In This Issue

	Former GDOT Chief Wayne Shackelford Dies
	Workers Retire, Seize State Incentive
	Business Groups Slam Tax Boosts
	Things Fall Apart as NYC Skimps on Infrastructure
	TxDOT Starts Toll Road Amnesty
	Hawaii Transit Could Cost Millions Less
	Fuel Tax Returns in Alaska
	Louisiana Legislators Look at Road Funding Options

Former GDOT Chief Wayne Shackelford Dies

Georgia’s former transportation commissioner Wayne Shackelford, who led the department through an explosive development era, died Tuesday afternoon at the age of 75. Shackelford also made major contributions to lay road and water infrastructure in Gwinnett County, helping boost the area into a thriving suburb.

Working under then-Gov. Zell Miller, Shackelford served as Georgia DOT head from 1991 to 2000. During that time, Georgia’s population increased by 1.5 million residents, and Shackelford oversaw key projects to help move those people around. Notable projects include HOV lanes for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, the opening of Ga. 400’s leg inside the Perimeter, and boosting the DOT’s three-year list of approved projects from $2.6 billion to $5.1 billion.

“It would be hard to measure the impact Wayne Shackelford’s had on the state of Georgia,” said Brian Allen, transportation director of Gwinnett County, who called Shackelford a “personal mentor.” “Certainly we knew him in Gwinnett County, but he’s always had the big picture in view,” Allen said. “We owe a debt of gratitude to him that we’ll never be able to repay.”

Wayne was the President of AASHTO some ten or twelve years ago. He was then, and will be remembered as one of the most respected leaders in our industry. If you didn’t know Wayne, you missed an incredible opportunity to associate with one of the finest people you would ever know. TW

Workers Retire, Seize State Incentive

AUGUSTA – Over 300 state employees in Maine took advantage of a $10,000 incentive to retire early, which is expected to shave several million from the state budget by removing some of the most expensive workers from the payroll. State officials predicted only 200 retirements, which would have saved $5.3 million from the two-year, $5.8 billion budget.

The program differed from early retirement programs since the bonus was only offered to workers already eligible to retire in terms of age and service. The retirements spread across 25 state agencies, with the Department of Health and Human Services losing the most – 92 out of 3,699 authorized positions, and the transportation department losing the second most – 53 out of 156 authorized positions.

The positions were supposed to stay vacant as part of the two-year budget, but some positions will have to be filled. The strong response provoked by the program, combined with few young workers pursuing state government careers, should be a “wakeup call” for legislators and the public, said Tim Belcher, executive director of the Maine State Employees Association. “Obviously, it’s going to have a significant impact to lose all that knowledge,” he said.

Business Groups Slam Tax Boosts

Almost three dozen business groups have joined in opposition to plans for overhauling the state’s tax system, which they say will raise business expenses and cut jobs. The business net receipts tax is among several proposals under consideration by a state commission. Proposals to raise taxes on commercial properties and fuel are also on the table.

Led by the California Chamber of Commerce, the coalition of 34 business groups sent a letter on Aug. 21 to Gerald Parsky, chairman of the Commission on the 21st Century Economy, asking to avoid the commercial property and fuel tax hikes, and reconsider a new tax on business revenue.

The coalition includes numerous trade groups that represent industries doing business throughout the state. The commission is drafting a list of tax reform proposals to send to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature this month. Schwarzenegger has said he will call the Legislature in for a special session to consider the proposals.

Things Fall Apart as NYC Skimps on Infrastructure

New York – The August 16 ceiling collapse in the 181st Street subway station on New York’s 1 line occurred at 10:30 p.m. and caused no injuries, but severely damaged a train in the station. The near-tragedy affected 75,000 people who use the stations directly affected above the collapse. The Metropolitan Transit Authority was able to restore service to the station Sept. 1, after running shuttle buses during the repairs. Thirty buses are needed to replace one subway train, however, and during peak travel times, 10 to 12 trains are scheduled each hour.

The 181st St. station had a similar collapse in 2007, and the M.T.A. said it will inspect the 168th St. station, which has similar construction and was also built in the 1930’s. A report by the New York City Transit Riders Council, a state-funded group representing the interests of riders stated that fewer than 25 percent of New York’s subway stations are in acceptable condition. Most stations in central Manhattan are in “acceptable” condition, but outside this limited area, conditions go downhill quickly, such as the 181st St. station.

No alternative exists to New York’s subway system, which daily carries more than 1 million people in the densely populated region.

I just spent the day on a project where a 62” sewer line adjacent to the work is falling apart. The contractor couldn’t even do a camera assessment since enough ceiling masonry has fallen down to the invert to make it impossible for the camera to traverse the system. It’s too dangerous for a physical inspection. This section will probably need replaced but where do you stop, since the whole thing is bad? These types of problems should be a wakeup call to everyone about the crumbling state of our infrastructure. TW

TxDOT Starts Toll Road Amnesty

This week Texas kicked off a program to give toll violators a break. The Texas Department of Transportation is giving violators 90 days, beginning Aug. 31, to pay overdue tolls and 10 percent of accrued fees. If outstanding toll accounts are paid in full by the end of the amnesty period, Nov. 31, 90 percent of late fees will be dropped.

One condition of TxDOT’s “toll violation recovery program” is that drivers who take advantage of the program must open a TxTag account and keep it in good standing for 12 months. The program’s goal is to collect the $3 million owed for tolls on Loop 1, State Highway 45-North and State Highway 130. An additional $58.4 million in late fees has also accumulated.

Any of the 140,000 drivers who do not pay their fines during the amnesty period will be subject to court filings, according to TxDOT.

Hawaii Transit Could Cost Millions Less

Bids are coming in lower than expected on phase one for Honolulu’s $5.28 billion transit line. Industry experts say this happening all over the nation since recession has driven construction costs down by about 20%.

“We have the potential to save millions of dollars,” said Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, expressing optimism over bids remarkably lower than the city’s $550 million to $600 million estimate. “We could expect total project cost to be several hundred million dollars below budget when you look at total cost of the whole project,” Hannemann said.

Phase one stretches 6.2 miles from Kapolei to Pearl City Highlands, and includes design and construction of track installation and the guideway viaduct. State procurement laws do not allow bid amounts or the number of bids to be revealed until the final contract is awarded, most likely in October.

Fuel Tax Returns in Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The yearlong gas tax suspension in Alaska to help residents cope with high energy costs came to an end this week. On Tuesday, drivers began paying 8 cents more per gallon of gasoline.

“The suspension did what it was supposed to do, which was to keep the state from adding more to the cost of those fuels,” said Pat Galvin, commissioner of the Department of Revenue, adding that an extra $41 million will be raised with the tax being reinstated. “Right now, oil prices are above what we had forecasted back in the spring, which means that we’re going to be bringing in more money from the oil revenue than what the budget was based upon.”

Gov. Sean Parnell said the state does not need the additional revenue as badly as drivers need relief from the gas tax in the poor economic situation. The Senate Finance Committee is looking at a bill to extend the tax suspension.

Louisiana Legislators Look at Road Funding Options

Tying the fuel tax to inflation may be the best way to boost funding for road and bridge maintenance according to a Louisiana lawmaker. Rep. Hollis Downs, R-Ruston, who chairs a group to find money to pay for road projects told fellow lawmakers that increasing the state’s 20-cent fuel tax might be the best option.

The study group, made up of four legislative panels, is also looking at toll roads and public-private partnerships in their quest to find funding for needed transportation work. The state tax on gasoline and diesel purchases has not changed in 25 years, and 16 cents of the 20-cent tax is earmarked for the state’s general highway construction and maintenance programs. The remainder goes toward a special highway and bridge program.

Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary William Anker told lawmakers that his agency does not get enough from the $30 million in total annual gas tax revenue to pay for a $1.25 billion backlog of road and bridge projects. Anker said the 16-cent portion of the fuel tax is only worth about half as much as when the rate was implemented a quarter of a century ago.

The legislative group will discuss options until the end of the year, and the state Legislature will look at the findings in the session beginning in March 2010.