LiDAR technology is now in high demand for governments

Light Detection and Ranging technology (LiDAR) delivers critical data to protect the health of our ecosystems, and government officials use it extensively. This particular type of technology is not well known to everyone, but the benefits it provides make it worthy of note. Simply put, LIDAR provides a unique way to check for natural hazards […]

Bridge projects continue to dominate the country’s focus on infrastructure reform

Congress continues to allocate billions to a long-overdue effort to make the country’s bridges safer. About 50,000 bridges in America recently were deemed structurally unsound, and weather-related events are taking a huge toll on bridge structures. Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $5 billion in awards for 13 large bridge projects. Many of […]

Government officials will soon launch hundreds of disaster mitigation projects

Unexpected disasters of every type are extremely costly. It might be surprising to realize that earthquakes in the U.S. cost about $15 billion annually in economic losses. While earthquakes are less common, there have been 28 earthquakes reaching a magnitude of 6 or greater in the past decade. Most of the risk is concentrated on […]

Universities nationwide are investing in campus upgrades

Universities throughout the country are investing significant capital in existing campus facilities. National statistics show these types of initiatives are increasing significantly. The state of Texas is an excellent example of this emerging trend. A report by the Texas Higher Education Board indicates that 923 capital expenditure projects are planned for the Texas university system […]

Funding released to support hundreds of new climate resilience projects

Earlier this month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced $1 billion for 656 new climate resiliency projects. The capital was awarded to support projects that address infrastructure risks and prepare for future natural disasters, including flooding, drought, earthquakes and extreme heat. Approximately $395 million will be invested in 28 flood-control projects designed to eliminate […]

Projects to build, renovate courthouses, municipal buildings take center stage again

Courthouses and other municipal buildings are being renovated and upgraded throughout the U.S. That’s because funding for them continues to be available, and that is good news. But even better is the fact that many upcoming projects carry projected costs representing hundreds of millions in contracting opportunities. While the federal government supports local municipal and […]

Bridge, multi-modal transportation projects among those receiving $1.8 billion in federal funds

The most notable recent news in American infrastructure broke last week when the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $1.8 billion in new funding for 148 infrastructure projects. My previous column covered many of the projects already selected for that funding. Today’s column focuses on more projects chosen for this new funding. The upcoming projects described in today’s […]