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String of infrastructure investments underway hints at big 2019

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Infrastructure work may be heating up again with whisperings of President Donald Trump’s administration reinitiating the $1 trillion infrastructure plan promised during his 2016 presidential campaign. The administration claims to be willing to increase the federal share of the infrastructure program significantly from the 20% referenced in previous iterations — a move that may draw Democrats back into negotiations.

Whether federal legislation will come to fruition or not in 2019, investments nonetheless are being made in the space. A December Wall Street Journal analysis of state and local revenue collection and spending found that public agencies are increasing their infrastructure investments and making headway on long-delayed projects. Much of that money is tax revenue stemming from increased consumer spending.

Although it’s hard to predict what 2019 may bring, Construction Dive has rounded up some of the biggest infrastructure initiatives already underway across North America as the year begins.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.constructiondive.com/news/string-of-infrastructure-investments-underway-hints-at-big-2019/545131/

State, local governments using higher revenues to increase infrastructure spending

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According to a Wall Street Journal analysis of state and local revenue collection and spending, public agencies are increasing their infrastructure investments and making a dent in projects that have been on back burners for many years.

A strong economy has resulted in an increase in consumer spending, and all that new tax revenue is helping to drive not only infrastructure spending but municipal borrowing as well. In fact, according to October 2018 data, the latest available from the Commerce Department, total state and local construction spending — based on a seasonal adjusted annual rate — was up 9.7% from October 2017 to more than $288 billion. Commercial construction was up the most year over year at 62%, followed by amusement and recreation (30%), water supply (22%), public safety (18%) and transportation infrastructure (15%). Tax revenue, adjusted for inflation, grew by 6% in the second quarter of 2018 from the second quarter of 2017, according to a Tax Policy Center report.

Year-to-date state and local government borrowing through October 2018 was up 19% from the same period in 2017, driven in part by a desire to take advantage of current interest rates in case they continue to increase. The pipeline of publicly funded construction projects, including those much-needed upgrades and repairs that have been shelved due to a previous lack of money, according to the newspaper, could make up for potential industry slowdowns.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.constructiondive.com/news/state-local-governments-using-higher-revenues-to-increase-infrastructure-s/544741/

Infrastructure spending: Which state is falling apart the worst?

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In the Donald Trump era, the United States appears to be more politically divided than it has been in decades. Still, there are matters of public policy that most Americans can agree on — chief among them is investment in infrastructure. According to a recent non-partisan Gallup poll, three out of four Americans support the president’s plan of spending more federal money on infrastructure.

The president proposed a $1 trillion plan to improve aging roads, bridges, and tunnels across the country. While funding the project has proven to be a political challenge, broad public support for the plan is rooted in necessity.

About seven out of every 100 miles of roadway nationwide are in poor condition; 9 percent of bridges nationwide are structurally deficient, meaning that they are in need of some repair; and 17 percent of dams in the country have a high hazard potential — meaning a functional failure would result in the loss of life.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2018/08/13/infrastructure-spending-states-that-are-falling-apart/37270513/

Next NDAA might add more cyber provisions

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The next defense authorization bill could have a slew of new cyber provisions aimed at streamlining the Defense Department’s collaboration with the rest of government.

The House Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities released a markup of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act on April 26 that includes a range of cyber provisions and recommendations focusing on expanding cyber forces, protecting critical infrastructure and consolidating cyber responsibilities.

Key provisions include:

  • Studying state cyber teams.
  • Protecting critical infrastructure with more hackathons.
  • Boosting breach notification requirements. 
  • Prioritizing tech needs at DOD installations.
  • Fully integrating DIUx’s Silicon Valley vibe into defense labs. 
  • Mapping cyber vulnerabilities in weapons systems. 
  • Cyber Command absorbing (some of) DISA’s responsibilities.

Read details on each of these provisions at: https://washingtontechnology.com/articles/2018/04/27/ndaa-markup-cyber.aspx

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