Rough Roads Cost Denver Motorists Nearly $2,200 Per Year

DENVER MOTORISTS LOSE NEARLY $2,200 PER YEAR ON ROADS THAT ARE ROUGH, CONGESTED & LACK SOME SAFETY FEATURES - $6.8 BILLION STATEWIDE. COSTS WILL RISE AND CONDITIONS WILL WORSEN WITHOUT INCREASED FUNDING  

Denver, CO – Roads and bridges that are deteriorated, congested or lack some desirable safety features cost Colorado motorists a total of $6.8 billion statewide annually - $2,162 per driver in the Denver urban area - due to higher vehicle operating costs, traffic crashes and congestion-related delays. Increased investment in transportation improvements at the local, state and federal levels could relieve traffic congestion, improve road, bridge and transit conditions, boost safety, and support long-term economic growth in Colorado, according to a new report released today by TRIP, a Washington, DC based national transportation organization.

The TRIP report, “Colorado Transportation by the Numbers: Meeting the State’s Need for Safe, Smooth and Efficient Mobility,” finds that throughout Colorado, 41 percent of major, locally and state-maintained urban roads are in poor condition and six percent of Colorado’s locally and state-maintained bridges are structurally deficient. The state’s major urban roads are becoming increasingly congested, with drivers wasting significant amounts of time and fuel each year. And, more than 2,400 people were killed in crashes on Colorado’s roads from 2011 to 2015.

Driving on Denver area roads costs the average driver $2,162 per year in the form of extra vehicle operating costs (VOC) as a result of driving on roads in need of repair, lost time and fuel due to congestion-related delays, and the costs of traffic crashes in which roadway features likely were a contributing factor. The TRIP report calculates the cost to motorists of insufficient roads in the Colorado Springs, Denver, Northern Colorado, Grand Junction and Pueblo urban areas. A breakdown of the costs per motorist in each area along with a statewide total is below.

“Our transportation infrastructure is falling further and further behind,” said Kelly Brough, president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. “If we want to continue to grow our economy, ensure our quality of life, and create jobs, we must build and invest in a system that provides mobility choices for everyone- from increased lanes to technology solutions to bicycle and pedestrian options. Transportation is our top priority and we urge lawmakers to join us in finding a long-term, sustainable funding source for our infrastructure needs.”

The TRIP report finds that 80 percent of major locally and state-maintained roads in the Denver urban area are in poor or mediocre condition, costing the average motorist an additional $753 each year in extra vehicle operating costs, including accelerated vehicle depreciation, additional repair costs, and increased fuel consumption and tire wear.

“Colorado has experienced unprecedented growth in the last 20 years, but the state lacks a reliable and sustainable long term funding source to meet our resulting transportation infrastructure needs,” said Bob Golden, president and CEO of the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce. “This report makes a direct connection between that lack of investment and the impact to our pocketbooks. Now, more than ever, we need our policymakers to identify a solution to address this challenge. The cost to our businesses and our citizens of doing nothing is far too extreme.” 

Traffic congestion in the Denver area is worsening, causing 49 annual hours of delay for the average motorist and costing each driver $1,101 annually in lost time and wasted fuel.

“Business leaders around our state see Colorado trailing states such as Utah and Texas, two of our biggest competitors, on key commerce and tourism opportunities due to outdated, unmaintained and congested roadways,” said Jeff Wasden, president of the Colorado Business Roundtable. “We can no longer kick this can down the road and this report makes that connection in a very real way.” 

Six percent of Colorado’s bridges are structurally deficient, with significant deterioration to the bridge deck, supports or other major components. In the Denver urban area, five percent of bridges are structurally deficient.

Traffic crashes in Colorado claimed the lives of 2,434 people between 2011 and 2015. Colorado’s overall traffic fatality rate of 1.08 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel is lower than the national average of 1.13. In the Denver urban area, on average, 110 people were killed in traffic crashes in each of the last three years.  

“Investing in our transportation infrastructure is absolutely critical to creating jobs and fostering a healthy economy,” said Loren Furman, senior vice president of state and federal affairs for the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry. “Transportation is, without a doubt, the number one priority for our members.” 

The efficiency and condition of Colorado’s transportation system, particularly its highways, is critical to the health of the state’s economy.  Annually, $323 billion in goods are shipped to and from sites in Colorado, mostly by truck. Seventy-five percent of the goods shipped annually to and from sites in Colorado are carried by trucks and another 21 percent are carried by courier services or multiple mode deliveries, which include trucking.

“These conditions are only going to get worse, increasing the additional costs to motorists, if greater investment is not made available at the state and local levels of government,” said Will Wilkins, TRIP’s executive director. “Without adequate funding, Colorado’s transportation system will become increasingly deteriorated and congested, hampering economic growth and quality of life of the state’s residents.”

Eds.: The report includes regional pavement conditions, congestion levels, highway safety data, and cost breakdowns for the Colorado Springs, Denver, Northern Colorado, Grand Junction and Pueblo urban areas. Info-graphics for each area can be downloaded here.

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Contact: Carolyn Bonifas Kelly 703.801.9212 (cell)
Rocky Moretti 202.262.0714 (cell)
TRIP office 202.466.6706
Report available at: tripnet.org                                                                    

Downtown Denver Partnership Releases Results of Annual Commuter Survey

Among the findings: Drive alone rates surpass transit use, but Downtown employees value employer-subsidized transit passes over parking; increase in transportation options has big impact on how Stapleton residents commute to Downtown
 
DENVER (Jan. 19, 2016) – The Downtown Denver Partnership released its annual commuter survey today, highlighting how Downtown Denver’s nearly 124,000 employees commute to work as part of the organization’s commitment to create a robust and visionary mobility network in Downtown Denver that enhances transportation options for all users, connects to surrounding center city neighborhoods and strengthens economic development opportunities by ensuring seamless regional connections.
 
The 2016 Downtown Denver Commuter Survey reveals that, in terms of transportation benefits, Downtown Denver employees place a higher value on a transit pass over a parking space. 87 percent of employees rate a transit pass as a very valuable or valuable employer-provided benefit, which is also the most common employer-provided transit benefit with 68 percent of employees receiving a fully or partially subsidized transit pass.
 
“It’s clear that employers play a big role in impacting commuting habits. Specifically, when employers offer employees a transit pass as part of their employee benefits, they are 67 percent more likely to use transit, and 28 percent less likely to drive alone,” said Tami Door, president and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership. “It’s imperative we work closely with employers and transportation providers to encourage employees to consider alternative modes of transportation in order to achieve our goal to create a truly multi-modal center city.”
 
Also notable is that for the first time in the five years conducting the survey with the current methodology, the number of people driving alone (40.3 percent, up from 38.5 percent in 2015) exceeds the number of people who regularly use transit (39.6 percent, down from 40.6 percent in 2015). 74 percent of those who regularly drive alone to work, however, are open to considering other modes.

“Our goal is to increase the number of people choosing to bike, walk and take transit while reducing the number of people who drive alone to under 35 percent by 2021,” said Door. “Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock recently called 2017 the ‘Year of Mobility’ for his administration, and the findings of this year’s survey will help us inform significant mobility planning processes underway for the center city, including Denver Moves Downtown.”
 
The addition of transit options has also positively impacted the number of people selecting transit as a commuting option. Specifically, transit use among residents of the Stapleton neighborhood increased from 5 to 30 percent from 2015 to 2016, an increase that may be attributed to the April 2016 opening of the University of Colorado A Line which provides commuter rail service from Stapleton to Denver Union Station.
 
“The Partnership will continue to advocate for a variety of high-quality transit, bike and pedestrian infrastructure in the center city, options that are imperative to our ability to attract and retain a high-quality workforce and the businesses looking to hire them,” said Door. “By leveraging our understanding around commute choice, we can best advocate for infrastructure and policy solutions that will make Downtown Denver the most attractive employment location in the region and nation.
 
And it’s not only new options that impact commuting decisions, but also several factors including age and gender and commute length, which averages 13 miles among all commuters. For example:
·         Younger male commuters are more likely to bike and walk
·         Females in their 30s and 40s are more likely to drive alone
·         Transit use increases in older commuters
·         30 percent of commuters who have a commute length of five miles or less drive alone, despite having more options than those with longer-distance commutes. These short distance commuters are also more likely to walk and bike to work.
 
New to the 2016 survey is a more comprehensive look at commuter attitudes towards certain modes, options and improvements. Convenience, cost, time and health considerations all play in a role in commuting decisions.
 
The Downtown Denver Commuter Survey is conducted to support goals outlined in the 2007 Downtown Area Plan, the long-term strategy for Downtown, that include ensuring Downtown is the largest and most convenient transit district while also building a premier environment for bicycles and pedestrians.
 
Understanding commuting preferences of Downtown employees is also important to developers and business owners looking to invest in Downtown Denver, as well as employers looking to augment their benefits packages to attract and retain high quality employees. In addition to the main report, the Partnership will deliver more than 100 custom reports for employers in early 2017 to show the commuting habits within each individual company, a valuable tool for employers to leverage for recruitment and retention.
 
“The individual company results provided by the Downtown Denver Partnership of our employee commuting habits is invaluable to our organization, helping us inform decisions around employee benefits, health and wellness opportunities, employee recruitment and retention, and more,” says Ray Bellucci, Senior Managing Director and Head of Institutional Retirement Plan Services at TIAA, which employs more than 1,500 people in Downtown Denver.
 
The annual survey is produced by the Downtown Denver Partnership with support from the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District and Way to Go, a program of the Denver Regional Council of Governments.
 
The survey tallies the results of 7,547 responses, 6.1 percent of the total employee population in Downtown Denver, solicited in September and early October 2016. For more information, including a complete copy of the report and survey methodology, visit www.downtowndenver.com.
 
About the Downtown Denver Partnership
The Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc. partners with public, private and non-profit entities to implement high-impact strategies, outlined in the organization’s long-term strategy the 2007 Downtown Area Plan, to support its vision for an economically healthy, growing and vital Downtown Denver. For more information, visit www.downtowndenver.com.
 
About The Downtown Denver Business Improvement District
The Downtown Denver Business Improvement District (BID) is a public organization funded by private commercial property owners. It strives to provide a clean, safe and vibrant Downtown environment for workers, residents and visitors. Through their annual assessments to this quasi-governmental entity, BID property owners fund a series of district-wide programs that enhance Downtown Denver, including cleaning and maintenance efforts, safety initiatives and targeted visitor marketing. The BID is an independent organization that contracts with the Downtown Denver Partnership to manage its work program.

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Business Leaders in Major Transportation Corridors React to Opening Day Statements by Colorado Senate and House Leadership

Transportation Highlighted as a Legislative Priority on the First Day of the 2017 Colorado General Assembly

DENVER—Jan. 11—Today, as the 71st General Assembly convened, both Senate President Kevin Grantham (R-Canon City) and House Speaker Crisanta Duran (D-Denver) acknowledged present and future transportation needs facing our state. Both lawmakers spoke to the importance of solving our state’s transportation challenges.

While the growing population is adding to the gridlock felt by commuters on a day-to-day basis, roads and bridges are in need of repair and expansion. Fix Colorado Roads is a broad-based, statewide coalition of business leaders and local government officials dedicated to finding a permanent and reliable fund for transportation projects and improvements. The organization and its members are dedicated to working with lawmakers this legislative session to ensure the topic does not go unresolved.

Following are reactions from Fix Colorado Roads and its allied members in response to today’s speeches by Senate and House leadership:

“Fix Colorado Roads applauds Senate President Grantham and House Speaker Duran for elevating the growing crisis in Colorado facing our transportation system and the need for greater investment now and in the years to come. Their leadership on this issue is indispensible because allowing the transportation status quo to idle in neutral threatens to throw our economy and our quality of life into reverse. Fix Colorado Roads’ leaders will be working with legislative leaders and Governor Hickenlooper to find a solution that is right for our state and supported by our citizens. Another year cannot go by without a solution to our transportation crisis.”

            --Sandra Hagen Solin, Fix Colorado Roads

“Colorado is a wonderful place and is served well by its state government with one glaring exception: transportation funding. Colorado residents are increasingly frustrated with the unnecessary congestion on the highway and interstate system. That is definitely the case in the Fort Collins-Greeley-Loveland region along the North I-25 corridor. It’s time for our state’s business and political leaders to finally make transportation funding a priority. We are encouraged by today’s remarks from our State and House leadership. We are committed to helping them convert their good intentions and words into action to fulfill the legislature’s obligation to develop and maintain a safe, functioning highway system.”

--David May, Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce, President and CEO and Convener of the Fix North I-25 Business Alliance

“Transportation is one of the top two issues most concerning to our business members and prospects; having a reliable, efficient, multi-modal transportation system is essential to our economic success. We can’t keep kicking this can down the road if we want to remain competitive as a state. The Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC has been working with numerous partners toward a solution and getting out of the zero-sum game of regions competing against each other for limited funding.”

--Dirk Draper, Colorado Springs Chamber & Economic Development Corporation, President and CEO

“Businesses in the Vail Valley rely on tourists getting to the destination via our state’s interstates and roadways. Our non-tourism industries are equally reliant on an efficient statewide transportation network; the livelihood and ability for the Vail Valley to compete depends on this. States such as Utah and Texas, two of Colorado’s strongest economic competitors, have outshined Colorado in the area of infrastructure investments. We can no longer let this issue take the back-seat.”

           --Chris Romer, Vail Valley Partnership, President and CEO

“Every day we work to keep Colorado competitive. In most cases, travel for business or destination travel does not meet the quality of life standards we have for an average work commute or scenic drive to the mountains. Transportation has a direct correlation to our state’s overall competitiveness. An efficient transport system in Colorado would provide direct economic benefits and multipliers such better accessibility to markets, employment and additional investments. We can do better and it’s time for our state’s policymakers and business leaders to make 2017 the year for real reform. I was pleased to see transportation addressed as a high priority today.”

--Jeff Wasden, Colorado Business Roundtable, President

*Sandra Hagen Solin available for interview requests. Contact Monica McCafferty at [email protected] or 303.903.3394. 

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E-470’s 25 Years Dedicated to “Safety, Service, Speed and Stewardship”

Twenty-five years ago (June 1, 1991), Governor Roy Romer and a host of other officials and VIPs cut the ribbon on the first five-mile section of the E-470 toll road, linking the I-25/C-470 interchange to Parker Road. It was the only toll road in Colorado at that time.

Speakers at the event hailed the toll road’s future and the intergovernmental cooperation that made it possible in the absence of any state or federal funding. They expressed confidence that the skeptics who derided E-470 as the “road to nowhere” would be proven wrong. And their confidence was not misplaced.

Serving about 5,000 customers per day in 1991, today E-470 is 47 miles long and has traffic volume, as measured in toll transactions, averaging more than 200,000 per day. While there will be no ceremonies this year to mark the milestone, “We’ll take note of this special date but
otherwise it will be business as usual,” said E-470 Executive Director Tim Stewart on June 1. “We’re busy making sure we’re delivering what was promised 25 years ago: safety, service, speed and stewardship.”

The toll road has been financed, constructed, operated and maintained by the E-470 Public Highway Authority and is not taxpayer funded. The authority is a political subdivision of the State of Colorado, operating as an “enterprise” under state statute and thus is self-sustaining, generating its own revenues without recourse to taxpayer funds. The authority is composed of its eight member jurisdictions, those being five municipalities (Aurora, Brighton, Commerce City, Parker, and Thornton) and three counties (Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas). Each jurisdiction has one voting member on the eight-member E-470 Board of Directors.

# # #

NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS: Jessica Carson, E-470 Marketing and Communications Manager, 303-537-3706, [email protected]; Dan Christopherson, Christopherson & Co. Public Relations, 303-779-4920, [email protected]

Connect with us: www.expresstoll.com 

B Line to Westminster Opens July 25

Reposted from RTD-FasTracks

RTD received official notice that the B Line from Union Station in downtown Denver to Westminster will be ready and open for service on Monday, July 25, 2016. This notice came from project concessionaire, Denver Transit Partners (DTP). 

"RTD staff, our contractors as well as our federal, state and local partners have put in a remarkable effort to complete the B Line's first segment," RTD Chair of the Board of Directors Tom Tobiassen said. "This rail line will be the third project this year the agency opens to the public with the G and R Lines coming later in 2016. This many major transit line openings in one year are unprecedented in public transportation and the region should be proud of the collaboration that is making it happen."

The B Line to Westminster will be the second electric commuter rail line to operate in Denver-the first being the University of Colorado A Line to Denver International Airport, which began service on April 22.

"Our ability to bring this type of rail connection to the Denver area is ground-breaking and will change the way residents and visitors experience our great cities," said RTD's CEO and General Manager Dave Genova. "We have elevated the standards of transit by implementing an electric commuter rail system that is safe, quick and highly accessible."

The ride from Union Station to Westminster will take 11 minutes. Trains will run every 30 minutes during peak hours (6-9 a.m. and 3-6 p.m., Monday through Friday) and every 60 minutes during non-peak hours every day.

Electric commuter rail vehicles are faster than light rail, with a top speed of 79 mph versus 55 mph. The vehicles are also larger and carry more people than light rail vehicles-200 people at maximum. Commuter rail vehicles have level boarding at all doors of the train and have two wheelchair spaces per car. These trains also have large seats, overhead storage, luggage towers and bicycle racks.

This segment of the B Line will serve two stations: Denver's Union Station and the new Westminster Station located at West 69th Avenue (future Westminster Station Drive) and Grove Street.

"The opening of Westminster Station in a few short months presents a tremendous opportunity for the city and regional commuters  - 11 minutes nonstop to Denver from a signature station will be a catalyst for future development," Westminster Mayor Herb Atchison said. "We're excited to be leading the way with the first connection on the FasTracks Northwest Rail line to Boulder and Longmont."

The remaining segment, from south Westminster to Longmont, will be diesel-powered commuter rail. Construction of the line from Westminster to Longmont will begin when funding becomes available.

The B Line to Westminster is part of the Eagle P3 project, the nation's first full public-private partnership for transit. Eagle P3 is a $2.2 billion project, which includes local RTD taxes combined with a $1.03 billion federal grant and $450 million from DTP, the project concessionaire. As concessionaire, DTP will build, operate and maintain the trains for 34 years.

MONDAY•  JULY 25
GRAND OPENING
Westminster Station
3200 Westminster Station Dr
(just west of 71st and Federal)

Ceremony
10 A.M. – 11 A.M.

Celebration
Family friendly fun, games, food, and live music!
11 A.M. – 4 P.M.

Free rides on the B Line!
11 A.M. – 9 P.M.


SATURDAY•  JULY 30
STATION PARTIES
Union Station
Games, music, entertainment!
2 P.M. – 6 P.M.

Westminster Station
Carnival games, food, beer garden, face painting, live music, and fireworks show at 9pm!
6 P.M. – 10 P.M.

Free rides on ALL rail lines!
5 A.M. – 10 P.M.

RTD Civic Center Station Closing for Major Renovation

DENVER, June 9, 2016 – Civic Center Station, one of the Regional Transportation District’s (RTD) busiest regional bus transit centers, will be closing for renovation beginning on Sunday, July 3. The closure will last approximately twelve months.

Once completed, the renovated Civic Center Station will be a state-of-the-art transit hub to complement Union Station and will provide improved connections and convenience for RTD passengers.

Civic Center Station currently serves 18 bus routes and sees an average of 15,000 passengers daily. The station also serves as the endpoint for the 16th Street FREE MallRide and the FREE MetroRide.

The new Civic Center building design includes:

  • Nine bus bays
  • Glass-enclosed terminal building
  • Bus concourse rebuild
  • Bus ramp extension connecting Broadway to Lincoln
  • Open view from 16th Street Mall to the State Capital
  • Building structure that is easier to maintain and repair long-term
  • More open and welcoming environment
  • Land parcel preserved for future development opportunities

Plans for the Civic Center Station renovation began in 2011, with a report by Merrick & Company that surveyed the facility and made recommendations. During that process, it was determined that the cost for repairing and keeping the same design were comparable to redesigning and building a new facility.

During the closure, bus routes from Civic Center Station will be assigned temporary bus gates along Broadway and Lincoln Street.
Gates on Lincoln Street:
GATE A: 90L
GATE B: 122X, FF4
GATE C: R/RC/RX

Passengers using routes 90L, 122X, FF4, and R/RC/RX will board buses on Lincoln between 17th Avenue and Colfax Avenue.
Gates on Broadway:
GATE D: 0L, 3L, 83D, 83L, P
GATE E: 87L, 100L, 116X, CV/CS/CX, EV/ES/EX

Passengers using routes 0L, 3L, 83D, 83L, 87L, 100L, 116X, CV/CS/CX, EV/ES/EX and P will board buses on Broadway between 14th and Colfax.

Passengers on routes 16 and 16L will board Colfax Avenue between Lincoln and Broadway.
FREE MallRide shuttles will detour from the 16th Street Mall with the final stop at Broadway/Colfax and resume travel at Court. FREE MetroRide passengers will board at the existing stop at 16th Avenue and Broadway.

For more information about the project and to sign up to receive construction updates, visit www.rtd-denver.com/civiccenter.

About RTD
RTD’s mission is to provide safe, clean, reliable, courteous, accessible and cost-effective bus and rail services in the eight-county district, and fulfills 100 million passenger trips annually. The public transit agency is creating a larger, better and more accessible system through innovation, public-private partnerships and transit-oriented communities.

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Business Roundtable Chairman Doug Oberhelman Welcomes Young Presidents’ Organization

The first week of May, the president of CAP Logistics, Kevin Kersting, had the opportunity to meet with Doug Oberhelman, Chairman and CEO of Caterpillar Inc. Oberhelman welcomed Kersting and other members of the Young Presidents’ Organization to the company’s headquarters in Peoria, Illinois.

Oberhelman, who also serves as chairman of Business Roundtable, discussed the economy and the wide variety of industries served by both Caterpillar Inc. and Kersting’s CAP Logistics, such as construction, energy, manufacturing and mining. Caterpillar Inc. is able to build the world’s infrastructure and enable progress for millions of people across the globe, as they say at Caterpillar.com, thanks to Team Caterpillar which is comprised of its employees as well as Cat dealers and Cat suppliers.

Kersting was able to identify with the solidarity created by this network of team members in two ways. His company, CAP Logistics, provides customized transportation solutions to customers anywhere, anytime, in the United States and Canada, thanks to a similar culture of team membership across its nationwide network of offices and agents. Additionally, many of the customers served by CAP Logistics use, sell or supply Caterpillar Inc. products, and this experience helps to further the sense of commitment between the two companies.

YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization) is the world’s premier peer network of chief executives and business leaders. Founded in 1950, YPO today provides 24,000 peers and their families in more than 130 countries with access to unique educational and networking experiences designed to support their business, community and personal leadership. Kersting has been a member since 2015.

Doug Oberhelman, Chairman and CEO of Caterpillar Inc. and Chair of Business Roundtable welcomed members of the Young Presidents’ Organization, including CAP Logistics President Kevin Kersting, to the company’s headquarters in Peoria, Illinois. 

Tip Sheet for Infrastructure Week 2016 (May 16-23)

WELCOME TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK TIPSHEET from http://infrastructureweek.org
 
60 events. 150 organizations. Thousands of participants. One week to tell America how #InfrastructureMatters.
 
Infrastructure Week is just around the corner, kicking off next Monday, May 16, and running through an entire jam-packed week of events. We wanted to send this exclusive pre-week tipsheet as an introduction to all of the great events, studies, news stories, social media engagement opportunities, and more that will be a part of Infrastructure Week 2016.
 
This year’s theme for the week is Infrastructure Matters. We believe, it matters to our public health and safety, to our communities, to our economy... essentially, to everything. Infrastructure is the nerve system that keeps our country moving. Infrastructure is responsible for keeping everything from water, to electricity, to goods, flowing from one point to another. When it works well, it keeps us safe and healthy, and our economy strong. But as we’ve seen in too many catastrophes in this country, when infrastructure is neglected, it can put people in danger, it dampens our economy, it leaves our roads and skies congested, and it means we fall behind our international competitors.
 
That’s why we’re spreading the message that Infrastructure Matters through the halls of Congress, across the nation’s capital, and across the country from coast to coast next week. Nearly 150 organizations have signed up to be a part of Infrastructure Week, and together they are planning more than 60 events. As in past years, Infrastructure Week is led by our diverse steering committee of leading national organizations: the AFL-CIO, the American Society of Civil Engineers, Building America’s Future, Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Value of Water Coalition.
 
KICKOFF ON MONDAY
REGISTER HERE TO ATTEND!
Or, view the live webcast!
On Monday, May 16 we’ll kick off at the US Chamber of Commerce with an all-star line up, including: Jeh Johnson, Secretary of Homeland Security; Victor Mendez, Deputy Secretary of Transportation, Tom Donohue, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO; Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO President; Michael Ducker, FedEX Freight President and CEO and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chairman; Mayor David Condon (Spokane, WA); Mayor Sly James (Kansas City, MO); Mayor Stephanie Miner (Syracuse, NY); Paul Misener, Amazon.com VP Global Innovation Policy; Ray LaHood, Former Secretary of Transportation (Obama Admin); Mary Peters, Former Secretary of Transportation (W. Bush Admin); Rodney Slater, Former Secretary of Transportation (Clinton Admin); James Burnley, Former Secretary of Transportation (Reagan Admin), and many more! Seating is limited, but a few spots are still available if you’d like to attend the event. Register here today!
 
IN THE NEWS
The nation's subways are falling apart, but the next president might actually fix them -- “Groups from the left and right, led by the AFL-CIO and the Chamber of Commerce, are gathering this month in Washington to press Congress for infrastructure spending at all levels, including roads, bridges and water pipes that have gained urgent attention after dangerous levels of lead leached into the drinking water in Flint, Mich. While few expect to get an infusion of cash this year, they are hoping to lay the groundwork for next year, when a new president often gets a brief window of cooperation with Congress to pass spending bills.” -- LA TIMES, 5/9/16
 
America's infrastructure $1.44 trln short through 2025 -report -- “America will fall $1.44 trillion short of what it needs to spend on infrastructure through the next decade, a gap that could strip 2.5 million jobs and $4 trillion of gross domestic product from the economy, a report showed on Tuesday. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) estimates that through 2025, the United States has funded only about 56 percent of its needed infrastructure spending.”  -- Reuters, 5/10/16
 
#INFRASTRUCTUREMATTERS - TAKE ACTION!
Whether you can join us in real life next week or not, please be a part of the online Infrastructure Week conversation! Last year, social media about infrastructure issues reached millions of Americans during I Week, amplifying our message well beyond the rooms where our events happen. We want to make sure we’re as successful this year! Here are five ways to join us:

  1. Be part of our Thunderclap: ow.ly/4n6K9Q Start off I-Week with a big bang of social media attention! Help us reach our goal of having 250 organizations all share the same message on social media simultaneously, at 11 am ET on Monday, May 16!
  2. Follow us on Twitter, @InfraWeek
  3. Use #InfrastructureMatters before and during Infrastructure Week
  4. Use the tweets we’ve drafted and graphics we’ve created for you, easily downloaded here.
  5. Write to your elected leaders using our online Take Action platform! Write one letter that will automatically be sent to your national, state, and local leaders!

 
A LOOK AHEAD AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK CALENDAR
With such a diverse group of affiliates hosting events across the country, there is a plethora of opportunities to attend events in person or online, wherever you are, next week. Here are just a few highlights from the calendar. See the full list of events here.
 

Monday

Our kickoff, of course: LIVE WEBCAST!

Washington, D.C.: At 1:00 pm, the Bipartisan Policy Center Executive Council on Infrastructure is hosting Bridging the Gap Together: A New Model to Modernize U.S. Infrastructure. Register here.

Washington, D.C.: Eno Technology is presenting: Cheaper, Safer, Faster: How Disruptive Technologies are Changing How We Build and Operate Infrastructure at the House T&I Committee hearing room in Rayburn at 3:00 pm.

Tuesday
Tampa, FL: Building America’s Future and HNTB are hosting an event on technology for the next era of streets and automobiles, How Tampa is Driving the Future of Transportation.
Camden, NJ: American Water and the City of Camden will announce a major milestone in a public-private partnership to improve water and wastewater services, and provide workforce training and skill development in the community. The Mayor of Camden will join this event.
 
Wednesday
Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. and around America! Even if you can’t make it to Capitol Hill, write to your delegation!
Washington, DC: Hill briefing and press conference with Gov. Ed Rendell, I Week’s Congressional Co-Chairs Senators Capito and Cardin and Representatives Graves and Maloney, labor and business leaders, and a presentation from American Society of Civil Engineers on the infrastructure investment gap. Register here.
Also, join us for the most fun part of Infrastructure Week - our reception! The widely held event will be from 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm, The Flying Bridge - 444 North Capitol St NW. The reception is co-hosted by Infrastructure Week and Value of Water Coalition, because without water, there would be no ice, no beer, no wine, and no receptions. Register to join us here.  
 
Thursday
Washington, D.C.: Our marquee event for Thursday, Bloomberg Government and Siemens host “The Future of Cities,” taking a deeper dive into how an increasingly urban America will be driven by new technologies, policies, and investments across transportation, energy, water, and more! Featured speakers include former governor and presidential candidate Martin O’Malley!
Cleveland, OH: As part of the Value of Water Coalition's “Local Innovators Tour” the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District will lead a tour of green infrastructure in Cleveland.
On the phone: APTA will host a nationwide press conference call on the Current State of the Nation’s Aging Public Transportation Infrastructure.
 
Friday
Washington, D.C.: Want to keep talking tech? Join the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation for a look at the digital infrastructure systems that will define the U.S. economy in the future! More info here.
Juneau, AK: When we said Infrastructure Week was nationwide, we weren’t kidding. ASCE is hosting a port tour and new cruise ship dock celebration in Juneau, Alaska!
 

And the Following Monday...

Washington, D.C.: At 3:00 pm in the Congressional Visitors Center, Airports Council International - North America is presenting Beyond the Runway Coalition: Airport Finance – A Free Market Approach, and Airports as Economics Engines.

Evanston, IL: Mobility 2050: A Vision for Transportation Infrastructure and How We Can Get There will be presented by Association of Equipment Manufacturers and Northwestern University.

 
TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE...
"It is just one more example of the under-investments that have been made. The D.C. Metro historically has been a great strength of this region. But over time, we under-invested in maintenance and repair,” said President Obama, last week regarding the recent problems plaguing Washington’s Metro system.
 
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
Infrastructure Week would not be possible without the generous support of members of our Steering Committee, and our 2016 sponsors: Autodesk, The Business Roundtable, HNTB, Siemens, WSP-Parsons Brinckerhoff.
 
Infrastructure Week is a national week of events; media coverage; and education and advocacy efforts to elevate infrastructure as a critical issue impacting all Americans. Learn more at http://infrastructureweek.org

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