AISI Says Highway Funding Needed Now
05/19/2014 - The week of 12 May 2014 was designated "Infrastructure Week 2014," an initiative highlighting America’s infrastructure challenges and underscoring the importance of increased infrastructure investment in building a more competitive economy, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) announced.
In response to President Obama speaking on infrastructure on 14 May at the Tappan Zee bridge, AISI reiterated its support for improving America’s highways, roads, bridges and waterways and ensuring the use of American steel in our infrastructure system:
“The steel industry has long advocated for an increase in surface and water infrastructure funding. While we are glad President Obama today highlighted the need to repair our nation’s crumbling infrastructure system, we remain concerned about the lack of a sustainable funding mechanism for these projects, especially as the Highway Trust Fund is expected to become insolvent in the coming months," said Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO of AISI.
“The success of the steel industry relies heavily on U.S. infrastructure as we both supply materials for steel-intensive projects, and require efficient surface and water transportation to move raw materials and ensure just-in-time deliveries. We urge Congress to pass a well-funded, long-term transportation bill of at least five or six years - without increasing the tax burden on our industry - to create jobs promote a robust manufacturing sector, and ensure our nation remains internationally competitive," Gibson concluded.
As part of Infrastructure Week, AISI and the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) hosted a webinar on 13 May to demonstrate cost-effective, accelerated design steel solutions to help repair our nation’s structurally deficient bridges. The webinar included a tutorial on eSPAN140, a free, web-based design tool that launched in 2012 and provides standardized designs for bridges that span 140 feet or less.
“The steel industry has long advocated for an increase in surface and water infrastructure funding. While we are glad President Obama today highlighted the need to repair our nation’s crumbling infrastructure system, we remain concerned about the lack of a sustainable funding mechanism for these projects, especially as the Highway Trust Fund is expected to become insolvent in the coming months," said Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO of AISI.
“The success of the steel industry relies heavily on U.S. infrastructure as we both supply materials for steel-intensive projects, and require efficient surface and water transportation to move raw materials and ensure just-in-time deliveries. We urge Congress to pass a well-funded, long-term transportation bill of at least five or six years - without increasing the tax burden on our industry - to create jobs promote a robust manufacturing sector, and ensure our nation remains internationally competitive," Gibson concluded.
As part of Infrastructure Week, AISI and the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) hosted a webinar on 13 May to demonstrate cost-effective, accelerated design steel solutions to help repair our nation’s structurally deficient bridges. The webinar included a tutorial on eSPAN140, a free, web-based design tool that launched in 2012 and provides standardized designs for bridges that span 140 feet or less.
