TARDY TEA-21 REAUTHORIZATION NAMED 2003'S TOP CONSTRUCTION STORY BY CWA
January, 2004
(Buffalo Grove, IL) Congress' failure to enact a successor to the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) has been voted the top construction story of 2003 in an annual survey conducted by the Construction Writers Association (CWA).
The primary funding mechanism for the nation's highways and transit systems came within 48 hours of expiring in late September 2003 before Congress passed a five-month extension that keeps federal dollars flowing through February 29, 2004. Nevertheless, the future of surface transportation funding remains uncertain. House and Senate versions of a successor package remain far apart in program amounts, funding mechanisms, and state allocations. Even the new funding bill's name is a point of contention.
Kirk Landers, Editorial Director of Better Roads magazine, expects the logjam may continue well into 2004, requiring further extensions of TEA-21. "The Bush administration opposes fuel tax increases, and has intervened to squash Congressional interest in an aggressive spending program for roads and bridges," Landers says.
The war in Iraq finished a close second in the CWA survey, with respondents citing both the conflict's economic effects and the launch of a multi-billion dollar reconstruction effort. "I can't think of a recent time when our responsibilities as a nation to rebuild infrastructure in a war-torn country have held such prominence in the headlines," noted Norida Torriente, Senior Manager of External Relations for the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Rounding out the top five stories in the CWA survey were: growing interest in sustainable, or "green," design, particularly with the growing number of building owners seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification; the technical and emotional challenges of rebuilding the World Trade Center site; and the remarkable sustained strength of the nation's housing construction market.
Founded in 1958, the Construction Writers Association is the nation's leading professional organization for construction industry journalists and communicators. Members include editors and key staff members from virtually every major industry publication, many of construction's top freelance writers, representatives of key industry trade and professional associations, and those engaged in marketing and public relations for contractors, designers and industry suppliers, and service providers. For more information, contact Sheila Wertz at (847) 398-7756 or visit CWA's website, www.constructionwriters.org .
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