HURRICANE KATRINA RECOVERY VOTED TOP CONSTRUCTION STORY FOR 2005
January, 2006
(BUFFALO GROVE, IL) The staggering challenge of rebuilding lives and infrastructure devastated by Hurricane Katrina has been voted the top construction story of 2005 in the annual survey conducted by the Construction Writers Association (CWA).
One of the worst storms to strike the continental U.S., Katrina carved a path of death and destruction through the Gulf Coast region. Along with piercing New Orleans' system of protective levees and leaving thousand of people homeless, Katrina crippled the region's network of highways, bridges, port facilities, and water and sewage treatment systems.
The CWA survey respondents believe that the only certainty about the region's recovery is that it will be a long, costly process.
"Katrina's impact on the construction industry is obvious," says Ed Hannan of the Zweig A/E Marketing Letter. "Having to rebuild a city the size of New Orleans will require many people to pull together quickly. But the scope of work involved is greater than anything we've seen since 9-11."
Beth Margulies of the National Electrical Contractors Association adds that, "The story vividly demonstrated the importance of effective emergency response and the fact that our national infrastructure is overburdened and overdue for significant investment."
Finishing second in the CWA survey was the controversial federal transportation appropriations bill, known as the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). Despite pouring billions of dollars into state transportation budgets, the bill drew sharp criticism for what many saw as Congressional excess, particularly for earmarked projects such as Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere."
"It really wasn't much of a bill," observes Kirk Landers, editor of Better Roads magazine. "It's long overdue, grossly inadequate in terms of meeting U.S. needs, and grossly overburdened with pork barrel projects. But at least it gives states a secure source of long term funds so they can take on major projects again."
Rounding out the top 5 stories in the CWA survey were the continuing shortages and high costs of construction materials, the rebuilding of Iraq's public infrastructure, and the growing application of sustainable design technologies.
The Construction Writers Association, founded in 1958, is a non-profit, non-partisan, international organization for journalists, writers, editors, photographers, publicists, and marketing communications professionals serving the information needs of the construction industry. In addition to its journalism, photography, marketing communications and website awards programs, CWA provides educational opportunities for its members. By providing opportunities for networking, education, recognition, and fellowship, CWA helps foster a strong community-and improve the quality of construction writing.
For information:
Deborah J. Hodges
Executive Director
P.O. Box 14784
Chicago, Illinois 60614
Telephone 773 687-8726
Fax 773 687-8627
info@constructionwriters.org