As in 2013, ASCE once again rated America’s infrastructure a D+ in its latest 2017 assessment. Although several categories, such as ports and rail, achieved modest improvements, others declined. And six core categories that many think of when they think of infrastructure itself — including bridges, roads and aviation — remained unchanged from four years […]
infrastructure
Texas A&M’s Infrastructure Renewal Symposium Brings Together Industry Experts, Leaders to Discuss Critical Issues
OPTIMISM about future transportation funding and new efforts to modify regulatory restrictions were prominent themes of Texas A&M University’s National Symposium on the Barriers and Opportunities for Infrastructure Renewal, held at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center Sept. 18. Members of the Trump Administration and other high-level state and federal officials, as well as private-sector stakeholders, […]
Accelerated Construction Can Cut Red Tape, Save Time Following Extreme Weather Events
Damaged roads and devastated homes. Chemical plant explosions in Crosby, Texas. The shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies much of the East Coast with fuel. The shockwaves from extreme weather events like Hurricane Harvey can last for years. Getting damaged infrastructure back online is key to public safety, as well as the nation’s economy, […]
Accelerated Construction Can Cut Red Tape/Save Time Following Hurricane Harvey
Damaged roads and devastated homes. Chemical plant explosions in Crosby, Texas. The shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies much of the East Coast with fuel. The shockwaves from extreme weather events like Hurricane Harvey can last for years. Getting damaged infrastructure back online is key to public safety, as well as the nation’s economy, […]
The Last Stop with Greg Winfree: Accessibility May Be the Future’s Most Precious Transportation Commodity
Hurricane Harvey’s impact on the Texas Gulf Coast was widespread and overwhelming. Thousands of survivors lost their homes and possessions. But everyone I saw interviewed was thankful for what they still had, especially their lives and loved ones. If extreme weather events can have a silver lining, perhaps it’s to help us realize what really […]
State, National Leaders to Explore Infrastructure Renewal Strategies
From ports and bridges to roads and power grids, the nation’s infrastructure is in critical need of upgrade and expansion. Yet the path forward to meeting these needs is far from certain. In September, national and state policy makers, industry leaders, infrastructure scholars and executives from the public and private infrastructure sectors will gather in […]
New Report on Shale Development Impacts Draws upon PRC Studies
A new, comprehensive review of the impacts of shale oil and gas development in Texas by a cross-disciplinary task force — organized by the Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST) — finds a wide range of both benefits and consequences for the state’s infrastructure, environment and communities. These impacts are detailed in […]
Road Show: FHWA Demonstrates Concrete Benefits, Technologies to B/CS
A steady stream of local engineers, researchers, Texas A&M University students and members of the City of College Station Public Works Department toured the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) Mobile Concrete Trailer (MCT) on the Texas A&M campus May 22–23. The MCT was set up in the parking lot of the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) […]
Spike in Pedestrian/Bicyclist Deaths Prompts Year-Long Study by TxDOT
A sharp increase in the number of pedestrian fatalities in Texas has prompted researchers with the Center for Transportation Safety at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) to examine what factors contributed to the 550 deaths in 2015 — nearly a 13 percent increase from the year before. In fact, since 2010, pedestrian fatalities have […]
TTI Awarded Major FHWA Safety R&D Contract
Recognized for its longstanding history of excellence in safety research, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) has been awarded a multiyear, multimillion-dollar contract by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety Research and Development. The contract, which could provide as much as $50 million in funding over the next five years, supports the FHWA […]
The Future of Freight: Troubleshooting Texas’ Shipping Strategies and Technologies
Growth is a good thing. In economic terms, it can mean increased opportunity for businesses and more choices for consumers. But economic growth also means more demands on — and often more congestion for — our transportation system. Sometimes, the rate of economic expansion can outpace the capacity of our transportation infrastructure. In its 2013 […]
The Many Modes of Transportation Economics
Building and maintaining Texas’ transportation infrastructure are costly endeavors. Research conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) Infrastructure Investment Analysis Program (IIAP) helps inform policy makers how best to mitigate those costs and provide the greatest return to Texas taxpayers. “The importance of transportation to the economy is obviously significant,” says IIAP Manager David […]
The Infrastructure Magnet: How Essential Is Transportation to Pulling In and Retaining Businesses?
A system that supports the efficient movement of cars, trucks, aircraft, trains and ships — and the people and goods on board — is central to any economy. That’s a given. But what’s less clear is how (and to what degree) Texas’ transportation system is important to various industry sectors. A Transportation Policy Research Center […]
Texas A&M Invests $250M in New RELLIS Campus
Investment is at the core of a new venture to transform transportation The largest investment in the history of The Texas A&M University System’s Riverside Campus, now known as the RELLIS Campus, will dramatically expand engineering and educational resources at the 2,000-acre facility and will include key infrastructure for the development and testing of various […]
TEES and TTI Announce Center for Infrastructure Renewal to Address Aging Roadways, Structures, Pipelines and Power Grid
The State of Texas has appropriated billions of dollars over the next biennium to address the state’s aging transportation infrastructure. Recognizing the need for better solutions to meet this challenge, the Texas Legislature appropriated $5 million for debt service for a joint venture between two state agencies, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) and […]
TTI and TxDOT: Where State of the Art Meets State of the Practice
Over the past 60 years, drivers have seen countless changes on Texas roadways — not only in how they’re used by drivers but in how they’re built and maintained. Yet one thing remains constant: the partnership between the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI). These two agencies work together […]
Research Is Another Resource Texans Can Rely On
Texas is a resource-rich state. Blessed with oil and natural gas reserves, Texas has been a principal supplier of natural resources for the nation for more than a century. Although resource development is always welcome — and a boon to the state’s economy — planning for it can be challenging. New discoveries of oil and […]
Filling In Knowledge Potholes: TTI Correlates Trends in Energy Developments and Pavement Conditions
The truth is, nobody likes potholes. But when you’re responsible for the integrity of your roadways, finding the funds to proactively plan maintenance is difficult when limited resources are already stretched to the limit. Add to that challenge new energy developments bringing hundreds of heavy trucks to two-lane roads, and it doesn’t take long for […]
A Recipe for Road Rehabilitation
Roads in South and West Texas are taking a pounding from energy-sector traffic. The affected roads are most often narrow farm-to-market (FM) roads with thin-asphalt surfaces. They’re now carrying 20 to 50 times more truck traffic than they were designed for. Weigh-in-motion data indicate that many of these trucks are also overloaded. The Texas Department […]
TxDOT, TTI Team Up to Address Roadway Damage Resulting from Energy Development
The energy sector is having a dramatic positive economic impact on Texas and the nation. But many Texas roadways have experienced accelerated pavement degradation due to heavy truck loads and increased traffic. An interagency agreement between the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) seeks to give districts the necessary […]