Critical Infrastructure

Hearing on US Structurally Deficient Bridges

2007-09-04T18:29:00.001-04:00

The U.S. house of Representatives' Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday (9/5/07) on Structurally Deficient Bridges in the United States. Witnesses scheduled to testify include the Secretary of Transportation, the Mayor of the City of Minneapolis, representatives from Minnesota DOT, and others from state departments of transportation, counties, and

ASCE Update on I-35W Bridge Collapse

2007-08-22T23:30:00.000-04:00

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a second update on their investigation of the I-35 W bridge collapse. A new facet of the investigation is the examination of the de-icing system that was installed on the bridge, the chemical used in this de-icing system, and the properties of this chemical (whether or not it is corrosive). This de-icing system had components installed

Engineers Sought for Expert Opinions and Advice on Public Engineering and Infrastructure

2007-08-21T11:27:00.000-04:00

American Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio is seeking qualified engineers to provide expert opinions and advice on public engineering and infrastructure. "We're still grappling with the implications of the collapse of I-35W here in the Twin Cities," says Lea Coon of Public Insight Radio at APM/MPR. "However, our on-going coverage of the collapse is looking at the state of public infrastructure

ASCE Update on I-35W Bridge Collapse

2007-08-20T17:20:00.000-04:00

The City Council and the Mayor of the City of Minneapolis adopted a "Statement of Principles" about what they believe the new I-35 replacement bridge project should contain. These were adopted on Friday August 17th and are available at:http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/mayor/docs/35W_state_princ.pdfMinnesota DOT (MN-DOT) has hosted several public meetings on the new I-35W replacement bridge

MN-DOT Public Open House to Discuss Design-Build Project to Replace I-35W Bridge

2007-08-15T00:31:00.003-04:00

Minnesota DOT (MN-DOT) announced that a Public Open House will be held on Thursday August 16th to discuss the design-build project to replace the I-35 W bridge. The public can also provide comments online at: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/i35wbridge/rebuild/index.htmlMN-DOT's proposed plans for the new I-35 W bridge include 10 lanes for the bridge (up from eight lanes on the previous bridge) with

ASCE Update on I-35W Bridge Collapse

2007-08-14T22:55:00.000-04:00

Aug. 8, 2007--Minnesota DOT released today an edited video clip from a traffic camera that had previously not been shown to the public. The video is pointed south, away from the bridge, and then as traffic halts, it swings north to show where the bridge has just collapsed. http://www.dot.state.mn.us/i35wbridge/video/collapse2mins.wmv Minnesota DOT (MN-DOT) is stating that they will

Additional Funds for Emergency Repairs and Reconstruction of the Interstate I-35 Bridge

2007-08-13T14:06:00.000-04:00

On August 6, 2007, President Bush signed into law H.R. 3311, which authorizes additional funds for emergency repairs and reconstruction of the Interstate I-35 bridge located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that collapsed on August 1, 2007, and waives the limitation on emergency relief funds for those emergency repairs and reconstruction.

Upkeep Of Security Devices A Burden

2007-08-13T01:49:00.000-04:00

Monday, August 13, 2007--In 2003, the FBI used a $25 million grant to give bomb squads across the nation state-of-the-art computer kits, enabling them to instantly share information about suspected explosives, including weapons of mass destruction.Four years later, half of the Washington area's squads can't communicate via the $12,000 kits, meant to be taken to the scene of potential

$50M Available to MN for Clean-Up and Recovery Work

2007-08-10T21:35:00.000-04:00

The Secretary of Transportation announced today that she is making $50 million available to Minnesota "to pay for clean-up and recovery work, including clearing debris and re-routing traffic, as well as for design work on a new bridge." Also, she is making an additional $5 million available today to reimburse Minneapolis for the increased cost of transit operations during the time that the bridge

New York Company Indicted in Collapse of Big Dig

2007-08-09T12:59:00.000-04:00

BOSTON, Aug. 8 — The supplier of the epoxy that federal officials have blamed for the collapse of a Big Dig tunnel was indicted today in the death of a motorist crushed by falling ceiling panels. The company, Powers Fasteners Inc., was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter. It is the first criminal charge in the tunnel debacle, which killed Milena Del Valle, 38, in July 2006 as

Potential Flaw Seen in Design of Fallen Bridge

2007-08-09T09:25:00.000-04:00

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 8 — Investigators have found what may be a design flaw in the bridge that collapsed here a week ago, in the steel parts that connect girders, raising safety concerns for other bridges around the country, federal officials said on Wednesday. The Federal Highway Administration swiftly responded by urging all states to take extra care with how much weight they place on bridges of

DOT Updates re: I-35 W Bridge Collapse

2007-08-06T22:56:00.000-04:00

The Secretary of Transportation has requested that the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation perform a rigorous review of the National Bridge Inspection Program. http://www.dot.gov/affairs/dot7507.htmThe most recent (2006) inspection report of the I-35 W bridge by Minnesota Department of Transportation (MN-DOT), containing detailed descriptions of the cracks found in certain areas

I-35W Bridge Collapse Editorials

2007-08-05T12:03:00.000-04:00

Here's a collection of editorials by the US press. There appear to be two themes: our nation's infrastructure is decidedly crumbling and our political will to adequately fund the repair and maintenance of that infrastructure is decidedly in question.Chiacgo TribuneNYTimesPioneer Press (Twin Cities.com)Popular MechanicsRochester, MN Post-BulletinWall Street Journal

FHWA Definitions

2007-08-03T18:08:00.001-04:00

As a result of the I-35W bridge collapse, there has been much discussion regarding the definitions of 'structurally deficient' and 'functionally obsolete'. The designation of a bridge as structurally deficient or fucntionally obsolete has impact on decisions for bridge maintenance, rehabilitation, or replacement. The actual criteria for this determination is set by the FHWA and is not widely

I-35W Bridge Collapses During Afternoon Peak Hour

2007-08-02T11:38:00.000-04:00

August 1, 2007--You can read about the I-35W bridge collapse at most of the major network websites (See links at right).Here is an FHWA Press Release dated Aug. 2, 2007:http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/fsi35.htmHere is a security camera video of the collapse:http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/08/02/vosli.mn.i35w.bridge.collapse.side.view.cnnHere are photos of the collapse:http://

National Hurricane Center-Recommended Storm Surge Safety Actions

2007-07-14T16:41:00.000-04:00

Minimize the distance you must travel to reach a safe location; the further you drive the higher the likelihood of encountering traffic congestion and other problems on the roadways. Select the nearest possible evacuation destination, preferably within your local area, and map out your route. Do not get on the road without a planned route, or a place to go.

Storms Shift, Some Rivers Crest in Oklahoma

2007-07-04T11:43:00.000-04:00

With Financial Tactic, Corzine Would Keep Turnpike Public, Toll Increases and All

2007-05-31T00:48:00.001-04:00

With Financial Tactic, Corzine Would Keep Turnpike Public, Toll Increases and All

2007-05-31T00:48:00.000-04:00

By KEN BELSONPublished by the New York Times, May 30, 2007Who knew that the New Jersey Turnpike, the state’s congested artery that commuters love to hate, was so beloved?In the months since Gov. Jon S. Corzine began exploring ways to capitalize on the state’s assets and pay off billions of dollars in debt, a coalition of legislators, environmentalists and drivers have come out against any plan

2007-05-07T12:29:00.000-04:00

Critic Says Levee Repairs Show Signs of FlawsNew York Times, May 7, 2007, By JOHN SCHWARTZSome of the most celebrated levee repairs by the Army Corps of Engineers after Hurricane Katrina are already showing signs of serious flaws, a leading critic of the corps says.The critic, Robert G. Bea, a professor of engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, said he encountered several areas of

9 Die as Tornado Tears Apart Kansas Town

2007-05-05T16:47:00.000-04:00

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 4:33 p.m. ET, May 5, 2007 GREENSBURG, Kan. (AP) -- Most of this southwest Kansas town was destroyed by a tornado, part of a violent storm system blamed for at least nine deaths, officials said Saturday amid warnings of more severe weather. It may take days for emergency crews to remove all the victims -- dead and alive -- from the rubble of homes and

Dealing with Sensitive Security Information

2007-05-02T00:41:00.000-04:00

One of the most difficult challenges to providing security for critical infrastructure is the management of information about it that could fall into the wrong hands. Since the 9/11 attacks, maps and other "Sensitive Security Information" or "SSI" documents related to dams, electric power grids, nuclear power plants, transportation networks, etc. have been removed voluntarily from

N.O. Leadership lacking, report says

2007-04-25T12:16:00.000-04:00

N.O. leadership lacking, report saysHousing shortage also hindering recovery, it saysTimes-Picayune, April 25, 2007, By Bill BarrowBATON ROUGE -- A failure of local leadership and a lack of affordable housing are primary reasons that New Orleans trails many other Gulf Coast communities in storm and flood recovery, according to a new report.The report, issued jointly by the Public Affairs Research

5,000 Evacuated After Chlorine Leak in Northeast China

2007-04-25T08:48:00.000-04:00

(Xinhua)Updated: 2007-04-25 16:43 Five thousand people have been evacuated after a chlorine leak in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, officials with the local government said on Wednesday.See article here.

The future competitiveness of the infrastructure system presents an engineering leadership challenge

2007-04-21T19:55:00.000-04:00

The USA’s infrastructure systems have deteriorated to the point where this country’s future economic competitiveness is in jeopardy and our elected officials, who are entrusted with safeguarding our nation’s future, have ignored the warnings. Our elected officials’ failure to maintain and improve upon the system inherited from the prior generation can be traced to a lack of political will, the

Join the CCI Port Infrastructure Blog

2007-04-21T16:49:00.000-04:00

The ASCE Committee on Critical Infrastructure (CCI) invites your participation in the Port Infrastructure discussions at the Critical Infrastructure Blog. Post a comment here to get started. For additional information, contact Doug Sethness at doug.sethness@ch2m.com.

New GAO Port Risk Assessment Evaluation Available

2007-04-21T16:02:00.000-04:00

This is a site for the GAO publication number GAO-07-412 on Port Risk Assessment published March 28, 2007.This report was prepared under the authority of the Comptroller General to examine (1) challenges port authorities have experienced as a result of recent natural disasters, (2) efforts under way to address these challenges, and (3) the manner in which port authorities plan for natural

Is Infrastructure Sector Nomenclature Confusing?

2007-04-21T14:05:00.000-04:00

The description of the nation's critical infrastructure on the ASCE Infrastructure Report Card is different from the designated list of critical infrastructure and key assets found in Homeland Security Presidential Directive - 7 and a multitude of DHS plans and operating directives (such as the NIPP, NRP, and NIMS). While the difference is understandable since the nomenclature evolved on two

DHS Releases Comprehensive Regulations for Securing High Risk Chemical Facilities

2007-04-11T16:21:00.000-04:00

Release Date April 2, 2007--The U.S. Department of Homeland Security today released an interim final rule that imposes for the first time comprehensive federal security regulations for high risk chemical facilities. The department sought and reviewed comments from state and local partners, Congress, private industry, and the public to develop consistent guidelines using a risk-based approach. The

Our Aging Infrastructure: It's Not Sexy, But it IS Critical...

2007-04-05T16:39:00.000-04:00

Bob Herbert of the New York Times writes about the consequences of neglecting our infrastructure. What will it take to fix it?

'Lautenberg Language' On Chemical Security Passes Senate

2007-04-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

States' Right To Adopt Strong Chemical Security Laws Like NJ's Protected On Thursday, March 29, 2007, the Senate passed the FY 2007 Supplemental Appropriations Bill with a provision authored by Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) to block the Bush Administration's plan to preempt state chemical security laws. The "Lautenberg language" overcame a vigorous campaign from chemical

New chemical rules won't override states

2007-04-01T23:48:00.000-04:00

AP reporter Beverley Lumpkin writes on August 1, 2007 that new federal rules giving the Bush administration authority for the first time to regulate and even shut down chemical plants will not overrule stricter state rules already in place, according to a letter sent Sunday to lawmakers by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Rules for New Jersey or any other state that are tougher than

Rail and Public Transportation Security Bill of 2007, HR 1401 Passes, 299 to 124

2007-03-29T07:09:00.000-04:00

HR 1401, the Rail and Mass Transit Security Act of 2007, passed by a vote of 299 to 124. Speaker of the House statement.

6th Annual TISP Congress

2007-03-28T01:26:00.000-04:00

The 6th Annual TISP Congress, scheduled for March 28-29, 2007 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA, is slated to be the most important Infrastructure Resilience conference in 2007. The 2-day conference, focused on “Achieving Resilience: From Readiness to Restoration,” will feature keynote presentations by experts in the private and public sectors including the highly-acclaimed Senior

ASCE Infrastructure Champions

2007-03-27T18:48:00.000-04:00

The ASCE Committee on Critical Infrastructure (CCI) has developed an Infrastructure Champions (IC) program to actively solicit the participation of ASCE members. The IC national network will provide coordination between ASCE Regions to identify local and regional issues, trends, and innovative solutions. Read more.