Infra Insight Blog

On July 23, 2020, the California Transportation Foundation convened a panel of transportation professionals for the webinar “Transportation Outlook: Moving Beyond COVID-19.”  The panelists discussed the impacts of the coronavirus and what the future holds for California’s transportation sector in the wake of the pandemic. ...

The full House will consider the FY21 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) bill that the House Appropriations Committee approved with a final vote of 30-22 on July 14, 2020.  For FY2021, the THUD bill provides a total of $107.2 billion in total budgetary resources for the U.S. Department of Transportation, including: ...

There can be little argument that many of the more than 90,000 dams in this country are in need of immediate attention. The catastrophic failure of two dams in Michigan last month following an extraordinary amount of rain in a relatively short period, highlights a number of issues:

• More than 60% of dams in the United States are more than 60 years old. That means they were largely constructed using construction standards and techniques that are no longer consistent with modern requirements and standards, exposing these dams to  the potential for failure. ...

Nossaman attorneys Brandon Davis, Liz Klebaner, Brad Kuhn and David Miller hosted a virtual panel discussion on June 3, 2020 covering strategies for successful infrastructure projects in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic.  The panel covered procurement and contracting strategies; real estate and construction considerations; NEPA, CEQA and environmental compliance; and an outlook of environmental litigation under California and federal law. Below are key takeaways from the panel: ...

Like many other state agencies, Texas stay-at-home orders issued in response to COVID-19 have shuttered many TxDOT offices since mid-March. These orders have prevented TxDOT staff from attending meetings in person with colleagues, proposers and consultants, however, despite these obstacles, TxDOT has managed to advance several design-build procurements. Among other things, TxDOT has developed strategies to help the agency adapt to the current reality, including advancing processes that allow for electronic submission and evaluation of procurement documents and ...

For those of you involved in the transportation sector, we invite you to join us on Wednesday, June 3^rd for a discussion on planning, procurement and financing strategies that can be implemented now to support timely project delivery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.  We are planning a very interactive webinar where ample time will be set aside to answer questions received from attendees both prior to and during the event. ...

Last week, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works passed America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 (AWIA) and Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 by a vote of 21 to 0. AWIA would authorize approximately $17 billion in new federal spending to invest in water infrastructure over the course of the next three years.

Two sections included in the AWIA confirmed the federal government’s continued support for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA). If approved by the full Senate and the President, AWIA Title II Section 2014 reauthorizes WIFIA ...

As we continue to navigate the far-reaching impacts of the global coronavirus pandemic, our work and commitment to assisting marginalized and underserved communities with critical infrastructure is more important than ever.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) have been recommending handwashing as one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 for months.  However, according to the U.S. Water Alliance’s Closing the Water Access Gap in the United States report, approximately two million ...

In his Infra Insight Blog post on April 15, Fred Kessler reported on how the budgets for state departments of transportation, which rely heavily on federal and state fuel tax revenues, are suffering due to reduced traffic volume caused by the COVID-19 “stay at home” directives issued by state and local governments.  Nevertheless, with limited exceptions, transportation agencies and the construction industry are allowed to perform road work and some transportation agencies have expedited the delivery of highway projects. ...

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, both the public and private sectors have been working to understand the market’s response and search for solutions addressing the pandemic’s unprecedented impacts. On April 2, 2020, Young Professionals in Infrastructure hosted a webinar, “P3s and the Current Pandemic: Industry Perspectives on COVID-19 Impacts.” The panel provided perspectives from a lawyer, an insurance broker, a developer, and a rating agency on dealing with COVID-19. Here are the key takeaways from the webinar ...