Category Archives: Research & Data

A Major Opportunity to Improve Ohio Roads and Bridges

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Two events during the past month have important ramifications for Ohio’s transportation infrastructure.  First, the American Society of Civil Engineers published its much anticipated 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. Second, Governor Kasich signed Ohio’s $7.6 billion, 2-year transportation budget. Together these events set the stage for significant transportation improvements in Ohio.

The ASCE Report Card provides political leaders, policymakers, business leaders, infrastructure stakeholders, the media and the general public with expert advice from the civil engineering community about the condition of infrastructure across the nation. The 2013 Report Card gives America’s road system a grade of D, up slightly from D- in 2009. The positive change resulted from targeted efforts to improve road conditions along with significant reductions in highway fatalities. Similarly, the overall grade for bridges increased from C to C+, a change attributable to a downward trend in the number of structurally deficient bridges. America is moving in the right direction but has a long way to go to maintain the best transportation system in the world.

Ohio Road ReportAt the state level, the ASCE Report Card indicates that 42% of Ohio roads are still in poor or mediocre condition. Likewise, 9.1% of our bridges are structurally deficient and 15.9% are considered functionally obsolete. These Ohio statistics remain about the same as they were in 2009. But as of April 1, we have a new Ohio Transportation budget – and the opportunity to make significant road and bridge improvements over the next two years.

The Transportation budget authorizes the sale of $1.5 billion in new bonds leveraged against turnpike toll revenues. This will generate as much as $3 billion for road projects statewide. Specifically, the turnpike runs across northern Ohio for 241 miles. And the transportation budget requires that 90% of the money generated from the bond sale be spent on road projects within 75 miles of the turnpike path. That covers a lot of ground and provides funding for substantial improvements to Ohio roadways.  The new budget – and the turnpike plan that is a key part of it – may not cover all the repair and restoration that our roads and bridges need.  But it sure gives Ohio the opportunity to make some real infrastructure progress.

2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure expected this week!

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The 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure is scheduled for release on March 19.  Published every four years by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Report Card grades the performance and condition of America’s transportation, water and environment, public facilities and energy. In the transportation category, the 2009 Report Card included detailed statistics concerning the deterioration of roads, bridges, and public transit at both national and state levels. Here are some highlights and “letter grades” from the 2009 study:

  • “D-”  One third of America’s roads are in poor or mediocre condition and 45% of major urban highways are congested. Current spending of $70.3 billion per year for highway capital improvements is well below the estimated $186 billion needed annually to substantially improve conditions.
  • “C”  More than 26% or one in four of the nation’s bridges are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. A $17 billion annual investment is needed to substantially improve bridge conditions.
  • “D”  Nearly half of American households do not have access to bus or rail transit,and only 25% have what they consider to be a “good option”. The Federal Transit Administration estimates $15.8 billion is needed annually to maintain conditions and $21.6 billion is needed to improve to good conditions.
  • “D”  25% of Ohio’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condtion. When all Ohio roads are considered, 43% are in critical, poor or fair condition.
  • “B-”  27% of Ohio’s bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. It is estimated that it would cost $3.6 billion to replace all the structurally deficient bridges and two-thirds of the functionally obsolete bridges in Ohio.

The much anticipated 2013 Report Card will bring news of progress – or continuing deterioration. Either way, the new study will provide a strong benchmark as we plan, budget, build and maintain a transportation infrastructure that will serve America – and Ohio – for decades to come.

U.S. Economy Continues to be Snake Bitten by Infrastructure

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Infrastructure Insight -

If it was a snake, it would have bitten us by now.

  • A power outage at this year’s Super Bowl delays one of the world’s biggest sporting and most-viewed televised events
  • U.S.ports are bypassed for Canada because the nation’s ports lack ability to handle “new breed mega ships”
  • Mississippi River barge traffic is routinely halted by shallow water levels and lock/dam failures
  • I-35 West Minneapolis bridge collapses
  • One third of air travelers experience late arrivals/departures or diverted/canceled flights

U.S.infrastructure failures are occurring right under our nose, but for some reason leaders aren’t taking notice. The result is an economy more and more snake bitten. Two separate reports – one by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the other by Building America’s Future – released two days apart in January shed light on the dimming conditions.

Calling infrastructure the “lifeblood of our economy” and the “foundation for assuring a high quality of life for all Americans,” ASCE President Gregory E. DiLoreto’s group said if the U.S. increases its infrastructure spending by $1.25 trillion over the next eight years it would save $3.1 trillion in gross domestic product, $1.1 trillion in trade and 3.5 million jobs. The $157 billion more a year over the next eight years in infrastructure spending would be in addition to the $207 billion a year the nation is expected to pay for infrastructure through 2020.

According to the ASCE, current U.S. policies will under fund surface transportation, waterways, the electrical grid and sewers by about $1.1 trillion over the next eight years. By not increasing infrastructure spending, American households and businesses will suffer $611 billion and $1.2 trillion in costs, respectively.

This continued neglect of the nation’s infrastructure has already cost the U.S.on the world level. A bipartisan report by Building America’s Future states: “Our competitors tore a page out of America’s success story, applied the lessons to their own systems and challenges, and now they’re sprinting ahead of us.”

Once heralded for its world-class infrastructure, the U.S.’s current “striking lack of vision,” according to the Building America’s Future report, has it falling in the global ranks:

  • U.S. rail infrastructure ranks 18th by the Economic Forum
  • U.S. air transportation is 30th behind Malaysia and Panama
  • The eight largest U.S.ports, combined, handle less cargo containers a year than the Port of Shanghai
  • With only two East Coast ports able to serve the modern-day larger ships, cargo from China heads to Canada instead

What makes the nation’s worsening infrastructure even more incredulous is that as much as 60 percent of U.S.-made products are exported. The U.S.economy is based on exporting products and it can’t do it.

“Other countries are building their ports and modernizing their ports, and making it so that once you get (goods) into port you’re able to move things around the country,” said Building America’s Future President Marcia L. Hale. “We can’t export unless we find a way to move these goods that are made in the United States to our trading partners.”

While countries are investing in infrastructure even in hard economic times – because they’re looking at the long-term benefits – the U.S. is spending about what it did on infrastructure in 1968 when adjusted for inflation.

Building America’s Future recommends greater infrastructure investment, utilizing federal funds on projects designed to ease bottlenecks and expand capacity at ports and key junctures, forming an infrastructure bank and encouraging innovative approaches that will bring more private financing to public works projects.

Two reports released in the same week in January pointed out the nation’s infrastructure failings at the domestic and global levels, a third report released in February, two days after a championship game power outage, shows each American driver losing $818 annually due to wasted time and fuel sitting in congested traffic. Things are occurring right under our noses when it comes to the nation’s infrastructure – and economically it has already bitten us.

 

For more information on the ASCE and Building America’s Future reports visit www.asce.org/failuretoact/ and www.bafuture.org/report.

Ohio Roads Deserve the Best Care We Can Give

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Approximately 125,000 miles of state highways, interstates, and local roads crisscross the state of Ohio.  They are heavily traveled, giving Ohio residents reliable access to work and play in communities throughout the state.  They are a major force in Ohio’s economy, moving freight to and from Great Lakes and Ohio River ports and providing a vital link between the Eastern seaboard and the Midwest.  In short, Ohio boasts one of the largest and most heavily utilized roadway networks in the United States.

A few years ago the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) published the Ohio Infrastructure Report Card.  Statistics from their 2009 study have been used frequently in news reports, business proposals and political speeches.  And rightly so!  The 125,000 miles of Ohio public roads represent more than 3.0% of the total length of public roadways in the United States.  Ohio ranks 7th nationally in total public road length and 5th nationally in Interstate road length behind Texas, California, Illinois and Pennsylvania.  (The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) places Ohio at 6th nationally for Interstate, behind New York.)

The scope of Ohio’s highway network naturally results in heavier usage for both personal travel and commercial transport.  According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Ohio ranked 5th in the nation in Highway Vehicle-Miles Traveled (VMT) in 2010, up a notch from 6th place in 2005.  That ranking translates to a VMT of 111,836 million miles!  Over time, that level of annual usage causes significant wear and tear on our roadways.  As a result Ohio faces deteriorating road conditions, increasing traffic congestion, and compromised highway safety.  In fact, the ASCE Report Card classifies 43% of Ohio roads as being in “critical”, “poor” or “fair” condition.  The situation is exacerbated by highway funding shortfalls that delay necessary improvements and maintenance.

Proper funding for our roadway network is a must for Ohio’s – and America’s – future success.  The most effective long term solution may well be a combination of state and federal gas taxes, user fees for Vehicle-Miles Traveled, tolls and other revenue sources.  In the short term however, restructuring the state gas tax definitely merits consideration.  The Ohio gas tax was last increased in 2005 and is currently the 11th highest in the nation.  However, at 28 cents per gallon, it is much closer to the national average of 23.4 cents than states with higher motor fuel taxes.  Given the extensive use of our highways, the ongoing need for highway improvements and the overall size of Ohio’s roadway network, a state gas tax adjustment is certainly worth a look.  Our roads deserve the best care we can provide!

Welcome to the OCIA Blog

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The Ohio Construction Information Association is happy to announce the launch of our new blog. Over the years OCIA has become a valuable resource for contractors, legislators and Ohio residents – virtually anyone concerned about restoring and improving our highways, streets, bridges, and utilities. Keeping you informed has always been our goal and the new OCIA blog will help us do that faster than ever before.

We look forward to bringing you up-to-date information about Ohio’s infrastructure – the opportunities and initiatives that affect our state, your town, and ultimately you personally. Look for articles from Infrastructure Insight, our quarterly newsletter that’s been educating the public, government officials and the media about critical transportation and utility issues for more than 20 years. Fact-filled and straightforward as ever, Infrastructure Insight articles will now be published right here – still “black, white and ‘read’ all over”. You’ll also find digests of important stories drawn from the Ohio news media along with analysis and comment from transportation infrastructure organizations throughout the country.

We pledge to make this blog lively, information-rich and a good read that is worthy of your time. We invite you to join us and hope the OCIA blog becomes a scheduled visit during your busy week. Enjoy!