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May 1 1 -1 5, 201 5
#RebuildRenew
infrastructureweek.org
Media Highlights
Time Magazine: Ray LaHood: Congress Is Pushing Our Infrastructure to the Point of Disaster
http://time.com/3860397/ray-lahood-amtrak-tragedy-infrastructure/
The Amtrak tragedy is the result of a systematic transportation infrastructure crisis
The nation’s transportation systems connect families, friends, and businesses across the nation. Transportation
and freight networks support commuters and family vacations, the movement of consumer goods and exports. So
when transportation systems are struck by a terrible tragedy, it is part of everyone’s lives.
Transport Topics: Capitol Agenda for the Week of May 11, 2015: Daily Coverage of Infrastructure Week
http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=38225
Capitol Agenda shifts into daily blog mode to cover Infrastructure Week. We'll be bringing you photos, tweets,
videos and news coverage of the week's major events related to trucking. We also will be offering two
special LiveOnWeb programs dedicated to Infrastructure Week:
Progressive Railroading: 'Infrastructure Week' to highlight need for long-term investments
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/news/Infrastructure-Week-to-highlightneed-for-longterm-investments--44413
Representatives of 80 affiliates from business, labor and advocacy are expected to gather next week to call
attention to U.S. infrastructure needs as part of the third annual "Infrastructure Week."
POLITICO: Morning Transportation
http://www.politico.com/morningtransportation/
THIS WEEK: It’s Infrastructure Week, and there will be no rest for Secretary Foxx, who begins with a twofer of
speaking engagements in town today, heads to Tennessee on Tuesday to headline events in Knoxville and
Memphis, jets out to the Bay Area for speeches in Silicon Valley on Wednesday, bops down to L.A. to talk at a bus
maintenance and operations facility on Thursday, and wraps up in Iowa on Friday, before returning home to D.C.
As the crow flies, that’s a more than 5,000-mile circuit around the country. You go, secretary!
Today — Foxx, Vice President Joe Biden and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka talk this morning about
infrastructure investment at a forum hosted by Bloomberg Government. Catch the webcast at 9:15:
http://bit.ly/1cmQRvx. The secretary then heads to Brookings this afternoon to speak about infrastructure
financing alongside former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell. After that panel, Rep. John Delaney and Alan Krueger
take the stage: http://bit.ly/1z1TNIH
IIFL: Infrastructure Week: Much-needed attention to invest in systems and structures
http://www.indiainfoline.com/article/news-top-story/infrastructure-week-much-needed-attention-to-invest-insystems-and-structures-115051200242_1.html#sthash.aC19j9Ez.dpuf
Infrastructure Week is coordinated by America's business and policy leadership to drive awareness of how the
neglect of American infrastructure has affected the country's global competitiveness and Americans' livelihoods.
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For Construction Pros: Transpo Secretary Stumps for Robust Highway Funding
http://www.forconstructionpros.com/press_release/12072852/transpo-secretary-stumps-for-robust-highwayfunding
With federal surface transportation funding set to expire on May 31, thousands of stakeholders will rally together
for Infrastructure Week to urge Congress to say “no” to more short-term measures and “yes” to a long-term
funding solution. In support of the third annual Infrastructure Week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx
is participating today in kick-off events in Washington and will then head out to meet with state and local leaders,
business leaders, and academics in Tennessee, California and Iowa.
Next City: For U.S. Cities, Every Week Is “Infrastructure Week”
http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/infrastructure-week-congress-funding-bridges-roads-water-in-cities
It’s Infrastructure Week in Washington, D.C., and thousands of leaders from business, labor and government have
converged on the city. They’ve come to ask Congress to invest in the unglamorous but essential systems of
modern life — including transportation, clean water and the electric grid.\
CCJ: Infrastructure Week blues: 20 days until highway funding expiration — Foxx warns state DOTs; ATA
pushing short-term patch
http://www.ccjdigital.com/infrastructure-week-blues-20-days-until-highway-funding-expiration-foxx-warns-statedots-ata-pushing-short-term-patch/
Wrapping a bow around this impending showdown between a Congress that won’t act and a nation begging for
Congressional action is Infrastructure Week, the timing of which couldn’t sum up the country’s infrastructure
woes any better.
Per its website, Infrastructure Week is a five-day period in which 80 groups “from business, labor and advocacy
are convening around America to host more than 40 events and bring a strong message directly to Congress that
America cannot wait for long-term solutions to infrastructure investment and revitalization.”
Knoxville News Sentinel: Federal transportation official drums up support for Highway Trust Fund plan
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/traffic/federal-transportation-official-drums-up-support-for-funding-highwaytrust-fund_35249162
KNOXVILLE — U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx on Tuesday addressed local elected and
transportation officials in hopes of garnering support for a plan to keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent.
Knoxville News Sentinel: Transportation funding needs a lift, officials say
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/nation-and-world/transportation-funding-needs-a-lift-officials-say_40137639
Each year the nation falls further behind in its transportation infrastructure, suppressing potential economic and
cultural development and increasing danger to travelers, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Tuesday
while addressing a roomful of regional officials in Knoxville.
WVLT: U.S. Transportation Secretary in Knoxville to show support for Grow America Act
http://www.local8now.com/home/headlines/US-Transportation-Secretary-in-Knoxville-to-show-support-forGrow-America-Act-303508301.html
U.S. Transportation Secretary, Anthony Foxx was in Knoxville Tuesday sharing his plans to get the money. He
stopped in Knoxville on Tuesday to kick off National Infrastructure Week.
"The Grow America Act. It's a bill that will produce $478 billion of spending over 6 years," says Foxx.
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InterMountain: Let’s complete Corridor H
http://theintermountain.com/page/content.detail/id/585063/Let-s-complete-Corridor-H.html
This is National Infrastructure Week, which makes the recent proposal by community leaders to complete
Corridor H by 2020 through a Public Private Partnership extremely timely.
CSP: A Deadline for Roads
http://www.cspnet.com/fuels-news-prices-analysis/fuels-news/articles/deadline-roads
WASHINGTON -- Welcome to Infrastructure Week, the five-day period where transportation advocates try to
remind elected leaders and the public about why it is important to invest in the nation’s infrastructure. And this
year, the weeklong event has a very compelling backdrop: In about two weeks, the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), the
account that supports federal highway and transit projects, is set to run out of funding authorization—again—
with no long-term fix in sight.
Finance & Commerce: Biden calls highways a national security issue
http://finance-commerce.com/2015/05/biden-calls-highways-a-national-security-issue/
Vice President Joe Biden said investing in the nation’s highways and bridges is a national security issue and
Congress should quickly approve spending for new projects.
Shopfloor: From the Front Lines of Infrastructure Week
http://www.shopfloor.org/2015/05/from-the-front-lines-of-infrastructure-week-2/33779
As Infrastructure Week enters its third year, the effort has grown and gone national, transforming from a handful
of events planned by a small group of organizations into a nationwide initiative. This week, more than 80 affiliated
organizations will host over 40 events from Alaska to Washington, DC. It is safe to declare that no infrastructure
policy issue will be left unaddressed this week.
Bloomberg: Biden Calls U.S. Highway Spending a National Security Issue
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-11/u-s-poised-for-serious-highway-crisis-transport-chiefwarns
Vice President Joe Biden said investing in the nation’s highways and bridges is a national security issue and
Congress should quickly approve spending for new projects.
US DOT: Secretary Foxx’s Infrastructure Week Travel Shows Need for Robust Funding Strategy
http://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/secretary-foxxs-infrastructure-week-travel-shows-need-robustfunding-strategy#sthash.REbLFpPR.dpuf
Infrastructure Week has nearly 80 affiliate organizations in business, labor, and advocacy, including the National
Association of Manufacturers, American Society of Civil Engineers, AFL-CIO, Brookings Institution, the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce, and Building America’s Future. More than 40 events will be held to highlight the need and
benefits of modernizing America’s infrastructure.
Arkansas Online: For better roads
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2015/may/11/for-better-roads-20150511/?f=opinion
This week, May 11-15, is National Infrastructure Week. Some of America's leading business, labor, and publicpolicy organizations are bringing together thousands of stakeholders in Washington and around the country to
highlight the critical importance of investing in and modernizing America's infrastructure systems, and the
essential role they play in our economy.
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NPR: It's Infrastructure Week: More Potholes Than Tax Dollars To Fill Them
http://www.npr.org/2015/05/11/405961315/its-infrastructure-week-more-potholes-than-tax-dollars-to-fill-them
This is National Infrastructure Week in Washington, D.C. That's when serious policy wonks, along with the
construction, labor groups and other related industries, hold conferences, raise awareness and maybe most
important, lobby Congress on behalf of road, bridge and other brick and mortar and concrete improvements.
Transport Topics: VP Biden: Highway Funding Patch to ‘Hopefully, Occur Very Soon’
http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=38232&t=VP-Biden-Highway-Funding-Patch-to%E2%80%98Hopefully-Occur-Very-Soon
WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden said Congress will soon unveil a highway funding patch that ensures
states continue to receive federal funding assistance after transportation funding authority expires at the end of
the month.
“We’re going to have a patch, hopefully, occur very soon,” the vice president said May 11 at the kickoff of
Infrastructure Week at the Bloomberg Government newsroom.
Transport Topics: Policymakers, Financiers Agree on Infrastructure Crisis, but Not on Funding Mechanisms
http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=38237&page=2
The report was written by Roger Altman, who served in the Treasury Department in the Carter and Clinton
administrations and is executive chairman of Evercore, an investment bank. Also contributing to the report were
Princeton University economist Alan Krueger and Aaron Klein, director of financial and regulatory reform for the
Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington think tank.
Greater Greater Washington: Events roundup: Infrastructure Week
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/26717/events-roundup-infrastructure-week/
It's Infrastructure Week! Celebrate by learning about innovative planning, suburban street safety, and better
biking in Arlington. Take a walk in Crystal City or become part of a bike safety task force. And don't miss our happy
hour with the American Planning Association!
Water World: Infrastructure Week 2015: Value of Water Coalition spotlights innovative water projects
http://www.waterworld.com/articles/2015/05/infrastructure-week-2015-value-of-water-coalition-spotlightsinnovative-water-projects.html
WASHINGTON, DC, May 11, 2015 -- To commemorate Infrastructure Week 2015, taking place May 11-15, the
Value of Water Coalition (VWC) has announced that it is highlighting innovative water practices and infrastructure
projects across the country through the release of a new briefing paper and events from coast to coast.
The Hill: ‘Infrastructure week’ kicks off amid highway bill uncertainty
http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/241589-infrastructure-week-kicks-off-amid-highway-bill-uncertainty
Transportation advocates are planning a week of events to highlight the need for investing in the nation’s
infrastructure amid mounting uncertainty about the future of federal road and transit funding.
Equipment World’s Better Roads: Obama administration kicks off Infrastructure Week funding push
http://www.equipmentworld.com/obama-administration-kicks-off-infrastructure-week-fundingpush/#sthash.UhMX7naR.dpuf
As lawmakers on Capitol Hill scramble to extend transportation funding before the end of the month, a week of
events is set to advocate for roadwork during Infrastructure Week.
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Harvard Business Review Blog: What It Will Take to Fix America’s Crumbling Infrastructure
https://hbr.org/2015/05/what-it-will-take-to-fix-americas-crumbling-infrastructure
May 11-15 is national Infrastructure Week in the U.S., but don’t get out the party hats. It’s not a celebration. It’s
more like a cry for help. Bridges are crumbling, buses are past their prime, roads badly need repair, airports look
shabby, trains can’t reach high speeds, and traffic congestion plagues every city. How could an advanced country,
once the model for the world’s most modern transportation innovations, slip so badly?
MSNBC: House Republicans vote to cut Amtrak funding one day after crash
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/democrats-and-republicans-debate-amtrak-cuts-day-after-crash
By coincidence, the crash occurred during “Infrastructure Week,” which brought a host of trade groups, labor
unions, and mayors to Capitol Hill to lobby for expanded infrastructure spending. Former Obama administration
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who co-chairs an alliance of pro-infrastructure groups called Building
America’s Future, opened a previously scheduled press conference on their efforts with an acknowledgment of
the crash and its victims.
LaHood was hesitant to link the accident to the Amtrak funding debate on Wednesday, telling reporters he
wanted the NTSB to investigate the accident before drawing conclusions. But he did lament Congress’ tendency to
pass bills in response to disasters rather than investing in repairs and safety ahead of time.
“People in that building right there [need to] show a little vision and leadership and pass a transportation bill
before another bridge falls down, before a road collapses,” he said. “Let’s not wait until there’s a crisis that causes
them to take action.”
Harvard Business Review Blog: America’s Transportation Infrastructure Needs Entrepreneurs
https://hbr.org/2015/05/americas-transportation-infrastructure-needs-entrepreneurs
National Infrastructure Week, May 11-15, should mark the acceleration of giving entrepreneurs and innovators a
prominent seat at the table, adding technology opportunities to solve America’s infrastructure problems.
The Nation: Congress Has to Get Serious About Railroads and Infrastructure
http://www.thenation.com/blog/207289/congress-has-get-serious-about-railroads-and-infrastructure
The Philadelphia derailment, which occurred in the middle of national Infrastructure Week, highlights mounting
concerns about infrastructure decay. “The Northeast Corridor, which runs between Boston and Washington, is
one of the railroad’s busiest and most profitable lines,” reported The New York Times in its main story on the
crash. “But officials have long complained that the agency needs more subsidies from Congress to improve the
railroad’s deteriorating infrastructure and replace aging equipment.”
ShopFloor: Industry Leaders, Mayors and Local Leaders Unite Over Infrastructure Need
http://www.shopfloor.org/2015/05/33787/33787#sthash.FdV8GB41.dpuf
Today, as a part of the third annual Infrastructure Week, National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President
and CEO Jay Timmons and Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) General President Terry
O’Sullivan participated in a press event with mayors from around the country and Former Department of
Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
Transport Topics: Labor Group Presses Congress to Fund Long-Term Highway Plan, Joins ‘Advocacy Day’
http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=38249&t=Labor-Group-Presses-Congress-to-FundLong-Term-Highway-Plan-Joins-%E2%80%98Advocacy-Day
WASHINGTON — To kick off Infrastructure Week’s “advocacy day” on May 13, the president of the Laborers’
International Union of North America called on lawmakers to advance a long-term measure that improves the
country’s aging infrastructure.
Auto Connected News: US DOT speeds up V2V rules for ADAS and self-driving cars
http://www.autoconnectedcar.com/2015/05/us-dot-speeds-up-v2v-rules-for-adas-and-self-driving-cars/
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Next City: We Should Expect More From Our Transportation Systems
http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/us-trains-infrastructure-funding-transportation-systems
This week — National Infrastructure Week — is the perfect time to move forward by doubling down on
transportation. We should follow the prescription laid out this week by Robert Puentes of the Brookings
Institution, whose federalist agenda for transportation identified a three-pronged strategy: Lead with innovations
that connect metropolitan regions; empower through greater flexibility; and leverage by refining existing
innovation finance tools.
US News & World Report: Briefing: House GOP Passes Abortion Ban, Skips Infrastructure Upgrades
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2015/05/14/house-gop-passes-abortion-ban-butskips-out-on-amtrak-bill-hike
It’s Thursday, the 134th day of 2015 and the third year of National Infrastructure Week, when engineers
highlight the various states of disrepair in the nation’s bridges, tunnels, sewers and rail systems. Tuesday’s fatal
Amtrak crash in Philadelphia on Tuesday triggered renewed calls for infrastructure spending, but the Republicancontrolled Congress doesn’t seem interested: It cut Amtrak’s budget the day after the crash, and President Barack
Obama’s $500 billion infrastructure upgrade plan, included in his fiscal budget, still sits in the congressional
parking lot. Here’s your Three-Minute Briefing, all the News You Can Use in less time than it takes to get through
rush hour:
Transport Topics: Transportation Experts Debate Proposals for Keeping Highway Trust Fund Solvent
http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=38260&t=Transportation-Experts-Debate-Proposalsfor-Keeping-Highway-Trust-Fund-Solvent
“The need for a new stable source of transportation revenue is more pressing than ever,” Kevin DeGood, director
of infrastructure policy at the Center for American Progress, said at a May 14 Infrastructure Week event on the
Hill. “Since 2006, Congress has transferred more than $65 billion from general funds into the Highway Trust Fund
to stave off insolvency.”
Transport Topics: Secretary Anthony Foxx: ‘So Far Away From Having a 6-Year Bill’
http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=38261
“We are so far away from having a six-year bill. We’ve had 32 short-term extensions over the last six years that
getting a six-year bill would be a giant leap from where we’ve been in the last six years,” Foxx said during a
teleconference hosted by Business Forward as part of Infrastructure Week. The group advocates for investments
in infrastructure projects that lead to jobs.
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