Author: Mary Scott Nabers

Bridges, a critical part of America’s infrastructure, need immediate attention. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s 2019 National Bridge Inventory database shows that 81,000 bridges should be replaced and more than 46,000 are structurally deficient. In spite of the data, millions of motorists cross these structurally deficient bridges every day. The American Road & Transportation Builders […]

Wastewater is an integral part of public infrastructure, and contracting opportunities related to wastewater projects often represent multi-million-dollar efforts. However, because of their very nature, wastewater projects are often overlooked by companies. The projects, for some reason, rarely merit the type of visibility that road, bridge, and rail projects receive. The COVID-19 pandemic has curbed […]

While congressional leaders work diligently to develop the next COVID recovery bill, other interesting legislation also is being discussed. Many of the conversations focus on public funding options after COVID-19. There are no disagreements when it comes understanding the critical funding needs that will be front and center for cities, counties, states, schools, and hospitals […]

As the country battles to recover from COVID-19, transit leaders are calling for the next federal relief package to appropriate substantial funding to allow public transit to play its critical part in the economy’s recovery. In the interim, many of these transit and mobility authorities throughout the nation are moving forward with capital improvement projects […]

There is great angst related to every aspect of reopening of schools in the U.S. What to do? How to do it? When to do it? The questions are numerous, and there is little certainty about anything. However, one thing is not in question – schools and our education system are critically important to our […]

The CARES ACT (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) passed by Congress created a sprawling, multi-faceted plan to combat COVID-19 and its debilitating effects on the U.S. economy. Signed into law in March, the $2 trillion relief package allocated funding for preserving jobs, backfilling government budgets, helping school districts, providing assistance for the unemployed and […]

COVID-19 continues to take its toll on America. Students of all ages will soon begin fall classes, and school officials are scrambling to ensure safety. Education leaders appear to be in total agreement about how to deliver instruction. Students will be taught through both online and in-person classes. And, as preparations are made to implement […]

We know that an infrastructure bill is coming, and the debate in Congress will likely begin in July. Industry leaders, public officials, think tanks, and economic development organizations have provided lots of input. They know that some of their messages have been heard. There is no consensus between Democrats and Republicans about how the bill […]

The House of Representatives laid out an infrastructure plan on June 18 – an expensive one with a price tag of approximately $1.5 trillion. It will not, of course, pass Congress in its current state, but it promises to start the critical and overdue conversation in Washington about infrastructure. But, there’s an omission that hopefully […]

COVID-19 hit the construction industry like a tsunami. Almost all medium to large construction projects were shuttered as government leaders scrambled to protect the health of Americans. Today, however, even though the pandemic has not been contained, there is renewed interest in construction and reason for optimism. The immediate future is considerably brighter today than […]

Transportation projects are almost always notoriously large and costly. But, infrastructure is critical to America and, with that in mind, a five-year, $494 billion surface transportation bill was recently released by the House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure committee. The final bill, which must gain approval from both the House and Senate, will likely have […]

To no one’s surprise, COVID-19 has pushed the country into a designated recession. While keeping a careful watch on public health and safety, government officials and economic leaders are now fervently seeking ways to boost America’s economy and to support job creation. The path out of this recession, according to many fiscal policy experts, is […]

Funding from the federal government is now coming to all 50 states as a result of various congressional actions. The largest amount of funding is currently flowing as a result of specific mandates in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. But, bills also are moving through Congress to allocate even more funding […]

It’s no surprise to anyone that cities and counties are quickly exhausting their budgets and depleting public funding. Local government officials have dealt with COVID-19 for months, and now they are contending with violence, protests, and property damages. Public safety expenditures are huge, and the coffers of local governmental entities are stretched to the limits. […]

In the current sad and chaotic midst of almost total negative press, some positive things are happening … and some of it is related to law enforcement. Throughout the country, law enforcement budgets have been stretched to the limit. First responders at every jurisdiction have worked overtime during the COVID-19 crisis and funding for operations, […]

As the country reopens for business and citizens strive to find normalcy, many critical issues must be addressed. Every region, citizen, and employer in America has been impacted by COVID-19, and getting back to normalcy and prosperity will require bold leadership. Decisions loom large, and how they are made will impact every region’s economic future […]

The demand for water has been on an upward spiral for years. And, municipalities have come to rely on utility fee revenue for big chunks of their budgets. In fact, water has provided funding for all kinds of citizen services in the past. Unfortunately, that revenue has been diminished significantly of late. Because of COVID-19’s […]

Airlines are ready to fly again! As states begin to open up for business, airport and airline officials are preparing for takeoff – but the trip may be a little different. At the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, both Southwest and American airlines are relaunching flights to Spain, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Scheduled flights will soon […]

Although the world is currently reeling from COVID-19, we can’t forget about other threats that jeopardize our safety. Hurricane season is almost upon us. On a worldwide scale, the danger of hurricanes begins on June 1 and continues through November. But, our chances of a hurricane are most significant the closer we get to mid-August. […]

Before COVID-19, there were discussions about other types of viruses – particularly digital viruses. While not deadly to people, the threat of any type of digital virus is disruptive, costly and difficult to contain. The displacement of people and the increased reliance on the Internet has only increased this type of risk. As the country […]

Will students go back to public school campuses this fall? Will charter schools reopen? Will colleges and universities bring students back on campus? Will testing be available? Will facemasks be required? How and when will educators spend the federal recovery funding that has been allocated? Will projects with previously approved funding be launched soon? These […]

The world as we know it has changed rapidly and dramatically in the last few months. Normalcy is but a memory at this moment in time. People are losing their jobs, businesses are closing, people are struggling, and some are dying. This is truly a sad time in history because of COVID-19. But, better days […]

With the COVID-19 pandemic still in full force, most government decisions are being made via teleconference. Public hearings, meetings, and conversations about business decisions must still meet all transparency statutes. Current conversations tend to revolve around whether to hold bond elections or postpone them a few months. Budget discussions are also very common. The SPI […]

State and local government contracting represented a multi-trillion dollar marketplace before the recent pandemic. That marketplace is now much larger … but its current size is insignificant compared to what it will be six months from now. To combat the virus, trillions of dollars are being spent on services and equipment supplied by private-sector companies. […]

Over the last few weeks, state leaders have been forced to mandate drastic actions in an attempt to halt the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Normally, state emergencies are declared when natural disasters strike – hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and floods. This time, however, the United States called on states to protect citizens and to help […]