Hard Facts

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Building For Stormy Weather Jul 24, 2019

Show notes

Weather is getting stronger. Damage from storms is greater. The costs to repair and rebuild are going higher. So how are we doing when it comes to changing the way we design and build infrastructure?

We posed those questions to this week’s guest, Dr. David Dzombak, a professional engineer who heads the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Road Work Matters Jul 17, 2019

Show notes

The looming presidential and congressional election cycle is often used as an excuse for inaction on a surface transportation spending bill, with some politicos predicting it’s almost too late to get anything done before the 2020 vote.

That may be true, but one advocate says elected officials are missing the chance to win support, and perhaps their own races, if they ignore voters’ demands for better infrastructure.

Michael Johnson, President and CEO of the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association, joins us for a conversation about the political realities of infrastructure financing.

An Ounce of Prevention Jul 10, 2019

Show notes

Everyone agrees that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” But it took an Act of Congress last fall to encourage new thinking about spending on disaster mitigation.

Pamela Williams, Executive Director of the Build Strong Coalition, first helped write the Disaster Recovery Reform Act from her perch as a key staffer on Capitol Hill. Today, away from Congress, she is working to implement the programs created in the legislation.

Williams visited the Hard Facts studio recently to discuss the law, the need for a new perspective on federal disaster assistance, and plans to help put key pieces of the Act into motion.

Giving Trump, Clinton Credit Jul 03, 2019

Show notes

Transportation financing made a splash during the 2016 Presidential campaign thanks to candidates Trump and Clinton. Since then, the topic has gained more prominence. Even though a deal has not been reached, Dave Bauer, President and CEO of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, says progress has been made thanks to the debate that began on the campaign trail.

State Transportation Funding Boosts Can't Replace Federal Dollars, Road Builders Say

Extension Inevitable Jun 26, 2019

Show notes

With another presidential race gearing up, transportation reporters are now saying that a surface reauthorization extension is all one can hope for out of Congress next year. Frustration in Washington runs high as both sides have failed to find a pragmatic funding mechanism to fix America’s deteriorating roads and bridges.

Steve Sandherr, the CEO of Associated General Contractors of America, gives his thoughts on how partisanship is crushing the hope of improving American infrastructure.

Four Ways to Fix U.S. Infrastructure Jun 19, 2019

Show notes

Think tanks, associations, and experts all have weighed in with their solutions for the nation’s transportation funding crisis, proposing funding mechanisms, policy solutions, and legislative language. Among them is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has offered a four point plan to address the challenge.

Ed Mortimer, the Chamber’s Vice President of Transportation and Infrastructure, appears this week to explain the plan and the need for Congressional action before the end of this year.

Down But Not Out Jun 12, 2019

Show notes

The national media’s view of the state of funding for transportation infrastructure is cynical and
cautious, but the opportunity for more investment, despite their reports, is not completely lost.

James O’Keefe has been on the inside, shaping federal policy, crunching budget numbers, and
navigating Congressional politics for more than twenty years. He also consults the Portland
Cement Association.

Informed by his own contacts in Hill offices, O’Keefe tell us this week that work continues on a
plan that includes discussion of ways to pump more money into the federal program.

Is the D.C. game over? Jun 05, 2019

Show notes

For five months, we’ve been told to expect big bucks for transportation infrastructure. But with
the abrupt end to the last White House meeting a few weeks ago, what is there to look forward
to on the funding question?

Politico’s Sam Mintz writes for his newsroom’s Morning Transportation daily newsletter. He
visits Hard Facts to discuss what happened at the White House, and where Congress may be
headed even as the presidential election storm approaches.

Washington Heats Up May 29, 2019

Show notes

We review the week’s infrastructure news in Washington, including the meltdown at the White House and the focus on climate change in Congress. Then, we get an overview of infrastructure policy and funding priorities from Rep. Rodney Davis, ranking Republican on the Highways and Transit Sub-Committee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Concrete Choices May 22, 2019

Show notes

Some concrete comes to the job ready for installation while some concrete needs to be pumped into the work site. Our guests have us covered this week, as we discuss precast, prestressed, and pumped concrete, all in one show!

This week we visit with Bob Risser and Christi Collins, both members of the North American Concrete Association (NACA).

Risser is President and CEO of the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute. Collins is Executive Director of the American Concrete Pumping Association.

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