. That rose to 4
percent (from two percent in 1980.)</div>
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<br /></div>
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Result: more of
us are driving alone. Older
workers are working later in life; vehicle use is up among lower income
Americans and 45 percent of U.S. households have no access to public
transportation, says the WSJ.
Which means, more cars on the road, more wear and tear on our roads, and
a greater need for new highways to alleviate congestion.</div>
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At the same time, the primary source of funding for highway
projects in California – the gas tax – is a declining source of revenue. </div>
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We know that cars are more fuel-efficient than they were
thirty years ago, which means less overall consumption of gas. More than this, the sale of hybrid and
electric cars is accelerating faster than a Toyota Prius. <a href="http://cleantechnica.com/2013/01/09/electric-hybrid-vehicle-sales-in-the-us-rose-73-in-2012/">In
2012, sales of electrics and hybrids rose 73 percent</a> from the prior year
making these cars the fastest growing sector of the auto industry. One research group predicts sales will
increase another 12 percent this year, putting more than half a million
electric/hybrid vehicles on the roads.</div>
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Perhaps an even deeper indicator of where auto trends are
going is that sales of Tesla’s Model S (price: $64,000) are through the roof in <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/industry-center/analysis/drive-by-numbers-tesla-model-s-is-the-vehicle-of-choice-in-many-of-americas-wealthiest-zip-codes.html">America’s
wealthiest zip codes</a>. In
California cities like Atherton, Los Altos Hills and Portola Valley
(admittedly, all tony neighborhoods close to Tesla’s HQ) sales of the Model S
are in double digits and outpacing far more expensive, gas-guzzling cars. In fact, the Tesla is the most
registered vehicle in 8 of the top 25 zip codes in the U.S. </div>
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As the company rolls out vehicles in other price points,
more Californians are likely to take advantage and wean themselves off fossil
fuels, at least in their cars.</div>
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All this means revenue from the existing gas tax is
ultimately unsustainable, even with tax hikes. The trend is clear in the Board of Equalization’s own
consumption survey. In 2005,
California drivers purchased 15.9 billion gallons of gas. By last year, following steady annual
declines, consumption was down to 14.5 billion and this year is on pace to be
closer to 14 billion.</div>
<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-34116191707070667092013-12-16T09:44:00.001-08:002013-12-16T09:46:59.454-08:00NY moves ahead with Major Transportation Infrastructure P3<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey expects to
start construction of a $1.5 billion cable-stayed bridge connecting Elizabeth,
N.J. and Staten Island, N.Y., by year-end now that a public-private partnership
financing package has been agreed.</div>
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The <a href="http://www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/goethals-bridge.html">Goethals
Bridge</a> replacement will be the first new bridge structure built by the Port
Authority in the last 80 years and it’s the largest public private partnership
in the region.</div>
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In addition to a $461 million bond issue to be sold by the
Economic Development Authority on behalf of the project’s private developers,
NYNJ Link Partnership, and a $474 million loan, the developers will make <a href="http://infrapppworld.com/2013/11/megaproject-121-kiewit-and-macquarie-close-financing-for-goethals-bridge.html">equity
contributions</a> to build the bridge. In return, the developers will receive
payments from tolls over 30 years.
The amount of those payments will depend on the on-time, on-budget
performance of contractors building the bridge. Completion is expected by 2017.</div>
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Yet another example of state and federal resources, local
transit agencies and the private sector all coming together to make vital
infrastructure modernization happen. </div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-12949968957425581342013-10-28T11:26:00.001-07:002013-10-28T11:26:49.869-07:00Pennsylvania Wants More P3s
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In May, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania opened it's doors wider to P3s by announcing
it would accept unsolicited P3 proposals in a month long pilot program. During May, private sector entities
were encouraged to submit proposals offering innovative ways to deliver and
manage transportation projects throughout the state. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Six proposals were submitted and two were ultimately considered
for action by the Office of Public Private Partnership, and subsequently
approved. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The unsolicited proposal program, which applied to
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) projects only, was
considered so successful that it has been extended through the end of October</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pennsylvania is fairly new to the P3 arena. The act authorizing P3 projects was
signed into law in September 2012.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p>For more information on P3s in Pennsylvania visit - http://www.p3forpa.com</o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-31366676439646936862013-10-15T10:20:00.003-07:002013-11-11T15:15:43.848-08:00QBS. It's the Law<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;">If you needed major surgery and had to choose a surgeon,
would you make that choice based on the lowest cost?</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;"> </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;">Probably not.</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;">
</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;">Most people, when making a medical decision, consider the degree of
specialization, reputation and expertise, and sometimes even the “bedside
manner” of the doctor first, before considering the cost.</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">That’s a wise decision. Making major decisions based on cost alone doesn’t guarantee
value. When bidders know that cost is the predominant differentiator in a bidding
situation they could be tempted to cut corners to win business opening the door
to potential safety, quality and environmental issues with the project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">That’s why federal and California state law require that
federal, state and local public agencies use </span><a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=gov&group=04001-05000&file=4525-4529.5"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Qualifications
Based Selection (QBS)</span></a><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> to select engineering, land
surveying and architectural services. The purpose of the statutes is to
make sure that public agencies, and thereby the general public, receive design
services from the best qualified design professionals for a particular project,
not simply the cheapest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">It’s a competitive contract procurement process, but one
that isn’t predicated on price. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2542769471662274622" name="_GoBack"></a> QBS typically
involves a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) segment in which firms are invited
to submit their suitability for the project along with credentials. Unfortunately, too often we’ve seen
some RFQs in California that require a fee submission and even some that
specifically say that fees will be used as the basis for assigning points in
the selection process. This
violates state law which dictates that price not be used as a comparison tool
when public agencies select engineering, architectural or land surveying
services. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">QBS is used throughout the country and at the federal
level because it is sound, cost effective public policy. Professional services for design of a
project can’t be priced upfront in the same way that construction services
can. With construction, there
exists a set of plans and specs upon which all bidders can base their cost
estimates and compete on price as well as other factors. That’s just not feasible for
professional services firms competing to come up with those plans and designs
and to introduce cost as a competitive factor in the selection process is not
only poor public policy, it is potentially hazardous. Engineers shouldn’t be encouraged to cut costs just to be
part of the selection process.
Public agencies should pick the best firm or firms for the job and then
negotiate on price. If agreement
on price can’t be made, the selection committee should have a short list of
candidates culled from the RFP process to go to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">For more about QBS:
</span><a href="http://www.acec-ca.org/doc.asp?id=1532"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">http://www.acec-ca.org/doc.asp?id=1532</span></a><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-69455988061096658172013-09-23T10:10:00.000-07:002013-09-23T10:11:28.737-07:00Sure, We’ll Pay More…If You Use it Wisely<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
A new <a href="http://www.caeconomy.org/pages/2013-public-infrastructure-survey-results">survey</a>
by non partisan reform group <a href="http://www.cafwd.org/pages/about-us">California
Forward</a> says that a majority of Californians are willing to pay certain increased
fees and taxes <u>if</u> the money is put to use rebuilding our state’s vital
infrastructure. At the top
of the infrastructure priorities list were schools, followed by streets and
roads, water and transportation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As engineers we are often called upon to advise on
infrastructure programs in other states and countries and so we know the value
of having a properly supported infrastructure program. But it’s good to know that taxpayers
are willing to support that investment.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One part of the survey overlooked by some media: survey respondents most often cited
wasteful spending and the need for wiser usage of existing monies as the reason
for their response to infrastructure funding options. </div>
<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-39339412235597798892013-09-09T12:11:00.000-07:002013-09-09T12:11:26.306-07:00Gasoline Blues
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last month, in a </span><a href="http://acec-ca.blogspot.com/2013/08/gas-taxes-cant-meet-wear-and-tear-on.html"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">blog post</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> we mentioned that
California has one of the highest gas taxes in the nation and we wondered if it
wasn’t time for a rethink in the way we finance our roads. Other West Coast states are apparently
way ahead of us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">In July, </span><a href="http://gov.oregonlive.com/bill/2013/SB810/"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Oregon</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> became the first
state to establish a </span><a href="http://www.infrainsightblog.com/2013/08/articles/legislation-1/oregon-legislature-passes-nations-first-vmt-bill/index.html"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">voluntary road usage
charge</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">
system for transportation funding.
The system, which goes into effect in 2015, will allow up to 5,000
Oregon motorists to pay a 1.5 cent per mile road usage charge to Oregon Department
of Transportation (ODOT) rather than the 30-cent per gallon gas tax. (Participants in the program must apply
for a refund of the gas tax and also can seek a refund for miles driven on
private property.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">It’s
a fact that Californians are buying less gas. With the pressure on carmakers to make even more efficient
hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles, gas consumption is only going to go
lower. And, with the advances in
smartphone applications and GPS technology, it’s far easier to track actual
vehicle miles traveled from outside the car. That’s why alternative funding mechanisms like the program
adopted in Oregon may become are likely to be the rule, rather than the
exception, in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The
time is now in California for a broad discussion of how best to finance
our future transportation needs in our ever-changing world, including
such innovative ideas as Oregon's road usage charge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-65913130792316515982013-08-26T16:26:00.000-07:002013-08-26T16:26:09.295-07:00California Can Be a "Can-Do" State
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The
Brookings Institution held a forum in Washington D.C. last month titled </span><a href="http://www.brookings.edu/events/2013/07/12-infrastructure-investment"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">‘Can-Do States: A New Era for Infrastructure
Investment.’</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Public and private sector
representatives from Colorado, New York, Virginia and British Columbia
discussed their various approaches to public private partnerships.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">New
York is the latest state to take a can-do approach to P3s. In June, the state unveiled a </span><a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/blog/insider/2013/06/task-force-builds-174b-economic.html"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">$174 billion</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> plan to coordinate the
budgets of almost fifty state agencies and authorities to better leverage
resources across eight areas of infrastructure. A key component of the plan is finding ways to attract
private investment by cutting red tape and speeding the delivery of projects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">That’s
an attitude we could use here in California, but we first need the public and
our politicians to truly understand what P3s are and what they can and can’t
accomplish. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">As
Tony Kinn, Director of Virginia’s Office for Transportation PPPs told the
Brookings audience: “The most
difficult part of successful P3s is the outreach with the public and the legislature. I would contend that in your
state, most of the legislators do not have a full understanding of P3s. And if they don’t, what percentage of
the public do you think has an understanding? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Click below for more information on The Bookings Institution forum: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
http://www.brookings.edu/events/2013/07/12-infrastructure-investment</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-44042947798118127602013-08-12T12:18:00.000-07:002013-08-12T12:18:34.405-07:00Gas taxes can't meet wear and tear on state's roads<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A </span><a href="http://www.api.org/oil-and-natural-gas-overview/industry-economics/~/media/Files/Statistics/StateMotorFuel_OnePagers.pdf"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">report</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> from the American
Petroleum Institute said that California has the highest state excise tax on
gasoline of any state in the country, at 36 cents per gallon. Compare
this to Florida at 4 cpg; New York, 8.1 cpg; New Jersey at 10.5 cpg, or even
the national average of 20.9 cpg, and you would probably think that
California’s roads are the best in the nation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">They are not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">According to a </span><a href="http://www.artba.org/mediafiles/uploaded/f/0e899425_faqhighway.pdf"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">study</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> by the Federal
Highway Administration, California has the fourth worst road conditions in the
country (after the District of Columbia, New Jersey and Hawaii.) A 2010 </span><a href="http://www.ridelust.com/what-states-have-the-best-and-worst-roads/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">report</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> by the Reason
Foundation put California 48<sup>th</sup> out of the 50 states (behind Alaska
and Rhode Island) in quality of roads and bridges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">One reason that the high relative state gas tax doesn’t correlate with
improved road quality is perhaps that the consumption of gas in the state has </span><a href="http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/30/5383648/boe-in-state-gas-consumption-declined.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">declined in
each of the last three years</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">. Last year, California drivers consumed
14.5 billion gallons of gasoline, down from 14.6 billion gallons in 2011,
according to California Board of Equalization. Clearly, the trend toward higher
MPG, hybrid, zero emission and electric vehicles is driving – and will continue
to drive -- consumption down. But the fact is that Californians aren’t
driving any less, and so wear and tear on our state’s roads is constant.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Perhaps its time to rethink the way we finance our roads? In addition to – or instead of -- a gas
tax, perhaps a way to more equitably pay for wear and tear on our roads is to
look at factors such as vehicle weight and miles travelled?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-48795029117552951372013-07-29T14:59:00.001-07:002013-07-29T14:59:52.960-07:00Good News for P3s: Investor allocations to infrastructure set to grow
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<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> A </span><a href="http://www.angelnews.co.uk/article.jsf?articleId=14412"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">report</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> issued by global
private equity advisor Altius Associates reportedly forecasts that
institutional investors are set to increase their allocations to infrastructure
funds from 1 percent to 5 percent of total assets over the next decade.
If such a prediction comes to pass, that’s good news for California
infrastructure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The press release announcing the report, which is only available to
the firm’s clients, doesn’t get into actual dollar numbers, but a quick look at
the state of California’s employee pension fund, one of the largest in the
world, provides an interesting hypothetical example.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">As of Jan 31, 2013, the $248.8 billion fund had invested $3.2 billion
in infrastructure (which it groups as an asset class with forestry). This
represented a one percent allocation within its total investment
portfolio. If the Altius prediction is correct, CalPERS might reasonably
be expected to invest at least that amount purely in infrastructure and to grow
that allocation to more than $12 billion by 2023. Not all of this money
would be invested in the state but, in 2011, CalPERS did commit to invest $800
million over three years solely in California infrastructure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">And CalPERS is not the only institutional investor eyeing California
infrastructure. The state has strong appeal for both domestic and foreign
funds because of the size and strength of California’s economy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Of course, creating a robust P3 sector to handle investor demand and
provide good projects for investment will be critical for the state’s ability
to attract institutional investors as those allocations increase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-52550270485219978842013-07-15T12:24:00.000-07:002013-07-15T12:24:49.151-07:00Zig meir das Geld<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/30/us/politics/obama-promotes-ambitious-plan-to-overhaul-nations-infrastructure.html?_r=1&">speech
in Miami</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"> in April</span>, President Obama returned to
the topic of infrastructure development in the United States. It’s a contentious debate that is
frustrating to many of us because there seems to be widespread agreement that
the U.S. needs updated infrastructure.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Case in point:
our colleagues at ASCE recently released their updated <a href="http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/">Report card</a> on U.S.
Infrastructure. This year’s grade,
D+, is the worst since 2001. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As usual, what’s holding up investment and improvements in
our roads, bridges, ports and other vital infrastructure is….money. Who will pay? The federal government, states and municipalities are still
recovering from the economic downturn; funds are tight and, even if money can
be found, the political climate is hardly conducive to incurring more debt at
any level of government.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is why one of the President’s <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/03/29/rebuild-america-partnership-president-s-plan-encourage-private-investmen">proposals</a>
is particularly welcome:
eliminating the tax penalty currently levied on foreign pension funds
investing in U.S. infrastructure. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The U.S. is – has always been -- one of the most attractive
markets for foreign investment in real estate. And, recently, foreign pension funds have become
increasingly attracted to investing in major U.S. infrastructure assets. The reasons for this are many, but the
combination of relative political and economic stability in the U.S. combined
with the ability to put large allocations of dollars to work over long periods
of time, typically 25 years or more, is attractive to large pension funds
looking to match assets to the long term liabilities of their pensioners. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Funds from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and other
areas of Europe are already investing heavily in infrastructure in other parts
of the world. But being able to
invest on an equal footing with domestic funds in public private partnerships
and other ventures would likely increase their interest in U.S. infrastructure
because they could diversify the risk in their infrastructure portfolios. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-6096607416677019342013-05-22T14:47:00.000-07:002013-05-22T14:47:34.417-07:00The not-so Golden State
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A new <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nothing-golden-about-bottom-10-growth-cities-2013-04-15">study
by CBS Marketwatch</a> shows the widening gap between the haves and have nots
among California municipalities. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Five cities within the state’s Central Valley – Sacramento,
Stockton, Modesto, Fresno and Bakersfield – are big enough to be included among
the nation’s 100 largest metro areas.
That’s the good news. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The bad news:
all five also appear in the bottom 10 of Marketwatch’s <i>Top Cities for Business Growth in 2012</i>. Also on that list, the city of
Riverside, making California a dominant force in lack of business growth last
year. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course, San Jose (#4) and San Francisco (#7)
counterbalance this somewhat by appearing in the top 10 (with Los Angeles and
San Diego just outside). But,
still, six cities in the bottom 10?
What does that say about our state?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One thing the study does say is that cities that tend to do
well in the overall analysis attract and retain people. One thing that makes cities like San
Francisco, San Jose and others on the top 10 list able to attract and retain
population is having the infrastructure in place to create jobs and adequately
support industries as they grow.
If our Central Valley cities are to make it out of the bottom 10 and
provide the opportunity for business growth, they clearly need more resources
for infrastructure building. </div>
<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-82613089755652093152013-05-15T14:20:00.001-07:002013-05-16T14:05:52.446-07:00New York State Embraces P3's<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Wanna buy a bridge?
No, but we’ll build it for you…<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The <a href="http://www.panynj.gov/port-authority-ny-nj.html">Port
Authority of New York and New Jersey</a> is the latest public agency to see the
wisdom of a public–private approach to major infrastructure projects. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last week, the Authority announced that the NYNJLink
consortium -- led by Omaha-based Kiewit Corp and Australia’s Macquarie Group --
will design, build, finance and maintain a $1.5 billion cable-stayed bridge
designed to replace the 84 year old <a href="http://www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/goethals-bridge.html">Goethals
Bridge</a> linking New York’s Staten Island to Elizabeth, New Jersey and
Interstate 95. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An article in the April 25 <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323335404578442821178345316.html">Wall
Street Journal</a> outline’s key elements of the structure of the deal which
sees the Port Authority retain ownership and control of the new bridge while
paying off its construction over a 35-year period. NYNJLink will assume the construction risk over the first
five years of the deal and then the day-to-day operational risk until the end
of the 40-year contract.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s another example of a design build/P3 deal making a
lot of sense. The Port Authority
of NY/NJ operates all of the bridge crossings between New York and New Jersey
as well as all the airports in the metro area. It also owns and operates the bus terminal in New York, the
PATH train system and is responsible for the World Trade Center redevelopment
in Lower Manhattan. The authority
has an annual budget of more than $2.5 billion and is almost $20 billion in
debt. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Spreading the cost and risk, of what is the region’s largest
public transportation project, over 40 years rather than five years of
construction will be much easier on the pocketbook in both the short and long term. In fact, in its 2011 budget report, the
authority admitted that it could not afford the $1.5 billion cost of replacing
the bridge. How many similar
situations do we currently have here in California? </div>
<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542769471662274622.post-8056129517893551572013-02-12T13:52:00.001-08:002013-02-12T13:52:57.275-08:00San Francisco Based T.Y. Lin International Wins Engineering Excellence Award <br />
<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> T.Y. Lin International has received an Honor Award
from the California
Chapter American Council of Engineering Companies for their work on the Taijiang
Bridge in Sanmin, Fujian Province, China.<br /><br /><o:p> </o:p>Completed
in December 2010, the Taijiang Bridge in Sanming, Fujian Province, China was
designed based on the concept of the partially cable-supported girder bridge.
This design concept fully utilizes the capacity of both the cable-stayed system
and the bridge girder, in contrast to the conventional design concept that
neglects the capability of the girder in a cable-supported structure to carry
global loads. This unique and aesthetically pleasing new signature cable-stayed
bridge with a steel arch-shaped tower was constructed to provide a signature
landmark for residents and visitors to admire. In addition, the Taijiang Bridge
elevates travelers’ experience and enhances the unobstructed, 360o views of
its beautiful Sanming environs.</span></h4>
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<!--EndFragment-->ACEC Californiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07731052569439261658noreply@blogger.com0