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November 27, 2013 • Vol. XXV • No. 24 • 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215-885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • Fax 215-885-2910
Inside
Va. Supreme Court Rules…
P3 Enabling Law for Setting Tolls Constitutional
EHG Teams Up With Linder to Demo Eastland Mall…8
ft. (18.3 to 24.4 m) below the crest of the dike. It’s considered crucial to the rehabilitation effort, although is by no means a solution to a complex problem. Despite a multimillion dollar effort by USACE, the dike remains on a national shortlist of unsafe class
The Virginia Supreme Court Oct. 31 agreed with the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) in the case of Elizabeth River Crossings OPCO LLC and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) v. Danny Meeks and overruled a lower court’s decision to strike down Virginia’s Public Private Transportation Act. The association, along with the National Conference of State Legislatures, filed a “friend of the court” brief in the case. At issue was a lower court ruling which held that Virginia’s public private partnership (P3) enabling legislation was unconstitutional because it allowed VDOT to set toll rates on the Midtown Tunnel Extension project in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. ARTBA’s brief argued that as manager of the state’s roadways, VDOT was the most qualified entity to determine toll revenues needed to support the Hampton Roads project. The Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance, ARTBA’s affiliated chapter, also filed an amicus brief and played a key leadership role in defending the com-
see HOOVER page 66
see P3 page 92
USACE photo
The cutoff wall extends from roughly 6 ft. (1.8 m) from the top of the dike through the foundation to several feet beyond the limestone bedrock, averaging between 60 to 80 ft. (18.3 to 24.4 m) below the crest of the dike.
Pinnacle Brings Lunch to Job for Lane Construction…12
Improvements Continue for Herbert Hoover Dike By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT
Ring Power Presents Demo Day…20
Table of Contents ........4 Trailers Section ....37-47 Paving Section ......50-63 Parts Section ..............64 Auction Section ....86-95 Business Calendar ......90 Advertisers Index ......94
In what appears to be a never-ending task, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers crews in Florida continue working on the outdated Herbert Hoover Dike surrounding Lake Okeechobee — the state’s largest freshwater lake. Since 2007, teams have performed various tasks to reduce the risk of dike failure due to flooding from high water levels. “Because of the construction methods used in the 1930s, the dike is susceptible to erosion of the earthen embankment,” said John Campbell, public affairs specialist of the Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). “Over the past six years, we have installed a 21.4 mile concrete barrier known as a cutoff wall into the southeast quadrant of the dike. The cutoff wall is designed to reduce seepage and prevent erosion.” The cutoff wall extends from roughly 6 ft. (1.8 m) from the top of the dike through the foundation to several feet beyond the limestone bedrock, averaging between 60 to 80
Voters Confirm High Value Placed on Transportation Infrastructure Voters across the nation again confirmed the high value they place on transportation infrastructure improvements by approving 91 percent of Nov. 5 ballot measures to increase or extend funding for highways, bridges and transit and electing two transportation advocates for governor. There were 21 ballot initiatives at the state and local level, the largest number in a decade for a year that did not include congressional
races or a presidential election. The total value of the approved measures was nearly $240 million. On average, the successful ballot measures were approved with 67 percent of the vote. Transportation investment advocates also won gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia. The approval rate for transportation funding measures is even greater than in previous years — voters approved 68 percent of similar see ELECTIONS page 80