Author: Mary Scott Nabers

Cities and counties throughout the U.S. are revitalizing downtown areas, providing more housing, adding revenue generating attractions and repurposing other public areas. There are numerous drivers behind these types of focused projects, with population growth and the critical need for upgrades to aging facilities standing out as primary reasons. Visionary municipal leaders are planning for […]

Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Texas, Florida and Arizona are among the fastest-growing states in America. In any rapidly growing state, booming population growth brings abundant opportunities. Six of the 10 fastest-growing counties in the U.S are located in Texas. This surge in growth is particularly seen in the corridor between Austin and San Antonio as well […]

Texas voters approved hundreds of millions of dollars in bond proposals on Election Day this past Tuesday. More than 50 cities, counties and school districts put measures before voters to fund projects such as road repairs, facility construction and renovations and public school campus improvements. The projects that will be funded are significant because Texas […]

At-grade rail crossings – where roads intersect at the same level with railway tracks – are the second leading cause of rail-related fatalities in the U.S., with over 2,000 incidents and approximately 200 deaths annually. The existing technology for grade crossing warnings has largely remained unchanged since the 1960s and more is obviously needed. The […]

The 4.2 million miles of roads and highways in the U.S. are critical components of the country’s economic vitality. The transportation infrastructure allows Americans to commute, connect and transport goods efficiently. Yet, many of the older roadways limit access between communities, negatively impacting citizens and businesses. Congress has appropriated an abundance of funding to remedy […]

A new $4.2 billion funding allocation was announced this week, and the allocations will support the planning and pre-launch efforts of 44 new projects. This financial support comes from two major federal programs that provide MEGA and INFRA grants for infrastructure projects. The 44 projects that were selected primarily focus on bridge construction efforts, rail […]

The historic effort that has been made to upgrade and stabilize America’s infrastructure over the past several years has moved the country into a safer and more resilient state. But there’s more that must be done. The effort is not ending, and new funding has just been announced for America’s power grid infrastructure. The U.S. […]

The attraction to and interest in parks, community centers and sports-related recreational facility projects has escalated significantly over the past several years. Public officials, especially at the municipal levels of government, are increasing their investments in these types of initiatives while federal funding programs are currently providing attractive financial support. There are numerous reasons for […]

Public-private partnerships (P3s) of all sizes and types are becoming more common throughout America and this type of project delivery model is being use for all types of initiatives. Many federal funding programs now require some amount of private-sector investment, and public officials, eager to launch critical projects, are routinely reaching out to contractors, developers […]

Officials at every level of government procure hundreds of professional services to meet specific needs. These types of contracting opportunities are abundant, and many industry sectors fall into a professional services category – planning, design, legal, consulting, engineering, etc. Some of the most commonly requested types of professional services include project management, legal services, feasibility […]

America has water problems. Water stress can be found in almost every state. New Mexico falls into the category of extremely high ‘water stress’ for multiple reasons, including climate change, limited rainfall and reduced volume of water in both the Rio Grande and Colorado rivers, which are major water resources for the state. Arizona, California, […]

Transportation systems nationwide are undergoing significant change. Emerging technologies and innovative mobility options are changing all modes of transportation, and soon both people and freight will be transported differently. Intelligent transportation systems use sensors to monitor vehicles, control traffic flow, reduce congestion and improve safety. Some types of technology provide real-time data that is used […]

Cities and counties throughout the U.S. are benefitting from funding that is readily available for transit-oriented development (TOD). Economic development teams have seen the boost of economic vitality that this type of initiative brings to local communities, and the result is that private sector developers and public officials nationwide will be delivering housing, retail and […]

Cities and counties throughout the U.S. are expanding and modernizing public safety facilities. Many are long overdue for upgrades. The urgency to upgrade is because well-maintained and strategically placed facilities contribute to lower response times by police, fire and EMS services. The U.S. has approximately 52,290 fire stations and 19,000 police stations, and their combined […]

The U.S. Federal Transit Administration recently awarded $300 million for upcoming projects designed to expand and modernize the nation’s ferry systems. Specifically, the funding will support 18 new projects in 14 states, including replacing old vessels with electric ships, upgrading the waterfront facilities and modernizing the systems with technology. Alaska’s Department of Transportation was recently […]

Just over a decade ago, a sweeping trend was very noticeable as state agencies, cities, counties, transit authorities and higher education institutions added Innovation Officers at the executive levels of organizational charts. These individuals were hired to play a strategic role – one that would incorporate new thinking into operations. The primary objective in adding […]

Rarely does Congress pass a bill that allocates $50 billion to cities and counties to support water infrastructure projects. But that happened when the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was passed by Congress several years ago. That funding was made available because of the critical need to protect and expand water infrastructure throughout America. As of May […]

A brownfield property is an abandoned site that has been contaminated by previous industrial use. Many brownfield properties are the former sites of dry-cleaning firms, manufacturing plants or gas stations. To be used, the site must be remediated and made safe. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has funded remediation projects for years and recently announced […]

The U.S. is experiencing a significant surge in population growth in certain regions, increasing the demand for enhancing or expanding basic infrastructure. Public officials in high–growth regions struggle to expand housing, water, roadways, education facilities, healthcare and public safety. Southern states, including South Carolina, Florida and Texas, increased their populations about four times faster than […]

The sustainable construction market in the U.S. was valued at $99.8 billion in 2023, and that number has continued to grow in 2024. Billions in funding are currently available in 2024 for these types of projects, and more could be allocated soon because Congress is focused on maintaining public assets. Sustainable building practices provide a […]

Public officials at the local government level are initiating large, innovative, and forward-thinking projects aimed at enhancing economic prosperity in various regions of the country over the next few decades. Many of the projects are funded by federal programs, with billions yet to be allocated before the end of 2026 unless the programs are reauthorized—which […]

School district construction throughout the U.S. is rampant currently, and it promises to be the same in 2025. That’s probably because a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office noted that 54% of all schools in America were in dire need of updates or complete building replacements as long ago as 2020. In fact, the […]

At a time when project needs are so great throughout America, it is hard to understand why some cities and states have not endorsed public-private partnerships (P3s). Billions of funding support is available for critically needed efforts, but many of the federal funding programs require some percentage of private sector investment, so the projects become […]