Officials for the N.C. Department of Transportation
anticipate closing both westbound lanes of Interstate 40 between the U.S. 276
interchange at Exit 20 and the Tennessee state line for up to five consecutive
days during a stretch in November. The emergency closure will take place — with
at least 24 hours of advance notice — between Nov. 6 and Nov. 22 so crews can
make emergency repairs to a bridge over Jonathan Creek and White Oak Road. The
construction dates are dependent on weather conditions. The contractor will
remove old concrete with hydro-demolition, then will need dry conditions with
temperatures above 50 degrees to pour new concrete. The bridge opened in 1966
and last received significant upgrades 11 years ago with a latex overlay on the
surface.
Congestion is aggravating for drivers, but Governor Bill Lee
says it can also put an “economic chokehold on a lot of businesses.” Those
words came this week at a transportation conference in Nashville. Gov. Lee said
he wants to lead on Tennessee’s transportation issues across the state. In
describing the economic chokehold congestion brings to urban areas in
Tennessee, the governor reference 500 trucks from the company he once ran that
could be stuck in traffic at the same time. “You start multiplying those
numbers out on business, it has profound negative impact,” he said. Gov. Lee
said there are “innovative and creative ways” to find funding, but what are
they? “Not necessarily toll roads, there are public-private partnerships available
out that provide alternatives,” he explained. That means big companies building
transportation and sharing costs, plus revenue with local governments. The
annual state budget hearings for each department like transportation begin on
Monday (11/4).
Lamar
Alexander Reports Senate Approves Funding To Combat Opioid Crisis, Fund
National Parks | Clarksville Online
“This bill also includes over $25 million to fight invasive
species, especially Asian carp, that are aggressively invading Tennessee
waterways and ...
House
Shifting Budget Hearings To Pre-Session Schedule | Daily Memphian
At the direction of new House Speaker Cameron Sexton, the
House Finance, Ways & Means Committee will move its department budget
hearings to a November-December schedule, away from the long practice of
holding them during the regular session. Sexton confirmed the hearings shift
Thursday, noting the 25-member committee will conduct hearings during two weeks
after the governor’s office holds department hearings in November for its
fiscal 2020-21 budget preparation.
Senate Bill Would Cut Funding For Port Program | ASCE
SmartBrief
Funding for the Department of Transportation Maritime
Administration's Port Infrastructure Development Program would be cut from
$292.73 million to $91.6 million if the Senate's approved fiscal 2020
appropriations bill is taken up in the final bill. The bill would also require
deep-draft coastal ports and shallow-draft inland ports to share funds. Maritime Logistics Professional online
Across the State Line
Australian Footbridges To Feature Novel Concrete Mixture
|ASCE SmartBrief
Two footbridges in Geelong, Australia, will be made with
environmentally friendly geopolymer concrete reinforced with glass-fiber and
carbon-fiber rebars. Researchers at Deakin University performed tests on a
9.8-foot-long precast section and determined that despite having a smaller
cross section, the prototype's load-carrying capacity was 20% better than
steel-reinforced concrete. The Economist (tiered subscription model)
Views expressed do not necessarily reflect the policy or opinion of TN Infrastructure Alliance, its staff or members.
