This is really good news. (If you're interested and want the ins and outs of this process from the inside, check out this site.) We've been waiting for this bill to pass for 2 years. If you've heard of engineering companies downsizing and everyone struggling, this has been why. Not so much the slowdown in the economy since 9/11, although that didn't help. No, we've been waiting on the new Highway Transportation Act for 2 years. They've been making all kinds of extensions and fighting about it in Congress. How does this bill help, you may ask? Well, this bill gives the states money so they can pursue all kinds of highway projects. In order to do that, they need to hire engineering firms (such as mine) to do the design work for the project. So hopefully this means that firms will now start getting the work they've been so desperately seeking for the last couple years. It was getting cut-throat. Everyone going for the same projects because there were so few. But things are starting to look up for engineers everywhere.
So be sure to hug an engineer today. :-)
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3 comments:
So let me get this straight. We are happy that these politicians have put through a bill that will allow them to get all their pet projects done and them re-elected? The money won't go where it is needed. It will go to whomever whines the loudest. I am happy that this will help out engineering companies, but couldn't $300 billion make a pretty decent dent in the world poverty problem?
I'm glad the bill went through. It will provide $3 billion to bicycling initiatives as part of an alternative transportation program. Yes Matt, it could make a dent in the world poverty problem, if that problem could be solved by merely throwing money at it. Just like that $80 billion solved all of the problems in Iraq. However, maybe it will help. The alternative transportation program is designed to encourage Americans to use their cars less. This would, ideally, reduce our dependence on foreign oil which in turn could allow our government to deal with underdeveloped nations in an honest manner, without the hidden agendas of the past. It will also bolster the engineering industry and allow previously unemployed engineers, like my fiance's father, to find work again and support their families. Yet another way that the bill might help out with the world poverty problem.
I'm a bit late to the party but the fact is our nations infrastructure is a mess. Our bridges and overpasses are in a complete state of disrepair, esp in the New England states. This money should have been released a long time ago. The day the greatest nation on earth has a problem with it's highway system is the day...I don't know, something crazy and doesn't typically fly...flies.
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