High-speed rail has been a highly anticipated mode of transportation in America for more than 40 years. Interest in it first originated after the High-Speed Ground Transportation Act of 1965 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. However, to date, this transportation option has not gained traction in America as it did in Europe and Asia.

Mass transit participation is at an all-time high as users seek cheaper and more environmentally friendly mobility options. High-speed rail is a natural solution and some public officials believe the timing may finally be right.

Strategic Partnerships, Inc. provides opportunity

identification for all 50 states.

Click here for more information.

Commission approves record capital spending for number one container port

The largest capital expenditure in the history of the Port of Los Angeles has been authorized for its capital improvement program from the Los Angeles Harbor Commission's $1.1 billion budget for FY 2013-14. The Harbor Commission will spend $400 million on the program, which is part of $1.3 billion set aside for projects at the port over the next five years.

"Developing and maintaining a world-class infrastructure is, and continues to be, the overarching strategic priority for the Port of Los Angeles," said Harbor Commission president, Cindy Miscikowski (pictured). The Commission president said capital improvements and improved efficiency are necessary to maximize cargo flow and to maintain the port's number one container port status.

Of the funding set aside, more than $380 million will be used for upgrades to the container terminal and for transportation upgrades, including more than $99 million at the TraPac container terminal. Work there will support future automation at the terminal as well as building a facility that will provide on-dock rail capabilities. Another $41.5 million is slated for redevelopment of the China Shipping Terminal.

Another $96 million will be used for installation of onshore power at major terminals. Another $78 million will go toward finishing the construction of the Berth 200 rail yard. Providing an unimpeded grade-separated vehicle access to businesses along the Wilmington Waterfront will be allocated $33.2 million.

Innovative financing concept should cut down on time for replacement

Thanks to the federal government, the I-5 bridge over the Skagit River in Washingotn State that collapsed last month is about to be repaired. The U.S. Department of Transportation will release the final $15.6 million of its share for the repair of the bridge. The total cost of the project is $17.8 million. The state will make up the difference.

Plans are to have the bridge repairs completed by Oct. 1, according to Victor Menendez (pictured), head of the Federal Highway Administration. Two temporary spans are expected to be in place by June 20.

A new concept is expected to be used to repair the bridge, one that will cut significantly the time it take for repairs. Menendez said a design-build concept allows the designer of the bridge to oversee construction as well. This type concept is designed to eliminate having to solicit bids from contractors.

Part of the bridge collapsed in late May near Mount Vernon when a semi-truck hit the steel supports on the bridge. It is the state's only north-south interstate that carries some 71,000 vehicles per day.

Illinois school district to move funds for renovations
Illinois' Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 will have a number of capital improvement projects paid for from its reserves, following action of the board of education. The district will use $6.1 million from the operations and maintenance fund to make renovations at Palatine High School. Some of those renovations include the school kitchen, guidance and main office areas. Conant High School's pool will also undergo $2 million in renovations. The following school year, school officials hope to spend $9.6 million more from the fund for two more pool renovations, to update auditorium lighting and sound systems at two schools and to remodel the Conant front office.

Kansas school district passes bond for new high school, security upgrades
Officials at the Olathe School District in Kansas are planning for the construction of a fifth high school after voters recently approved a $244.9 million bond package. In addition, funding from the bond sale will also be used for security enhancements at all schools in the district. Superintendent Marlin Berry (pictured) said the district plans to buy 80 acres and begin work on designing a $114.4 million high school. Because of an increase in the student population, officials say a new school will be necessary by the time current elementary students reach high school age. "We have more kids in our bottom four grades than in our top four," Berry said. "We added 729 kids just this year." School officials are also gearing up for planning efforts involving a 36th elementary school, with the 35th ready to open in August of next year. In addition to upgrades to security at all schools that include more secure entry areas, schools will also have more indoor and outdoor cameras installed, along with keyless entries for first responders.

North Carolina bond may OK schools, but school sites not easy to find

School officials in North Carolina say they would like to build 16 new schools as part of the fall bond election and have 20 more in mind for a future bond vote. However, 19 of those proposed schools have no sites available for them yet. School campuses require such large tracts of land that it makes finding a site even more difficult. School officials are hopeful the Wake County Board of Commissioners will put an $810 million bond issue before voters in October to fund most of the more than $980 million building program. Officials will recommend that seven schools be built in Raleigh, seven in western Wake and two in Garner. Because of lack of available property, Wake has locations only for about nine of the 20 schools it wants to build with a possible 2016 bond. That could mean building smaller schools.

Detroit preparing to privatize residential trash collection
Looking to save up to $15 million per year, the city of Detroit is preparing to privatize its residential trash collection, according to Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr (pictured). The cash-strapped city is nearing bankruptcy and privatization may be the answer to some of its woes. The city announced last week that it is defaulting on about $2.5 billion in unsecured debt and is asking creditors to take about 10 cents on the dollar for what the city owes them. The city is trying to avoid bankruptcy. Private companies will respond to requests for proposals (RFPs) that will be issued for trash collection. The city has reduced its bulk pickup to save money, and it is expected that a private company would be asked to increase the frequency of bulk pickup. The city currently spends about $50 million a year on residential trash collection. Two waste collection companies already have told Detroit officials they cannot only continue trash collection, but also include more frequent bulk pickup for about $15 million per less than it currently costs the city. While there is some concern about trash pickup employees losing their jobs if the service is privatized, city officials say those employees would likely be offered jobs with the new service, but there was no information about what their salaries and benefits might be.

Bids being sought for dredging in New York, New Jersey Harbor
Bid opening for dredging of the New York Harbor, New Jersey Harbor and adjacent channels is expected to be scheduled for July 29 after an invitation for bids (IFB) is released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Bids will be sought for deepening of the Federal Navigation Channel System to a depth of 52 feet, 50 feet and 47 feet in different locations in the two ports. The project also includes placement of non-rock materials in addition to dredging. The cost of the project is expected to be between $45 million and $55 million.

Florida can proceed with prison health care outsourcing
Florida's plan to outsource prison health care services has been given the OK by a Florida appeals court. The appeals court ruled that the lower court judge should not have blocked plans for outsourcing health care in three of Florida's four prison system regions. The privatization efforts will thus continue after the new state budget goes into effect on July 1, according to Florida Department of Corrections officials. Last year's efforts to outsource the prison health care was challenged by union representing state employees who might lose their jobs if the services are outsourced. The judge who ruled initially took the unions' side because the plan was approved by a budget panel and not the state legislature.

Orlando could spend $1.2 billion on city's international airport
Changes could be on the way for the Orlando International Airport if the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority has its way. The Authority is hoping to spend $1.2 billion over the next five years for new projects and renovations (see accompanying artist's rendering) at the facility. Included in the projects would be $470 million for expansion of the airport's people mover system and a 3,500-space parking garage, $114 million for upgrades to Airside 4 to improve international traffic flow, $90 million for upgrades to the people mover system; $18 million for a new cell phone waiting lot and $120 million toward a planned $2.1 billion south terminal.  The plan includes a new fee package for the 24 airlines represented at the facility. The current five-year agreement ends on Sept. 30 and talks have not been successful. Most of the airlines object to the $2.1 billion south terminal plans, with designs expect in 2017 and construction to start in 2018. The new terminal would take about four years to build and would be open in 2022. The new proposal does not allow the airlines to participate in revenue sharing, which they have done in the past, to the tune of $16 million last year.

Voters approve new public works facility for Massachusetts town
Voters in Bourne, Massachusetts, recently approved a proposition that will allow for the financing of about $6.3 million of an $11 million project for a new Department of Public Works facility.  Funding from the Integrated Solid Waste Management facility accounts will make up the difference. The new facility will be 40,000 square feet and replace the current 25,000-square-foot building.

Check out these recent awards: 

• Austin Bridge & Road has won a nearly $20 million contract from The Colony (Texas) City Council to construct an interchange on Sam Rayburn Tollway at South Colony Boulevard.
• CACI International Inc. has been selected as one of 15 prime contractors to support Decision Superiority (DS) services for the U.S. Navy. With an anticipated ceiling value of $899 million, this five-year (one base plus four options) indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract is one of multiple "Pillar" contracts that will support the entire spectrum of non-inherently governmental services and solutions associated with full system life cycle support of the Space and Naval Warfare Atlantic Business Portfolios.
• Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions has been awarded the contract to design, build, finance, own and operate the $31 million graduate student housing project at the University of Iowa. The development will include 270 one- and two-bedroom units and five, three-story buildings with a total area of 265,600 square feet. Additionally, a separate one-story community center will be built to house the property management offices and common spaces for resident use.
• Tiseo Paving Company won a contract for $8,633,084.52 from the city of Coppell, Texas, for the construction of Sandy Lake Road from Denton Tap Road to N. Coppell Road.
• CRGT Inc. has won a new four-year, $4 million contract with the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity (CMA), which is charged with enhancing national security by storing and ultimately eliminating US chemical warfare material and supporting CWM responses.
• Haas-Anderson Construction won a $12.7 million contract from the Port of Corpus Christi for the first phase of rail yard expansion.
• J.H. Rudolph & Co. has been awarded an $805,545 contract by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for asphalt repaving of U.S. 60-East just west of the Barret Boulevard.
• Weeks Marine has been awarded a $10 million contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to place approximately 600,000 cubic yards of sand along Rockaway Beach in areas where erosion is most critical as part of near-term coastal restoration efforts taking place at previously constructed coastal storm risk reduction projects throughout the region.
• American Surveillance won an $801,319 contract from the Mission (Texas) Consolidated

  Independent School District for purchase of cameras and software.

• Blackstone Construction LLC has won a $515,728.86 contract from the Arkansas State Highway Commission to resurface two miles of State Highway 105 in Atkins from Highway 64 to just south of State Highway 247, north of Atkins. 
   

(To view these stories, click here and look under "News Briefs.")

New Jersey Transit approves P3 for Wi-Fi plan
The New Jersey Transit Board has approved a proposal that will result in its rail travelers having wireless Internet access in its stations, on platforms and on trains by the close of 2016. The public-private partnership will extend for 20 years and will not require an investment by New Jersey Transit. Instead, Cablevision will install the fiber optic cable, wireless access points, antennas and other equipment in both stations and for onboard vehicles. NJ Transit Executive Director James Weinstein (pictured) said the top request of riders is access to wireless Internet access at both stations and onboard trains and this public-private partnership will provide that. Those who subscribe to Cablevision will be able to use the service as part of their subscription package and non-subscribers will be charged a fee. This will be the nation's first Wi-Fi network of its kind. The project should be completed by the end of 2016, with the first phase providing wireless access by the end of this year in some stations.

Virginia Beach to seek bids from private sector for light rail
The city of Virginia Beach will soon seek proposals from the private sector to extend light rail into the city. City officials are looking at building a five-mile section from Newtown Road to Rosemont Road. One bid already has been extended from a group that insists the private sector can build the line faster and at less cost that the public sector. City Councilman John Moss said they key to the project is that the private sector "can build and construct and operate it at a lower cost than government." The city's vote to accept private sector bids does not bind the city to building the line or choosing a private company. Bids would be accepted for three months and then a task force would examine the bids and make a recommendation to the city.

College of New Jersey student housing, retail complex delayed
A planned $50 million student housing and retail complex at the College of New Jersey has been put on hold for a year. The project, as seen in the accompanying artist's rendering, includes building apartment-style student housing above retail stores. The idea was facilitated by the 2009 New Jersey Economic Stimulus Act. That act allowed public colleges and universities to enter into public-private partnerships for the building and operating of facilities on campuses. The complexity of the P3 has led to a delay and the facility is now expected to be completed in the spring of 2015.  The site for the complex is owned by the college, but will be leased to the developer for 50 years. The college will also own the new buildings. The complex is hoped to address the shortage of housing on the campus while providing student housing close to campus. It will have space for 446 junior and senior students in one-, two- and four-bedroom apartments. Each will have a living and dining area, separate bedrooms, one or two baths depending on the size of the unit and a full kitchen.  There will also be 500 parking spots to serve the facility. Campus Town will also feature an 11,500-square-foot fitness center that is only open to students. A contract is being finalized for a retail space for a national chain bookstore and other businesses are also expected to be added. The college will have no financial liability in the project.

Are you a government official who has moved into a new position or to a new agency? Did you recently retire? Were you recently named to an executive-level position at a state-supported college, university or community college? Have you secured a new job as superintendent of a public school? If so, we'd like to hear from you - and so would your friends and colleagues - for our "Where Are They Now" column. Just drop us a line at editor@spartnerships.com and let us know about your previous job and where you are now. This week we feature Dr. James Merrill. 

Virginia educator James Merrill (pictured) was a Morehead Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned his bachelor's degree in education. He then earned a master's degree in educational administration from Appalachian State University and his doctoral degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Merrill is a 39-year veteran educator who began his education career in 1973 in North Carolina as an English teacher and moved through the administrative ranks in several North Carolina school divisions to become superintendent of the Alamance-Burlington School System in 2000. As a result of his outstanding record as an educator, he was named the 2005 North Carolina Superintendent of the Year by the North Carolina School Boards Association and the North Carolina Association of School Administrators. In that same year, he also was awarded the University of North Carolina at Greensboro School of Education's Outstanding Achievement Award as well as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education's Distinguished Leadership Award. In 2006, the veteran educator became superintendent of the 70,000-student Virginia Beach, Virginia, school system, the largest in the state. At the Virginia Association of School Superintendents' annual conference in Roanoke on May 8, 2012, Merrill was named the Virginia Superintendent of the Year. Merrill was recently named the lone finalist to become superintendent of the 150,000-student Wake County Public School System in North Carolina.

Want to know the latest? Join the insiders on the SPI blog!

Tom Perkins (top left), Dallas' city attorney for nearly eight years after having served in the city attorney's office since 1999, has announced his retirement, effective in August. New Mexico State University has selected Johnny Carrillo (top center), who previously served in the New Mexico State Police Department as a captain, and most recently, as interim chief, and who has 25 years of service to the city of Las Cruces and NMSU fire departments, has been named to head the NMSU fire department as its chief. Shirley Erp (top right), former assistant chief information security officer for The University of Texas System and chief information security officer at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, has been named as the new chief information security officer for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Anthony Smith, current Cincinnati Public School District assistant superintendent, has been chosen as superintendent of the Winton Woods City Schools system in Ohio. After having served as interim president of the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth since last December, Michael R. Williams, M.D. has been named lone finalist for the presidency. Mayor Gary Manier has recommended Don Volk, the department's first deputy police chief since 2007, as the city of Washington, Illinois' new police chief. Gary Russi (middle right), president of Oakland University, announced that he is stepping down and current Associate Vice President for Outreach Betty Youngblood will be interim president while the university searches for a successor. Richard DesLauriers (middle center), the head of the Boston FBI office who became a familiar face during the Boston Marathon bombing investigation, is retiring next month, after 26 years with the agency, taking the helm in Boston in July 2010. Former Kalamazoo city manager candidate Odis Jones (middle left), who withdrew from the running days before he was to interview with the Kalamazoo City Commission, will start a new job on July 1 as Cincinnati's economic development director, in charge of the city's newly formed Department of Trade and Development. Flower Mound, Texas, Police Chief Kenneth Brooker is stepping down after serving more than 40 years in law enforcement, effective June 30 and after joining the department in 1985. Rudy Crew, who has spent the last year as chief education officer in Oregon, is a finalist for president at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn. Former Pennsylvania state Sen. Sean Logan has been nominated by Gov. Tom Corbett to a spot on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Green, Ohio, Middle School Principal Jeffrey L. Miller (bottom left), who taught five years before becoming the middle school assistant principal and then principal in 2008, has been chosen as the district's next superintendent. Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Mayor Ed Kelley announced that Tanisha Briley (bottom middle), an assistant city administrator for Davenport, Iowa, has been selected for the long-vacant city manager position. William (Willie) McDonald (bottom right), who most recently served as the fire chief in San Jose, California, has been chosen as the new fire chief of the Las Vegas Fire & Rescue, succeeding Steven Smith, who has been serving as interim chief. Lorette Hoover, president of the Altamaha Technical College in Jesup and a former Columbus resident, has been selected as the next president of Columbus Technical College, replacing Bob Jones, who is retiring at the end of June. Gladys Brown, deputy chief counsel to the Pennsylvania Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, has been nominated by Gov. Tom Corbett to a seat on the Public Utility Commission. North Seattle Community College President Mark Mitsui will begin a new position in a larger educational setting as deputy assistant secretary for community colleges at the U.S. Department of Education.