Elizabeth Harrington - Fri August 04, 2017
Border Wall Update: Feds to Begin Building Prototype
The Department of Homeland Security announced its plans to build a 15-mile prototype of the border wall in San Diego. The department issued a waiver from numerous environmental laws and regulations to build the wall with "robust physical characteristics" to prevent illegal immigration crossings in an area of "high illegal entry.""The Department is implementing President Trump's Executive Order 13767, Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements, and continues to take steps to immediately plan, design and construct a physical wall along the southern border, using appropriate materials and technology to most effectively achieve complete operational control of the southern border," the department said in a statement Aug....
Wed August 02, 2017
Gas-Tax Begins to Fund Road Work
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Californians will see construction start this month on the first state road repair projects resulting from the new gas tax hike, the state's transportation agency said Friday....
Tue August 01, 2017
Oregon House Passes Major Transportation Bill Package
SALEM, Ore. (AP) The Oregon House passed a transportation bill with new taxes and fees that would raise $3.8 billion over seven years for repairs to the state's roads and bridges. House Bill 2017 now heads to the Oregon Senate, where it's expected to pass, The Register Guard reported....
Mon July 31, 2017
Community Names Road for Former Lieutenant Governor
ASHFORD, Ala. (AP) Wonderful. Caring. Respected. Loved. These were some of the words used to describe former Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley, who was being memorialized with the renaming of a stretch of U.S. 84 in her hometown of Pansey in southeastern Alabama....
Emily Buenzle - Fri July 28, 2017
Senate Committee: DOT to Receive Funding in Key Areas
The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved legislation July 27 that would provide a $19.5 billion funding boost for the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2018, The Hill reported. The spending plan is $978 million above the DOT's current levels, and almost $3.3 billion more than what President Trump had requested....
Thu July 27, 2017
Border Wall Watch: Arizona House to Vote on $1.6B Funding Request for Construction
President Trump has included a request of $1.6 billion for construction of the border wall in a spending bill for the U.S. Department of Defense, along with other agencies. The bill is expected to be voted on later this week, KTAR News reported....
Thu July 27, 2017
Utah Water Strategy Recommends Over $1B in Pipeline, Dam Construction
After four years of work, Utah Governor Gary Herbert's Water Strategy Advisory Team announced that it has finished a new, 50-year water management plan. Herbert accepted the 106-page “Recommended Water Strategy,” which was compiled with the help of Envision Utah, a Salt Lake City-based non-profit, at the state Capitol July 26....
Thu July 27, 2017
Washington State Lawmakers Fail to Pass $4B Construction Budget
Washington State lawmakers adjourned their third overtime session July 19 without passing a new construction budget, the Associated Press reported. Initially, legislative leaders stated that they planned to adjourn earlier in the day after negotiations broke down earlier in the week over a water rights bill, tied to the passage of the two-year capital budget that would have spent more than $4 billion on projects statewide, according to the Associated Press....
Scott Bauer - ASSOCIATED PRESS - Wed July 26, 2017
Gov. Walker's Proposed Road-Funding Deal Receives Lukewarm Response
MADISON, Wis. (AP) Gov. Scott Walker's self-described “reasonable proposal' to borrow less and rely on more federal funding to pay for roads and break a state budget impasse got a lukewarm response from Republican legislative leaders July 6, who showed little signs of moving closer to a deal to pass a new spending plan....
Mon July 10, 2017
Tax to Pave Way for Roads
Dollars from the newly increased gas tax and fees will start flowing into local coffers in a few months and officials already have plans on how to use the extra cash. Millions more will be available for investment in local asphalt, bridges, county roads and more....
