As the entire country grapples with the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress has responded by enacting several emergency relief measures in the form of economic stimulus bills. The third and largest stimulus package, passed on March 27, provided over $2 trillion in total funding, including approximately $114 in grants and formula funding for the transportation industry. The majority of these funds were directed toward formula funding, grants, and loans for airports and mass transit.  The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act also created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), providing $349 billion for small business loans and incentives. The CARES Act extended eligibility for unemployment benefits to certain groups who normally would not qualify, including independent contractors. Additionally, the legislation made it easier for Congress to appropriate funding from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) for harbor maintenance and dredging needs by removing budget restrictions on HMTF spending to allow the appropriation of the full amount collected in a prior fiscal year.

While the third phase of stimulus legislation addressed immediate mitigation funding for the public and certain impacted industries, several stakeholders, Members of Congress, and the President have called for an additional stimulus package focused on infrastructure. On March 30, President Trump tweeted his support for a $2 trillion infrastructure bill as part of the phase four package. Shortly thereafter, House Democratic leadership (including Speaker Pelosi and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman DeFazio) expressed their hopes to incorporate their five-year, $760 billion infrastructure proposal which was announced in January into the next stimulus bill. A summary of this Moving Forward Framework can be found here. The proposal took a broad approach to infrastructure funding, including increases for surface transportation improvements, broadband, clean drinking water, and community health centers, with an overall focus on long-term resiliency and climate provisions. House Democrats originally planned to finalize this package in late April or early May.

However, during subsequent press conferences Speaker Pelosi indicated a less immediate timeframe for an infrastructure stimulus package, shifting her focus instead to a “CARES 2” bill which would expand upon the PPP and other provisions of the CARES Act. House and Senate leadership are currently negotiating the details of this legislation. While Republicans have proposed limiting the scope of the bill to a $251 billion increase for the PPP, Democrats are calling for a larger package to include increased PPP funding as well as funding boosts for several other emergency programs.

Congressional Republicans have generally been critical toward the inclusion of infrastructure in a forthcoming relief package. Both House Minority Leader McCarthy and Senate Majority Leader McConnell expressed opposition to subsequent wide-ranging stimulus bills, instead recommending Congress wait until the effects of previous COVID-19 response legislation can be assessed and then focus on immediate recovery needs before addressing long-term capital investments.

IMAGINE MOBILITY

AECOM’s freight rail and port specialists believe seamless integration of facilities is the key to successful goods movement. We collaborate with clients to develop innovative solutions to meet connectivity needs and keep goods moving into communities throughout the Americas and around the world.

AECOM’s people understand and support the whole process, from business planning and operations analysis to design, permitting, construction management and program management. Whatever the delivery method – design-bid-build, design-build, construction manager general contractor or construction manager at risk – we develop comprehensive facilities that meet our clients’ visions for efficient and sustainable intermodal facilities.

Effective goods movement requires efficient on-dock, near-dock and inland intermodal facilities with connectors from ports, airports and inland logistics/distribution centers to highways and railroads. Our project teams deliver accurate and concise planning and design that optimize the transport of goods to market by providing a full suite of services to the ports and freight rail industries.

AECOM’s port services

With more than 80 years of port design and development experience, we’ve gained an in-depth understanding of the industry and its intricate commercial and policy drivers. We work with some of the world’s leading public and private sector maritime organizations, delivering port infrastructure and other coastal facilities in support of maritime trade.

Our client relationships are built on an appreciation of business needs and a proven record of innovative and cost-effective project development. From the early planning stages through to construction, we combine our broad global reach with our strong regional presence to implement industry best practices and deliver effective local solutions across the entire life cycle of vital port and marine infrastructure.

Grant capabilities

A major concern of many of our port clients is changing markets and operational efficiency, maintaining competitiveness and economic vitality, providing safety and security, and addressing climate adaptation and sustainability. In order to unlock the value proposition of CAPEX and OPEX spending, AECOM offers a deep bench of analysts with hands-on experience with all USDOT BCA guidance and models in use, in addition to custom models developed on behalf of clients’ specific needs. These assessments provide our clients with a better understanding of the benefit cost and economic impact of candidate investments or the port itself, as well as the financial return of candidate investments.

Energy/crude oil project life cycle services

Oil and gas companies regularly turn to AECOM for mission-critical planning, operational and closure support, and facilities and development projects around the world. With our truly global footprint, broad technical expertise and well-established Safety, Health and Environment (SH&E) program, AECOM is a single source for integrated services across the entire life cycle of oil and gas assets. We work with upstream, midstream, and downstream clients and with marketing and alternative energy segments on global, regional and portfolio programs such as site remediation and closure or impact assessments.

Our professionals have helped plan and deliver automated container terminals on five continents and implement the world’s first shore-to-ship power system for marine oil tankers. We integrate innovation into our plans, models and designs – to deliver projects that will serve our clients today and in the future.

Cruise lines

In addition to supporting critical freight movement, AECOM also provides services to the cruise industry. Because there is increased competition among cruise lines for delivering a unique leisure experience for their passengers, cruise lines are investing their own money in rebuilding mega technologically fit and efficient cruise terminals with increased competition in key markets. Like our cargo and military port clients, cruise lines also need to retrofit or upgrade existing in-water infrastructure including berths, wharves and piers to allow berthing of larger ships and to add additional design life. We provide detail design and structural engineering and program management of in-water infrastructure for cruise ports and extend their design life and capacity.

 

AECOM’s freight rail services

Our experienced specialists plan, design and engineer rail operations to move goods effectively across states and provinces, countries and continents. We speak the language of our clients, customizing solutions to meet the specific needs of Class 1, short line, industrial and passenger operations. Our professionals challenge conventional methods, applying new ideas and exploring new opportunities to rehabilitate and develop high-performing freight rail systems to help our clients meet their objectives.

AECOM’s rail experts are leading providers of professional, technical and management support services – from operational capacity planning and analysis to environmental assessments, and from engineering design through construction and program management. We apply advanced, sustainable solutions to integrate these demands seamlessly.

Bridges and structures

Managing infrastructure is critical to maintaining and growing rail traffic. At AECOM, our experience encompasses all forms of bridge structures for all varieties of rail networks. Our experts’ capabilities encompass inspection, design, contract documents, construction management and final certification. As bridge and structure asset management specialists, we customize plans, applying advanced technology and materials to deliver success. Our structural experts work closely with rail agencies and owners, developing and delivering practical solutions that achieve high-caliber results.

Operations capacity planning and analysis

Rail operators are looking to manage capital and operations and maintenance costs while facing a wide range of evolving financial challenges. We draw from our railway operations and engineering experience to develop solutions that address clients’ specific needs – from evaluating a switching operation to simulating an entire network – our integrated approach, market insights and commitment to excellence provide cost and operational efficiencies that have a lasting impact.

Track and roadway

At AECOM, our professionals continually develop and maintain the solid foundations rail networks require to move goods across continents. We deliver expertise across all aspects of track and roadway – upgrading new track or developing new track alignments. We coordinate with agencies, consultants and stakeholders to deliver solutions that work.

Yards, terminals and intermodal facilities

Sseamlessly integrating facilities is the key to a successful rail network. We define innovation, working with our clients to develop or revitalize complex rail facilities to meet their connectivity needs and keep goods flowing to communities. Our talented teams understand the whole process, focusing the right skills from business planning and operations analysis to design, permitting and construction management, and overall program management. We develop comprehensive facilities that meet our clients’ visions for sustainable and efficient facilities.

New corridors and expansions

In addition to meeting today’s demands, AECOM’s experts are helping to lay the foundation to meet tomorrow’s needs. As leaders in the rail industry, we are hard at work developing new corridors, expanding current ones and exploring ways to enhance shared use of limited transportation corridors among freight, transit and commuter rail to meet the transport needs of a continent in motion.

Communications and signals

AECOM’s rail professionals understand that safety is paramount on the rails and on the road. We collaborate with our clients to assess grade crossings in urban and rural settings across the Americas. Our teams work with stakeholders and outside agencies to create efficient systems that fulfill the mandate for safety on the rails. Because effective rail signals are vital parts of a safety program, we continuously evaluate new technologies that improve public safety while maintaining the flow of rail traffic.

Asset Management

We provide a systematic approach to managing multi-billion-dollar CAPEX – to arrest the impacts of ageing infrastructure, technological obsolescence and meet regulatory changes. This includes the need to retrofit existing wharf/in-water infrastructure to handle larger ships and cranes and to inspect under-water assets to check existing conditions, as well as all forms of bridge structures and track infrastructure for all varieties of rail networks. Our capabilities encompass inspection, design, contract documents, construction management, and final certification.

 

 

American Road & Transportation Builders Association

April 2020

Nearly 231,000 U.S. bridges need major repair work or should be replaced, according to an American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) analysis of the just released U.S. Department of Transportation’s 2019 National Bridge Inventory (NBI) database.

That figure represents 37 percent, or more than a third, of all U.S. bridges.

If placed end-to-end, the length of these bridges would stretch over 6,300 miles—long enough to make a round trip across the country from New York City to Los Angeles and back again to Chicago.  American drivers cross these bridges 1.5 billion times per day – representing one-third of all daily bridge crossings, according to the data.

More than 46,000 of those bridges are “structurally deficient” and in poor condition.  They are crossed 178 million times a day.

An additional 81,000 bridges should be replaced, says ARTBA Chief Economist Dr. Alison Premo Black, who led the team conducting the analysis. One third of Interstate highway bridges (18,177 spans) have identified repair needs.

The report comes as Congress and the Trump administration continue working on measures to respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.  ARTBA says once policy makers shift from a rescue focus to economic recovery, robust transportation infrastructure investments have comprehensive benefits.

“Economic recovery from coronavirus begins with strategic road and bridge improvements,” ARTBA President Dave Bauer says.  “Increased transportation investments support direct job creation and retention, while putting in place capital assets that will enhance U.S. productivity for decades to come.”

Read the full report here.