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Newsline Washington
ARTBA Launches Customized Insurance Program for Contractors
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Speculation Builds on LaHood’s Successor
ARTBA is partnering with McKee Risk Management to create an innovative, competitive insurance plan specifically for transportation construction firms. As ARTBA’s insurance program manager, McKee will work with independent insurance agents —including a contractor’s current agent – to place the most appropriate property and Continued on page 3
Obama Signs Sandy Relief Bill President Obama January 29 signed into law H.R. 152, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, which, among other things, provides more than $18 billion for transportation-related repairs in states affected by Hurricane Sandy, including: $2 billion for roads and bridges; $10.9 billion for mass transit; and $5.35 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers. Finalization of the relief package comes roughly three months after Sandy devastated parts of the Northeast. The delay was the result of an Continued on page 4
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Following last week’s announcement that U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood would not serve a second term, media outlets have filled their pages and websites with speculation about who President Obama will nominate as the next head of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The most commonly mentioned names by the press
are Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D), National Transportation Safety Board Chairperson Deborah Hersman, former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell (D), former House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), and former Representative Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio). While speculating on cabinet appointments is a favorite
hobby of the Washington press corps, past DOT picks, such as LaHood and Norm Mineta in the George W. Bush Administration, were complete surprises. Obviously the situation remains very fluid and we will update you as soon as the President nominates a successor.
The ARTBA Foundation Young Executive Development Program Now Accepting Applications. ARTBA Washington Newsline
Nominate a Colleague for ARTBA’s Young Executive Program Join the next generation of industry leaders at ARTBA’s four-day “boot camp” on federal legislative and regulatory processes. The June 3-6 Young Executive Development Program (YEDP), now in its 18th year, teaches young executives how they can play a leadership role in helping grow the transportation construction market now and in the future. The program also includes sessions on highway/ transit financing, economics, environmental issues, public-private partnerships, and industry innovation. It is held conjunction with ARTBA’s annual Federal Issues Program (FIP) and Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) Fly-In so that participants can meet with their congressional delegation about pending transportation issues. Admission is competitive. Nominations are due by March 15. View the application or contact Sara Jones.
Watch this short video to see how you can nominate your firm’s “rising stars” for the 2013 Young Executive Development Program.
Upcoming Events
2013
Visit our Events Page for more information. Project Management Academy February 4-6 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
P6 Scheduling Academy February 6-8 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
Federal Issues Program & TCC Fly-In June 3-5 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
Young Executive Development Program June 3-6 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
25th Annual ARTBA P3 Conference July 25-26 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
ARTBA National Convention September 8-10 Milwaukee, Wis. [Add to Calendar]
Dr. J. Don Brock TransOvationTM Workshop & Awards Program October 28-30 San Jose, Calif.
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ART BA Washington Newsline
Local Transportation Management Virtual Conference & Innovation Showcase (LoTransTM 2013) November 19-20
5th Annual Transportation Construction Law & Regulatory Forum October Washington, D.C.
Regional Meetings
Western: December, Austin, Texas Central: December, St. Louis, Mo. Southern: December, Charlotte, N.C. Northeastern: December, Baltimore, Md.
New Insurance Program for Contractors Continued from page 1
casualty insurance coverage for business risk exposures faced by ARTBA members. With more than a decade of experience providing insurance programs to contractors, McKee’s underwriting service team will access a variety of insurance companies to provide the best possible program for individual contactors. McKee only works with Independent Insurance Agents to provide these programs, using combined expertise for the benefit of the contractor client. The McKee underwriting team is solely dedicated to the underwriting of construction business. This team understands the risks road and
transportation contractors face every day. The firm is designing an insurance program that will utilize one or more “A” rated insurance carriers to address these exposures. Subject to standard underwriting guidelines, coverages available will include: Commercial Automobile, General Liability, Inland Marine, Property, Umbrella Liability, and Workers’ Compensation. ARTBA needs your help as the new program launches. Please take a moment to answer just four questions in this short, confidential survey. You will be under no obligation to participate in the plan.
Watch for more information from ARTBA and McKee, including a website and other resources for contractors and their agents. You can also contact the ARTBA Insurance Program Director at McKee, John Myatt, vice-president, CIC, ARM, at 484-674-4019. More background on McKee Risk Management can be found at www. mckeerisk.com.
2013 Regional Conference Calls Open to All ARTBA Members ARTBA’s regional conference calls, open to all ARTBA members, provide key information about market conditions and projects in your area, as well as legislative updates from senior ARTBA staff.
Products & Services 2013 ARTBA Media Kit Available
builder®
Special Report: ARTBA Analysis MAP-21
TransportationBuilder
Central Region Conference Calls • Wednesday, February 20 at 2 PM CST Speaker: Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association
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Wednesday, May 1 at 10 AM PST
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Wednesday, April 17 at 2 PM CST
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Wednesday, August 7 at 10 AM PST
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Wednesday, June 19 at 2 PM CST
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Wednesday, October 2 at 10 AM PST
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Wednesday, August 21 at 2 PM CST
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Wednesday, November 6 at 10 AM
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Wednesday, October 16 at 2 PM CST
ARTBA Foundation Young Executive Developmen Now Accepting Applications • Wednesday, March 6 at 10 AM PST
July-August 2012
July-August 2012
Western Region Conference Calls • Wednesday, February 6 at 10 AM PST Speaker: ARTBA President & CEO Pete Ruane
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TRANSPORTATION DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION LEADERSHIP DIRECTORY & BUYERS' GUIDE
2012
PST
*Contact Rob Regier to participate.
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2013 MEDIA KIT “Transportation Builder” magazine Leadership Directory & Buyers’ Guide Web & Digital Advertising Opportunities
*Contact Kenyon Gleason to participate.
Newsline Washington
AUGUST 6, 2012
ARTBA Continues Push for Transportation in Party Platforms Both the House and Senate adjourned last week for a recess that will carry through both parties’ political conventions (August 27-30 in Tampa, Fla., for the GOP and September 3-6 in Charlotte, N.C., for Democrats) and last until September 10. As such, both parties are developing their political message for the last few months of campaigning before November and are
Room Discount for ARTBA National Convention Ends This Week
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Senate Introduces Bipartisan Coal Ash Legislation A bipartisan group of 12 Republican and 12 Democratic senators introduced August 2 the “Coal Ash Recycling and Oversight Act” to prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating coal ash—used extensively in transportation construction projects—as a “hazardous substance.” The legislation, introduced by Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Max Baucus (D-Mont.) builds upon a Continued on page 2 Follow ARTBA:
The deadline for receiving the discounted $192 hotel room rate at the 2012 ARTBA National Convention in Memphis, Tenn. ends Aug. 10. The Peabody Memphis Hotel is a magnificent Forbes FourStar, AAA Four-Diamond, historic property, which has been described as “legendary, charming, elegant and grand.” In addition to top-notch speakers and networking opportunities, this year’s convention features a spectacular program of
events for spouses of ARTBA members. Spouses will have the opportunity to tour “Blues City,” learn about its past, and visit important cultural landmarks, such as the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, and Sun Studio and Stax Museum, where legends such as Elvis Presley, B.B. King and Tom Petty made music history. The program also includes a historical tour along the Mississippi River aboard the newly-refurbished Island Queen.
Attendees and their spouses will also have the opportunity to visit Graceland, the home of Elvis. The full program is available at www. artbanationalconvention.org. Contact ARTBA’s Ed Tarrant for information, or call the Peabody Memphis Hotel at 901.529.4000 to book your room. Reservations made after August 10 will be on a spaceavailable basis.
August 10 Deadline: Contractor Safety & Roadway Work Zone Safety Awards ARTBA Washington Newsline
2013 Media Kit
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View the 2013 ARTBA Media Kit online for the full range of advertising and other opportunities in our “Transportation Builder” magazine, “Leadership Directory & Buyers’ Guide,” and the “Washington Newsline.”
Southern Region Conference Calls • Monday, February 4 at 10 AM EDT Speaker: Secretary Mike Hancock, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet •
Monday, April 1 at 10 AM EDT
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Monday, August 5 at 10 AM EDT
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Monday, October 7 at 10 AM EDT
Northeastern Region Conference Calls Friday, February 22 at 11 AM EDT Friday, April 26 at 11 AM EDT Friday, August 30 at 11 AM EDT Friday, October 25 at 11 AM EDT *Contact Allison Klein to participate.
*Contact Allison Klein to participate
For more information on advertising, contact Peter Embrey at 202.289.4434. ARTBA Washington Newsline
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Overheard “We helped jumpstart the economy and put our fellow Americans back to work with $48 billion in transportation funding from the American Recovery and Investment Act of 2009...We have made unprecedented investments in our nation’s ports. And we have… secured funding in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act to help States build and repair their roads, bridges and transit systems.” U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood Jan. 30 announcing his resignation. “If we expect to have a larger role in shaping the future, business leaders must become better citizens by supporting balanced solutions that may conflict with shortterm special interests. Embracing the philosophies of equitable taxation and replenishing common goods would help our voices be heard. Companies that pay no taxes but get free access to roads, ports, emergency response and educated employees are not good citizens. This is fundamentally unfair. Businesses also utilize common goods such as air and water without charge and should have the philosophy of making better what they get for free and use to make a profit. This is good corporate citizenship.” Allstate CEO Thomas J. Wilson in a Feb.1 “Washington Post” op-ed “The Role for Business in Fixing our Broken Budget” 4
ART BA Washington Newsline
Legislative & Regulatory News Sandy Relief Bill Continued from page 1
unsuccessful effort by some Republicans in both chambers to require spending cuts in other government programs, including transportation, to offset the cost of the Sandy relief bill.
EPW Chair: Draft WRDA Bill on the Way Senate EPW Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) hinted in a January 31 hearing she and Committee Ranking Member David Vitter (R-La.) would release their draft of a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) reauthorization in the coming weeks. It would authorize investments in ports and inland waterways, among other things, and will guide the Army Corps of Engineers in putting some of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund’s (HMTF) current $7 billion surplus to use. Boxer and Vitter noted the HMTF collects cargo fees to upgrade port and waterway facilities. However, the annual expenditures from the HMTF have fallen well below the revenues collected, even as the widening of the Panama Canal draws near completion and ports are looking to improve their facilities to accommodate the resulting class of larger container ships. ARTBA and the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) have signed a cooperative agreement to work with Congress as they address the WRDA reauthorization. For more information on our partnership with AAPA, contact ARTBA’s Kenyon Gleason.
Airports Need Over $71 Billion Over Next Five Years The U.S. airport network needs $14.3 billion annually in capital development from 2013 until 2017 to keep pace with projected passenger and cargo activity, according to a report released January 29 by the Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA). The report, however, notes the federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) capital grants will fall well short of this figure though, as the fouryear aviation reauthorization measure approved by Congress in February 2012 cuts annual AIP investment by $165 million from $3.515 billion to $3.35 billion.
MUTCD availalable for Mobile Devices www.artbastore.org
$29.99
The MUTCD e-book, which is available for purchase through the ARTBA Bookstore, allows road managers to quickly access safety information via their smart phones or tablets on the job site. The new format allows users to electronically search, find, copy, paste, print, and save both text and graphics by navigating hyperlinks and bookmarking information about traffic control rules and regulations.
Multimodal News
Fostering Innovation
A service of ARTBA’s multimodal councils, it features current transportation developments making news across all modes and regions. Contact Sara Jones to become a subscriber or visit www.artbamultimodal.org.
TRB Newsletter: Jan 29
Highlighting new research, technologies, industry best practices and information resources available to the transportation design and construction industry.
Highway and Bridge Employment Down in December Employment in highway and bridge construction fell by one percent in December 2012 compared to the same time 2011, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall construction employment increased in January 2013, rising by 102,000 jobs over January 2012 and 28,000 jobs over December 2012. Nearly all of the job growth occurred in specialty trade contractors. The construction sector’s unemployment rate was 16.1 percent in January (highway and bridge specific figures are always delayed by one month). The national unemployment rate ticked up to 7.9 percent, according to the Labor Department’s monthly jobs report, and 157,000 jobs were added to public and private payrolls last month.
25th Annual Public-Private Partnerships in Transportation Conference
SAVE THE DATE July 24-26
Grand Hyatt Washington Washington, D.C. Featuring a special gala awards dinner Program Contact: ARTBA P3 Division Managing Director, Hank Webster at 202.289.4434. Sponsorship & Exhibits: ARTBA Vice President of Meetings & Events, Ed Tarrant at 202.289.4434.
Download a PDF copy of the digital “Washington Newsline.” ARTBA Washington Newsline
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SAVE THE DATE
JUNE 3-5 Federal Issues Program and Transportation Construction Coalition Washington Fly-In Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill—Washington D.C. Featuring June 3 ARTBA Foundation Gala Awards Dinner For more information, contact Ed Tarrant, ARTBA vice president of meetings & events at 202.289.4434.