Sep 25th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
Vallejo Ferry Terminal in California. Photo by Pi.1415926535

The U.S. Federal Transit Administration recently awarded $300 million for upcoming projects designed to expand and modernize the nation’s ferry systems. Specifically, the funding will support 18 new projects in 14 states, including replacing old vessels with electric ships, upgrading the waterfront facilities and modernizing the systems with technology. Alaska’s Department of Transportation was recently […]

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Sep 20th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
Photo courtesy of Tony Webster.

Just over a decade ago, a sweeping trend was very noticeable as state agencies, cities, counties, transit authorities and higher education institutions added Innovation Officers at the executive levels of organizational charts. These individuals were hired to play a strategic role – one that would incorporate new thinking into operations. The primary objective in adding […]

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Sep 18th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
Photo courtesy of Kristian Bjornard.

Rarely does Congress pass a bill that allocates $50 billion to cities and counties to support water infrastructure projects. But that happened when the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was passed by Congress several years ago. That funding was made available because of the critical need to protect and expand water infrastructure throughout America. As of May […]

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Sep 13th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
Photo courtesy of Dumelow.

A brownfield property is an abandoned site that has been contaminated by previous industrial use. Many brownfield properties are the former sites of dry-cleaning firms, manufacturing plants or gas stations. To be used, the site must be remediated and made safe. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has funded remediation projects for years and recently announced […]

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Sep 11th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
Photo courtesy of Mx. Granger.

The U.S. is experiencing a significant surge in population growth in certain regions, increasing the demand for enhancing or expanding basic infrastructure. Public officials in high–growth regions struggle to expand housing, water, roadways, education facilities, healthcare and public safety. Southern states, including South Carolina, Florida and Texas, increased their populations about four times faster than […]

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Sep 6th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
Photo courtesy of the United States Federal Government.

The sustainable construction market in the U.S. was valued at $99.8 billion in 2023, and that number has continued to grow in 2024. Billions in funding are currently available in 2024 for these types of projects, and more could be allocated soon because Congress is focused on maintaining public assets. Sustainable building practices provide a […]

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Sep 4th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
Photo courtesy of Visitor7.

Public officials at the local government level are initiating large, innovative, and forward-thinking projects aimed at enhancing economic prosperity in various regions of the country over the next few decades. Many of the projects are funded by federal programs, with billions yet to be allocated before the end of 2026 unless the programs are reauthorized—which […]

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Aug 30th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers

School district construction throughout the U.S. is rampant currently, and it promises to be the same in 2025. That’s probably because a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office noted that 54% of all schools in America were in dire need of updates or complete building replacements as long ago as 2020. In fact, the […]

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Aug 28th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
Photo courtesy of tungnguyen0905 on Pixabay.

At a time when project needs are so great throughout America, it is hard to understand why some cities and states have not endorsed public-private partnerships (P3s). Billions of funding support is available for critically needed efforts, but many of the federal funding programs require some percentage of private sector investment, so the projects become […]

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Aug 23rd 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights by Mary Scott Nabers
Children’s Hospital Oakland. Photo by Mx. Granger

Throughout America, healthcare facilities have been aging for years. Most are long overdue for modernization, and many need to be replaced because they can no longer meet the needs of the communities they serve. Public healthcare infrastructure is funded through a combination of federal, state and local government sources. In recent years, the federal government […]

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Aug 21st 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights by Mary Scott Nabers
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Photo by Lukas Souza on Unsplash

Recently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced $1.7 billion in funding for upcoming projects at airports in America. The budget was allocated several years ago when Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The recent allocation is significant, but there’s more to come. A total of $3.35 billion will be awarded in 2024 for airport projects. […]

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Aug 16th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights by Mary Scott Nabers
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Aerial view of the port of Redwood City, California. Photo by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Port infrastructure in America is a critical component of economic growth, and because of that, significant capital investments distributed through grants allocated by the federal government are  common.  It has been estimated that between 2021 and 2025, federal investment in port infrastructure will be approximately $163 billion. These investments are focused on enhancing capacity and […]

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Aug 14th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights by Mary Scott Nabers
North Greenwood Ave retail Tulsa, OK
The Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Photo by G. Edward Johnson

Many federal programs support revitalization projects for cities and specific neighborhoods and currently, there is an abundance of revenue flowing to cities. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is one of the oldest and best-known programs supporting municipal revitalization projects.  The federal agency also […]

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Aug 9th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights by Mary Scott Nabers
CRRC ART train at Dataran Putrajaya during POD 2024 (240203) (cropped)
ARTs like this one in Malaysia will be more common in the U.S. soon. Photo by angys

Welcome to the future! Public transportation is evolving so rapidly that it feels as if travel options are changing faster than ever thought possible. New ride options are abundant, and everything is being done to provide convenience. In many parts of the country, affordable housing and new communities are being created near transit loading stations. […]

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Aug 7th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
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Photo by George Kroeker on Unsplash

Technology is changing the world as we know it! It seems new technological advances are emerging at the speed of light – and the world shifts a bit with each new development. Sensors and advanced technology now monitor public officials’ activities in hundreds of ways, and artificial intelligence is already providing them with the assistance […]

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Aug 2nd 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
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Photo by Traxer on Unsplash

There is a significant trend to watch as cryptocurrency gains momentum and acceptance. If this trend continues, it will bring about many changes throughout America. The total global value of cryptocurrency now is approximately $3 trillion, and while that may sound small considering the world’s GDP, it is significant because of how quickly that value […]

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Jul 31st 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
Interim Solutions needed while New York Public Service Commission moves forward on longer term truck charging infrastructure programs
Photo courtesy of the Environmental Defense Fund

Clean and renewable energy continues to get abundant attention, and the funding support flowing to support clean power projects is historic. Approximately $3 trillion is invested in energy globally each year, and $2 trillion of that amount is devoted to renewable energy. Hundreds of billions have been invested in clean energy initiatives in the United […]

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Jul 26th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
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Photo courtesy of the U.S. Geological Society

Light Detection and Ranging technology (LiDAR) delivers critical data to protect the health of our ecosystems, and government officials use it extensively. This particular type of technology is not well known to everyone, but the benefits it provides make it worthy of note. Simply put, LIDAR provides a unique way to check for natural hazards […]

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Jul 24th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
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The Memphis-Arkansas Bridge. Photo by Thomas R Machnitzki

Congress continues to allocate billions to a long-overdue effort to make the country’s bridges safer. About 50,000 bridges in America recently were deemed structurally unsound, and weather-related events are taking a huge toll on bridge structures. Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $5 billion in awards for 13 large bridge projects. Many of […]

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Jul 19th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
Keller Auditorium
Keller Auditorium

Unexpected disasters of every type are extremely costly. It might be surprising to realize that earthquakes in the U.S. cost about $15 billion annually in economic losses. While earthquakes are less common, there have been 28 earthquakes reaching a magnitude of 6 or greater in the past decade. Most of the risk is concentrated on […]

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Jul 17th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
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image (6)

Universities throughout the country are investing significant capital in existing campus facilities. National statistics show these types of initiatives are increasing significantly. The state of Texas is an excellent example of this emerging trend. A report by the Texas Higher Education Board indicates that 923 capital expenditure projects are planned for the Texas university system […]

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Jul 12th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
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Crisfield, Maryland Photo courtesy of the Nature Conservancy

Earlier this month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced $1 billion for 656 new climate resiliency projects. The capital was awarded to support projects that address infrastructure risks and prepare for future natural disasters, including flooding, drought, earthquakes and extreme heat. Approximately $395 million will be invested in 28 flood-control projects designed to eliminate […]

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Jul 10th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
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The California Superior Court in Fresno Photo courtesy of downtownfresno.org

Courthouses and other municipal buildings are being renovated and upgraded throughout the U.S. That’s because funding for them continues to be available, and that is good news. But even better is the fact that many upcoming projects carry projected costs representing hundreds of millions in contracting opportunities. While the federal government supports local municipal and […]

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Jul 5th 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
800px CSX train passing beneath Anacostia Trail bridge Washington DC
A train passing beneath a pedestrian footbridge on the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail in Washington, D.C. Photo by Tim Evanson

The most notable recent news in American infrastructure broke last week when the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $1.8 billion in new funding for 148 infrastructure projects. My previous column covered many of the projects already selected for that funding. Today’s column focuses on more projects chosen for this new funding. The upcoming projects described in […]

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Jul 3rd 2024 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers
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The Heights District in Vancouver, Washington. Courtesy of the city of Vancouver

Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $1.8 billion in funding for 148 infrastructure projects. Most of the funding is available for projects that make streets safer for people who travel on them in any way.  Work on these projects should be under way by November of this year, and funding of this type […]

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