DOCSLIB.ORG

Policies and Guidelines Sustainable Urban Infrastructure

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Policies and Guidelines Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Chicago Department of Transportation Policies and Volume 1 Guidelines MAY 2014 EDITION 2 Sustainable Urban Infrastructure: Policies and Guidelines - Vol 1 August 2014 Chicago Department of Transportation TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Mayor 5 Letter from the Commissioner 7 1.0 INTRODUCTION 4.0 IMPLEMENTATION 1.1 Philosophy 10 4.1 Processes 78 1.2 Document Development 26 4.2 Matrices 80 4.3 Worksheets 90 2.0 PRIORITIES + POLICIES 4.4 Illustrative Scenarios 92 2.1 Sustainable Infrastructure 4.5 Use of this Manual 110 Performance Standards 32 2.2 Environmental Categories, Objectives, Requirements, 5.0 CONCLUSION Organization 34 5.1 Public Process and Professional Contributions 114 W Water Energy EN 5.2 Ongoing Committees 115 mw Materials and Waste ca Climate and Air Quality 5.3 Acknowledgements 116 bc Beauty and Community Task Force Members 117 UE Urban Ecology 5.4 Commissioning CM 5.5 Glossary 120 Photo Credits 122 3.0 METHodoloGY 5.6 3.1 Applying Sustainability to Chicago Streets 70 3.2 Strategies 72 Chicago Department of Transportation August 2014 Sustainable Urban Infrastructure: Policies and Guidelines Vol 1 3 4 Sustainable Urban Infrastructure: Policies and Guidelines - Vol 1 August 2014 Chicago Department of Transportation OFFICE OF THE MAYOR CITY OF CHICAGO 121 N. LaSalle Street • Chicago, Illinois 60602 www.cityofchicago.org • @chicagosmayor Dear Fellow Chicagoans, Bicycling is an integral part of Chicago’s transportation system. Everyday thousands of people bike on our streets, whether it is to ride to work, to the store, or for recreation. As we grow as a city it is imperative that our streets include safe bicycle infrastructure that encouragesOFFICE all residents OF THE - young, MAYOR old and in between – to ride their bike. Bicycling is a reliable, fast, affordable, healthy, and fun form of transportation. Developing this infrastructure will improve the quality of life for all CITY OF CHICAGO Chicagoans and will catalyze economic growth in the neighborhoods throughout our City by improving access to homes and businesses. 121 N. LaSalle Street • Chicago, Illinois 60602 www.cityofchicago.org • @chicagosmayor My vision is to make Chicago the most bike friendly city in the United States. The Streets for Cycling Plan 2020 helps bring thisDear vision Fellow to Chicagoans, reality by identifying a 645-mile network of on-street bikeways that will encourage all Chicagoans to ride their bike.Dear By Fellow 2020, we Chicagoans, will build more protected bike lanes than any other city in the country, redesign intersections to ensure theyWhen are we safer released for bicyclists, Sustainable and Chicago improve 2015 hundreds last year of miles I stated of residentialthat “A sustainable streets for Chicago bicyclists, is a pedestrians,city that spends and less the on people energyBicycling use is with an integraleach passing part of year, Chicago’s creates transportation good-paying system.jobs in up-and-comingEveryday thousands industries, of people responsibly bike on maintainsour streets, and whether that live on them. upgradesit is to ride its toinfrastructure, work, to the and store, ensures or for every recreation. Chicagoan As we has grow the opportunity as a city it isto imperativelive a healthy that and our active streets lifestyle.” include safe bicycle Bestinfrastructure of all, these that improvements encourages doall notresidents just benefit - young, bicyclists. old and Theyin between also benefit – to ride pedestrians their bike. and Bicycling motorists is by a reliable,making ourfast, The “Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Guidelines and Policies” fulfills many of those goals. Our city’s commitment to create streetsaffordable, safer. healthy, They will and be fun safer form to ofwalk transportation. and drive on byDeveloping encouraging this motoristsinfrastructure to drive will theimprove posted the speed quality limit, of andlife forthey all a sustainable city is more fully realized by implementing this document. It will help create a healthier, more beautiful city, willChicagoans be safer because and will pedestrians catalyze economic and motorists growth will in havethe neighborhoods a better knowledge throughout of where our and City when by improvingto expect toaccess see bicyclists. to homes drive the creation of new “green” jobs, and make our infrastructure more resilient. and businesses. I look forward to riding along with the Department of Transportation and the citizens of Chicago as we implement this plan The Chicago Department of Transportation—along with all of those who participated in creating this document—have andMy transformvision is to into make the Chicago most bike-friendly the most bike city friendly in the country. city in the United States. The Streets for Cycling Plan 2020 helps bring helped advance Chicago’s goal of becoming the most sustainable city in the country, and I thank you for your interest, this vision to reality by identifying a 645-mile network of on-street bikeways that will encourage all Chicagoans to ride their Sincerely,support and commitment to our city. Working together, we make Chicago a great place to live, work, and play. bike. By 2020, we will build more protected bike lanes than any other city in the country, redesign intersections to ensure they are safer for bicyclists, and improve hundreds of miles of residential streets for bicyclists, pedestrians, and the people that live on them. Best of all, these improvements do not just benefit bicyclists. They also benefit pedestrians and motorists by making our streets safer. They will be safer to walk and drive on by encouraging motorists to drive the posted speed limit, and they will be safer because pedestrians and motorists will have a better knowledge of where and when to expect to see bicyclists. RahmRahm Eman Emanueluel I look forward to riding along with the Department of Transportation and the citizens of Chicago as we implement this plan MayorMayor and transform into the most bike-friendly city in the country. 5 Sincerely, DRAFT Rahm Emanuel Chicago Department of Transportation August 2014 Sustainable Urban Infrastructure: Policies and Guidelines Vol 1 5 Mayor DRAFT 5 6 Sustainable Urban Infrastructure: Policies and Guidelines - Vol 1 August 2014 Chicago Department of Transportation DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CITY OF CHICAGO 30 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 1100 • Chicago, Illinois 60602 www.chicagodot.org • @ChicagoDOT Dear Friends, Dear Friends, In 2012, Chicago Forward laid out the vision for Chicago’s transportation network. It committed to “Ensure that Chicago continuesMaking our to bestreets a vibrant safer forinternational bicycling willcity, benefit successfully all Chicagoans. competing We in wantthe global all Chicagoans, economy withfrom a an transportation eight year old system just learning thatto rideprovides their bikehigh-quality to an eighty service year to old,residents, to have businesses the opportunity and visitors to ride - anda system feel safe that onoffers our City’sa solid streets. foundation However, for the the only city,way regional we can andaccomplish national thiseconomies, is to build yet bicycle is sensitive infrastructure to its communities that makes and them environment.” feel safer and The more report comfortable. shared concrete, measurable goals to achieving that vision. More specifically, in A More Sustainable City chapter CDOT committed to continueThis plan to wasbe a developedleader in innovating through aand partnership demonstrating between to the the nation Department the value ofand Transportation viability of building and the sustainably. citizens of Chicago. Chicago is a city of neighborhoods and the people that know each neighborhood best are those that bike, walk, and drive The Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Guidelines and Policies encapsulates all of the innovative techniques we have been employingthem on afor daily years basis. and We expands are incredibly to incorporate thankful new to elementsall who shared in our theirwork thoughtsto further andcreate experiences a sustainable on bicycling infrastructure in Chicago forwith our us. residents, businesses and visitors. The purpose of the Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Guidelines was to establish an agency and city-wide approach for integrating environmental performance goals into infrastructure design. It focuses onThe all Streetsaspects forof ourCycling infrastructure Plan 2020 including bikeway water, network energy, connects materials destinations & waste, placemaking, and neighborhoods economics, for commissioning,residents throughout urbanChicago. ecology, When and complete, climate & Chicagoair quality. will These have policies hundreds are fullyof miles aligned of andbarrier integrated and buffer with theprotected complete bike streets lanes, process bike lanes, andneighborhood comprise a progressivegreenways, set and of additional guidelines innovativefor infrastructure treatments and thethat public will create realm. safer The transportationstreets for bicyclists, right-of-way pedestrians is an and essential component for improving environmental conditions as well as mobility and accessibility in Chicago. motorists. This August, 2014 edition of the Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Guidelines and Policies reflects the feedback from a year-longThe plan implementation includes a 645-mile phase network and ensures of bicycle the successful facilities adoption throughout of the all requirementsof Chicago’s neighborhoods.and policies set forth The within overall
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Economic Regulation of Utility Infrastructure
    4 Economic Regulation of Utility Infrastructure Janice A. Beecher ublic infrastructure has characteristics of both public and private goods and earns a separate classification as a toll good. Utilities demonstrate a Pvariety of distinct and interrelated technical, economic, and institutional characteristics that relate to market structure and oversight. Except for the water sector, much of the infrastructure providing essential utility services in the United States is privately owned and operated. Private ownership of utility infrastructure necessitates economic regulation to address market failures and prevent abuse of monopoly power, particularly at the distribution level. The United States can uniquely boast more than 100 years of experience in regulation in the public in- terest through a social compact that balances and protects the interests of inves- tors and ratepayers both. Jurisdiction is shared between independent federal and state commissions that apply established principles through a quasi-judicial pro- cess. The commissions continue to rely primarily on the method known as rate base/rate-of-return regulation, by which regulators review the prudence of in- frastructure investment, along with prices, profits, and performance. Regulatory theory and practice have adapted to emerging technologies and evolving market conditions. States—and nation-states—have become the experimental laborato- ries for structuring, restructuring, and regulating infrastructure industries, and alternative methods have been tried, including price-cap and performance regu- lation in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Aging infrastructure and sizable capital requirements, in the absence of effective competition, argue for a regula- tory role. All forms of regulation, and their implementation, can and should be Review comments from Tim Brennan, Carl Peterson, Ken Costello, David Wagman, and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy are greatly appreciated.
    [Show full text]
  • Improving Road Infrastructure and Traffic Flows IRU Resolution Adopted by the Council of Direction at Its Meeting in Brussels on 18 May 2000
    Improving road infrastructure and traffic flows IRU Resolution adopted by the Council of Direction at its meeting in Brussels on 18 May 2000 The mobility of people and goods is dependent on the efficient use of existing traffic infrastructure, and the modernisation and expansion of traffic infrastructure to meet the future demand for transport services efficiently and cost-effectively. This applies in particular to roads, since road transport accounts for more than 90% of all passenger transport and more than 80% of all goods transport in most countries in terms of passengers and tonnes carried. Impediments to mobility such as traffic restrictions, road blockades, closures of certain road infrastructure sections, or congestion due to bottlenecks in road infrastructure ignore the fact that • road infrastructure investments are a vital prerequisite for improving road safety, (see annex 1) • revenues from the transport of goods by road (fuel taxes, vehicle ownership taxes, road user charges) more than cover expenditure on road building and maintenance, as do revenues from the transport by bus and coach (see annex 2) • congested traffic leads to a significant increase of fuel consumption by a factor of up to 3, (see annex 3) • on average, only 0.5% of total land surface in most countries is used for road infrastructure, (see annex 4) • the economic benefits of road infrastructure investments are 29 times its investment costs, and thus the highest of all infrastructure sectors, including other transport modes, (see annex 5) • the economic cost of impediments to road transport (congestion, border delays, traffic bans, blockades etc.) amounts to 0.5% of GDP, i.e.
    [Show full text]
  • Environmental Product Declaration in Accordance with ISO 14025 and EN 15804:2012+A1:2013 For
    Environmental Product Declaration In accordance with ISO 14025 and EN 15804:2012+A1:2013 for: Under Ballast Mat, type UBM-H35-C from Programme: The International EPD® System, www.environdec.com Programme operator: EPD International AB EPD registration number: S-P-02061 Publication date: 2021-02-08 Valid until: 2026-02-08 An EPD should provide current information and may be updated if conditions change. The stated validity is therefore subject to the continued registration and publication at www.environdec.com PAGE 1/13 General information Programme information Programme: The International EPD® System EPD International AB Box 210 60 Address: SE-100 31 Stockholm Sweden Website: www.environdec.com E-mail: info@environdec.com CEN standard EN 15804 serves as the Core Product Category Rules (PCR) Product category rules (PCR): Product Category Rules for construction products and construction services of 2012:01, version 2.33 valid: 2021-12-31 PCR review was conducted by: Technical Committee of the International EPD® System, A full list of members available on www.environdec.com. The review panel may be contacted via info@environdec.com. Independent third-party verification of the declaration and data, according to ISO 14025:2006: ☐ EPD process certification ☒ EPD verification Third party verifier: Damien Prunel from Bureau Veritas LCIE Approved by: The International EPD® System Procedure for follow-up of data during EPD validity involves third party verifier: ☐ Yes ☒ No The EPD owner has the sole ownership, liability, and responsibility for the EPD. EPDs within the same product category but from different programmes may not be comparable. EPDs of construction products may not be comparable if they do not comply with EN 15804.
    [Show full text]
  • Road Transport Infrastructure
    © IEA ETSAP - Technology Brief T14 – August 2011 - www.etsap.org Road Transport Infrastructure HIGHLIGHTS TECHNOLOGY STATUS - Road transport infrastructure enables movements of people and goods within and between countries. It is also a sector within the construction industry that has demonstrated significant developments over time and ongoing growth, particularly in the emerging economies. This brief highlights the different impacts of the road transport infrastructure, including those from construction, maintenance and operation (use). The operation (use) phase of a road transport infrastructure has the most significance in terms of environmental and economic impact. While the focus in this phase is usually on the dominant role of tail-pipe GHG emissions from vehicles, the operation of the physical infrastructure should also accounted for. In total, the road transport infrastructure is thought to account for between 8% and 18% of the full life cycle energy requirements and GHG emissions from road transport. PERFORMANCE AND COSTS - Energy consumption, GHG emissions and costs of road transport infrastructure fall broadly into the three phases: (i) construction, (ii) maintenance, and (iii) operation (decommissioning is not included in this brief). The construction and maintenance costs of a road transport infrastructure vary according to location and availability of raw materials (in general, signage and lighting systems are not included in the construction costs). GHG emissions resulting from road construction have been estimated to be between 0.37 and 1.07 ktCO2/km for a 13m wide road – depending on construction methods. Maintenance over the road lifetime (typically 40 years) can also be significant in terms of costs, energy consumption and GHG emissions.
    [Show full text]
  • Infrastructure Failure I. Introduction Two Broad Areas of Concern
    Infrastructure Failure I. Introduction Two broad areas of concern regarding infrastructure failure include: • Episodic failure: temporary loss of power, technology associated with maintenance of the babies may fail, or some other temporary issue may occur. • Catastrophic failure: significant damage to hospital infrastructure or anticipated prolonged outage of critical systems may trigger a decision to perform a hospital evacuation. Preplanning requires recognition of potential threats or hazards and then development of management strategies to locate the resources and support patient needs. • In disasters, departmental leaders need to develop an operational chart to plan for a minimum of 96 hours for staff needs, as well as patient care needs and supplies that may be depleted as supplies are moved with the patients. In the event that supplies or equipment cannot be replenished, staff may need to improvise. It is important that staff become familiar with non-traditional methodologies to assist equipment-dependent emergencies for neonatal patients. • The first task in dealing with infrastructure emergencies is to complete a pre-disaster assessment of critical infrastructure (see Appendix A). A key consideration in deciding whether to issue a pre-event evacuation order is to assess vulnerabilities and determine anticipated impact of the emergency on the hospital and its surrounding community. II. Critical Infrastructure Self-Assessment Worksheet A Pre-Disaster Assessment of Critical Infrastructure Worksheet (Appendix A) is divided into eight sections: municipal water, steam, electricity, natural gas, boilers/chillers, powered life support equipment, information technology, telecommunications, and security. The Worksheet can be used in conjunction with the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP), which is a management guide for protecting critical infrastructure and key resources.
    [Show full text]
  • Healthy Benefits of Green Infrastructure in Communities
    Healthy Benefits of Green Infrastructure in Communities What is Green Infrastructure? to the natural environment, reduces discharges associated with exposure to harmful substances pollutant loading, flooding, When rain falls on our roofs, and conditions, provides combined sewer overflow (CSO) streets, and parking lots, the water opportunity for recreation and events, and erosion. cannot soak into the ground as it physical activity, improves safety, should. If not managed well, it can Reducing these stormwater-related promotes community identity and a lead to flooding, sewer overflows, impacts also reduces a person’s sense of well-being, and provides and water pollution. Unlike exposure to water pollution and economic benefits at both the conventional gray infrastructure, flooding-related health hazards and community and household level. which uses pipes, storm drains, their associated health outcomes, and treatment facilities to manage These benefits are all known to such as waterborne illness, stormwater, green infrastructure directly or indirectly benefit public respiratory disease and asthma uses vegetation, soils, and other health. The degree to which the associated with mold and bacteria, natural landscape features to environmental, social, economic, vector-borne disease, stress, manage wet weather impacts, and public health benefits of green injury, and death. Trees, bushes, reduce and treat stormwater at its infrastructure are realized is and greenery have the ability to source, and create sustainable and dependent on a number of factors, absorb air pollutants and trap healthy communities. including the design, installation, airborne particulates on their and maintenance of the green leaves, reduce surface and air Green infrastructure can include infrastructure features. temperatures through shading and features such as rain gardens, evapotranspiration, and provide a bioswales, planter boxes and physical barrier to traffic and street planting strips, urban tree The City of Philadelphia Triple [5] noise pollution.
    [Show full text]
  • Data for the Public Good
    Data for the public good NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE COMMISSION National Infrastructure Commission report | Data for the public good Foreword Advances in technology have always transformed our lives and indeed whole industries such as banking and retail. In the same way, sensors, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning can transform the way we use and manage our national infrastructure. Government could spend less, whilst delivering benefits to the consumer: lower bills, improved travel times, and reduced disruption from congestion or maintenance work. The more information we have about the nation’s infrastructure, the better we can understand it. Therefore, data is crucial. Data can improve how our infrastructure is built, managed, and eventually decommissioned, and real-time data can inform how our infrastructure is operated on a second-to-second basis. However, collecting data alone will not improve the nation’s infrastructure. The key is to collect high quality data and use it effectively. One path is to set standards for the format of data, enabling high quality data to be easily shared and understood; much that we take for granted today is only possible because of agreed standards, such as bar codes on merchandise which have enabled the automation of checkout systems. Sharing data can catalyse innovation and improve services. Transport for London (TfL) has made information on London’s transport network available to the public, paving the way for the development of apps like Citymapper, which helps people get about the city safely and expediently. But it is important that when information on national infrastructure is shared, this happens with the appropriate security and privacy arrangements.
    [Show full text]
  • Transportation Infrastructure, Productivity, and Externalities
    Transportation Infrastructure, Productivity, and Externalities Charles R. Hulten University of Maryland and National Bureau of Economic Research August, 2004 Revised February, 2005 ABSTRACT This paper summarizes the results of three studies linking investment in highway infrastructure to productivity growth in the manufacturing sector of the U.S., Spanish, and Indian economies. The goal of this research is (1) to trace the overall impact of highway investment on the growth of this strategic sector, (2) to examine the interregional effects of such investments, with particular attention to the issue of whether highway investment encourages regional convergence and relocation of economic activity, and (3) to assess the extent of the spillover externalities on manufacturing industry associated with such investments. This last issue is of particular importance for infrastructure policy, since spillover externalities tend to go uncounted in formal project investment analyses, leading to the possibility of under-investment. The comparative study of three countries at different stages of economic development using virtually the same model allows a fourth issue to be examined: the possibility that the effects of infrastructure investment differ according to the level of development and the extent to which existing infrastructure networks have already been built up. These issues are first framed in the larger context of the literature on infrastructure and productivity. Paper prepared for the 132nd Round Table of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport, at the Joint OECD/EMCT Transport Research Center, Paris, France, December 2 and 3, 2004. 1. Transportation Infrastructure and Productivity: Historical Background The idea that transportation infrastructure is a type of capital investment distinct from other forms of capital is an accepted part of the fields of economic development, location theory, urban and regional economics, and, of course, transport economics.
    [Show full text]
  • A Practical Guide to Implementing Integrated Water Resources Management and the Role for Green Infrastructure”, J
    A Practical Guide to Implementing Integrated Water Resources Management & the Role of Green Infrastructure Prepared for: Prepared for: Funded by: Prepared by: May 2016 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc. (ECT), wishes to extend our sincere appreciation to the individuals whose work and contributions made this project possible. First of all, thanks are due to the Great Lakes Protection Fund for funding this project. At Great Lakes Commission, thanks are due to John Jackson for project oversight and valuable guidance, and to Victoria Pebbles for administrative guidance. At ECT, thanks are due to Sanjiv Sinha, Ph.D., for numerous suggestions that helped improve this report. Many other experts also contributed their time, efforts, and talent toward the preparation of this report. The project team acknowledges the contributions of each of the following, and thanks them for their efforts: Bill Christiansen, Alliance for Water Efficiency James Etienne, Grand River Conservation Christine Zimmer, Credit Valley Conservation Authority Authority Cassie Corrigan, Credit Valley Conservation Melissa Soline, Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Authority Cities Initiative Wayne Galliher, City of Guelph Clifford Maynes, Green Communities Canada Steve Gombos, Region of Waterloo Connie Sims – Office of Oakland County Water Julia Parzens, Urban Sustainability Directors Resources Commissioner Network Dendra Best, Wastewater Education For purposes of citation of this report, please use the following: “A Practical Guide to Implementing
    [Show full text]
  • The City Accelerator Guide to Urban Infrastructure Finance by Jennifer Mayer Concept Jeneration, LLC
    Resilience, Equity and Innovation The City Accelerator Guide to Urban Infrastructure Finance by Jennifer Mayer Concept Jeneration, LLC A special project of Proudly supported by Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary p. 1 2 Background: Fundamentals of p. 7 Infrastructure Capital Finance 3 Bringing Resilience into the p. 11 Capital Planning Process 4 Addressing Equity in the p. 21 Capital Planning Process 5 The Financial Strategy Framework p. 27 Framing: Building the Project Vision, p. 32 Exploring: Identifying Diverse Revenue and Funding Sources, p. 42 Exploring: Identifying Financial Tools, p. 54 Exploring: Considering Alternative Delivery Models, p. 60 Screening: Finding the Right Tools for the Job, p. 72 Implementation: Putting the Strategy into Practice, p. 76 6 The Way Forward: Reaching into p. 79 the Future with Equitable and Resilient Finance Tools 7 Appendices p. 85 1 Executive Summary Capital financing has always involved a kind of time travel. Resilient and equitable financial strategies simply reach into the future in a different way. 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Every week seems to bring another report high- lighting the crumbling state of America’s infrastruc- ture, from lead poisonings in Flint, to levee breaches in Houston, and deteriorating transit systems in Washington, DC and New York. City governments seeking to finance infrastruc- COHORT CITY ture projects face a legacy of past underinvestment, PITTSBURGH which can make improvements or rehabilitation more expensive. They also experience outdated mindsets and siloed and informal project development processes that can increase the challenges involved in solving finan- cial gaps. And if that isn’t enough—cities are also confronted with the need to strengthen infrastructure against extreme weather and sea level rise.
    [Show full text]
  • Critical Utility Infrastructures: the U.S. Experience
    CriticalCritical UtilityUtility Infrastructures:Infrastructures: TheThe U.S.U.S. ExperienceExperience Robert M. Clayton III Commissioner, Missouri Public Service Commission Chairman, NARUC Committee on International Relations EU-US Energy Regulators Roundtable December 5-6, 2007 Athens, Greece OverviewOverview I. WhatWhat isis “Critical“Critical Infrastructure?”Infrastructure?” II. ExamplesExamples ofof CriticalCritical InfrastructureInfrastructure andand disasterdisaster preparationpreparation fromfrom thethe UnitedUnited StatesStates III. CriticalCritical InfrastructureInfrastructure inin thethe 2121st CenturyCentury 2 I.I. WhatWhat IsIs CriticalCritical Infrastructure?Infrastructure? A. ElectricityElectricity B. NaturalNatural GasGas C. TelecommunicationsTelecommunications D. EconomicEconomic FunctionFunction E. PoliticalPolitical GoalsGoals 3 A.A. WhatWhat IsIs Critical?Critical? ElectricityElectricity When there is an outage, the productivity losses to commercial and industrial customers can be tremendous, ranging from thousands to millions of dollars for a single event. The cost to manufacturing facilities can be even higher. More and more commercial and industrial customers are purchasing or renting generators to provide backup power in case their electric service is interrupted. Today, even voltage dips that last less than 100 milliseconds can have the same effect on industrial process as an outage that lasts several minutes or more. ⇒ High Quality electricity deliverydelivery is a critical need, and the infrastructure needed
    [Show full text]
  • Roads Are Often Crowded, Frequently in Poor Condition, Chronically Underfunded, and Are Becoming More Dangerous
    OVERVIEW America’s roads are often crowded, frequently in poor condition, chronically underfunded, and are becoming more dangerous. More than two out of every five miles of America’s urban interstates are congested and traffic delays cost the country $160 billion in wasted time and fuel in 2014. One out of every five miles of highway pavement is in poor condition and our roads have a significant and increasing backlog of rehabilitation needs. After years of decline, traffic fatalities increased by 7% from 2014 to 2015, with 35,092 people dying on America’s roads. CAPACITY & CONDITION With over four million miles of roads crisscrossing the United States, from 15 lane interstates to residential streets, roads are among the most visible and familiar forms of infrastructure. In 2016 alone, U.S. roads carried people and goods over 3.2 trillion miles—or more than 300 round trips between Earth and Pluto. After a slight dip during the 2008 recession, Americans are driving more and vehicle miles travelled hit a record high in 2016. With more traffic on the roads, it is no surprise that America’s congestion problem is getting worse, but adding additional lanes or new roads to the highway system will not solve congestion on its own. More than two out of every five miles of the nation’s urban interstates are congested. Of the country’s 100 largest metro areas, all but five saw increased traffic congestion from 2013 to 2014. In 2014, Americans spent 6.9 billion hours delayed in traffic—42 hours per driver. All of that sitting in traffic wasted 3.1 billion gallons of fuel.
    [Show full text]