A number of national issues which were previously relegated to “back burner” status in Congress are now front and center. This is a result of public awareness, citizen concern and media reports outlining the danger and the cost of doing nothing. Renewable energy, global warming, public safety and infrastructure reform are four issues that have […]
Photos by Thomas Lotero Mary Scott Nabers with Representative Todd Hunter Paula Morelock, Business Operations at SPI with State Senator Kirk Watson and Gay Erwin, VP of Public Affairs at SPI Mary Scott Nabers with Representative John Raney Senior Consultant Edgar Antu with Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar Representative Giovanni Capriglione with Edgar Antu, Senior Consultant […]
Legislative Communication Conference Highlight of the Week Check this column each week for information and updates on speakers and agenda topics! The Biennial Legislative Communication Conference, scheduled for Oct. 17 in Austin, is designed to bring government executives, board and commission appointees, local and elected government officials, K-12 and higher education leaders, and senior staffers to […]
On Wednesday, October 17, 2018, the LBJ School of Public Affairs and Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI) will host the 10th biennial Texas Legislative Communication Conference (TLCC). The conference brings together executive directors, board members, senior state agency representatives, business leaders, educators, and local government officials. The daylong event will feature three outstanding Keynote Speakers and panels […]
Most motorists pay little attention to “rest stops” along the highway. But, some traveling Americans look for them and appreciate a place to enjoy a snack or a short nap. Now, state legislators are beginning to look at highway rest areas as very attractive, hot properties. That’s because of their revenue-producing potential. What’s turning heads […]
The state of Maryland has been fortunate, so far, to receive all the right funding for its Purple Line light-rail construction project. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and United States Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao participated in a ceremonial signing this week of the Purple Line light-rail construction federal full funding grant agreement. The signed […]
On May 6, thousands of Texans made million-dollar decisions for their city, county, school district, local university/college and others in need of funding for big projects. There were 86 May 2017 bond elections held that were valued at more than $8 billion. Around 60 of those bonds passed, which brought the new total to over […]
Martin Klepper has been named executive director of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s new Build America Bureau. Klepper is a senior partner in an international law firm known for developing, financing, acquiring and selling transportation, energy and other large infrastructure projects. “We are pleased to have someone with Martin’s significant experience and expertise at the […]
U.S. Department of Transportation officials named 25 members to the new National Advisory Committee on Travel and Tourism Infrastructure (NACTTI). The committee will consist public and private sector stakeholders involved in the transportation, travel and tourism industries. The group will advise the department on current and emerging priorities, issues, projects and funding needs related to […]
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that it is adding a sound requirement for all newly manufactured hybrid and electric light-duty vehicles to help protect pedestrians. The new federal quiet car standard will help pedestrians, especially those who are blind or have low vision, detect the presence, direction and location […]
The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved $392.2 million to fund nine capital projects at UT academic and health institutions. The money will come from Permanent University Fund (PUF) bonds to be used, for the first time, for cross-institutional facilities funding in an effort to break down operational silos and leverage system resources. The team of […]
The Maryland Transit Opportunities Coalition is calling on Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to redirect proposed highway funds to Baltimore-area rail projects. The transit advocates describe the projects as links in a regional rail network that would run from Delaware to West Virginia and connect the Baltimore and Washington Metro systems. The coalition wants to use the […]
The White House has announced new resiliency initiatives based on the findings of the 2016 National Preparedness Report, released in March by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The report identified vulnerabilities and areas for improvement in the country’s ability to respond to and recover from natural disasters, technological hazards, acts of terrorism and other […]
The Department of Transportation launched the first model of a National Transit Map, an open data map with information from 270 agencies detailing nearly 400,000 stops and stations on nearly 10,000 routes. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said that the transit map assembles information provided by local agencies into a national geospatial interface. “With this information in hand, […]
The recent hacking (this month) into a network affiliated with the National Security Agency (NSA) has had a sobering effect on many who believed the agency was the pinnacle of online security. The agency’s cyber spy division was hacked by another sophisticated group of hackers called The Shadow Brokers. Frightening? You bet! Dangerous? Absolutely! Even […]
More than $14 million has been awarded to explore alternative revenue mechanisms to sustain the Highway Trust Fund. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration announced Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives (STSFA) grants for eight pilot projects on Tuesday. “Reliable funding is essential to ensuring we have a sound transportation system to support the […]
Historically black land-grant colleges and universities will be able to build or improve agriculture and food science research facilities with $18.9 million in grants. The awards were announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture this week. The awards were made through the 1890s Facilities Grants program. “These awards help […]
Every city seems to want more parks. And, when real estate is at a premium and park land is scarce, officials often develop parks in very strange places. New York City, the nation’s largest city, recently announced plans to convert vacant underground space in a subway station into a park. This very strange space, which […]
Spend some time exploring a floating cabin in the Gulf of Mexico that is “home” to men and women – and often their K9 partners – searching for those who violate Texas laws. Ride along as a handful of often unheralded heroes rescue victims from deadly floodwaters in Texas. They’re the men and women who […]
Ellis was named the Democratic nominee to be the permanent replacement for the late El Franco Lee, who died in January, on the Harris County Commissioners Court. He still needs to win the November election, but that is nothing more than a formality since he will run unopposed. The Precinct 1 commissioner represents 1.2 million people and controls a budget of more than $200 million.
Columbus officials have said they would use the grant money to develop a transit pass payment system that could be used for various transportation options, including COTA buses and app-based car services. Designed to include households that don’t have credit cards, or even bank accounts, and are thus heavily dependent on cash. The plan is to install kiosks that will enable riders to reload transit cards and to develop a citywide smartphone app that would include a universal payment system.
Adler’s presentation highlighted Austin’s intention to build a pilot program to test self-driving cars using the closed environment of the city’s airport. The city also plans to use the grant funds to build out its intelligent transportation systems with sensors installed throughout roadways that will convey data to a central transportation management source.
2017 State Water Plan includes $62 billion worth of projects through 2070 Members of Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) this week approved two major developments. First, they formally approved the 2017 State Water Plan, which maps out the state’s water needs, goals and expectations through 2070 and includes $62 billion in projects. Second, the board members […]
The initial year’s funding will cover everything from planting trees and striping bike lanes to street improvements and stormwater and sewer upgrades. The largest expenditure — accounting for about half of 2017’s budget allocation for the program — is beginning the implementation of the city’s Pure Water program, which has as its goal the creation of an independent, drought-proof local water supply.
More than half of the bill’s potential appropriations, $4.5 billion worth, would go toward water infrastructure projects nationwide. Within that amount is $220 million in direct emergency assistance for the city of Flint, Mich., and other communities that are dealing with lead contamination and other hazardous drinking water issues.
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