Doubtless you remember the ARRA, affectionately dubbed the Stimulus Act. The nation was sold on the idea of infrastructure playing a significant role in building our way out of the recession. However, only 10% of the money allocated in ARRA went to infrastructure.

Lately, we’ve been hearing about a “jobless recovery.” That description is not entirely correct. The stimulus dollars that were dedicated to infrastructure have put people to work. Construction workers were the early recipients as DOT’s released contracts in May. Design engineers got in on the act a little later as the EPA released the money designated for water projects. Many people forgot that the ARRA funds are slated for spending over a two-year period, so we will still see this money in the construction industry into 2010.

What cannot be forgotten is that the money designated for infrastructure has and will create jobs. Infrastructure is a proven economic development tool. Encourage your elected officials to build. It works everywhere it is tried.

We are in the height of hurricane season in the U.S. All you landlubbers that do not live on the coasts should keep reading. The U.S. coastline from Baltimore to Brownsville is at risk of a major hurricane strike every year. (I know they sometimes strike farther north, but that messes up my literary style.)

The strategy for dealing with these natural disasters is to pour billions of dollars in federal money into the area after the fact. Those billions of dollars come from everyone, not just coastal residents. Perhaps it is time to discuss whether there is a better way. People in south Louisiana are trying to recreate the great Mississippi delta marshlands as an additional layer of protection. Texas is now considering the Ike Dike as a possible means to protect the nation’s largest petrochemical complex and several million people. The cost to harden our infrastructure and provide protection will be astronomical. The cost of continuing along our current path of disaster recovery is already astronomical. Which one is correct? The answer will likely vary based on the local situation.

What does not vary is the need for civil engineers to participate in the discussion. Congress is considering additional funding for permanent protection of New Orleans. What frequency should we build? State legislatures are working to create disaster mitigation plans. What standards will they use? Coastal communities are often overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the problem. Civil engineers have a major role to play in all of these discussions.

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I extend my hearty congratulations to Kathy Caldwell as the winner of the election for President-elect and to all of the winners of the other contests. Your service is sincerely appreciated. For a complete listing of election results, see the official 2010 election page.

ASCE recently released a document outlining Guiding Principles for the Nation’s Critical Infrastructure. This document grew out of an effort to understand why we have had some major infrastructure failures in the last few years. A group of recognized experts came together to discuss what we should do to prevent this type of failure in the future. Representing both public and private professionals, they created a set of guidelines that we can share with policymakers and practicing engineers.

The Guiding Principles address four primary topics in an effort to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. I trust that you can see the value of these guidelines.
  1. Quantify, communicate, and manage risk.
  2. Employ an integrated systems approach.
  3. Exercise sound leadership, management, and stewardship in decision-making processes.
  4. Adapt critical infrastructure in response to dynamic conditions and practice.

As civil engineers, we should recognize that all infrastructure is not created equal. Some facilities are more critical to our safety than others. We have a responsibility to include these guidelines in conversations related to funding and design standards going forward. Check the ASCE Web site for more details on this important initiative.

Most people think that elections occur in November. We have a major election under way right now within ASCE. The ballot period for our election will close this week on August 13. Please take a couple of minutes and vote if you have not already done so. If you have voted, thank you. Please call a colleague and ask them to vote.

For years, ASCE members asked for a choice in our elections. This year, your request has been granted. We have two excellent candidates for President-elect and contested races in a number of Regions. EWRI has an election, too. Choose those who will lead ASCE.

[Learn more about the candidates in the contested elections, plus details on how to cast your ballot, at the ASCE 2010 election page.]

ASCE recently named Guayabo in Costa Rica an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. We had the privilege of traveling to Guayabo recently to participate in the impressive dedication ceremonies.

Located in the Costa Rican rain forest, Guayabo is not as well-known as some other pre-Columbian archeological sites such as Machu Picchu in Peru. For a community that thrived from 900-1200 A.D., the engineering prowess demonstrated there continues to impress today. Several engineering elements deserve highlighting. A wide roadway leads into the site. This roadway is made of multiple courses of rock pavement. The pavement still looks like we could walk on it today. Check your last plan set to see how many layers of paving you used. A water system was also constructed that gathered spring water into a central pool for use. The inlet to the pool is larger than the outlet. This technique allowed them to store water during low flow periods while releasing water during times of higher flow. Many of our water supply and drainage control reservoirs still use this concept. Amazingly, the system still functions freely. Will our projects still perform 1,000 years from now?
[Learn more about the ancient city of Guayabo.]

The people of Costa Rica are thrilled to have this designation from ASCE. The dedication ceremony included three cabinet ministers and the president of their legislature. The people turned out in force for the dedication because they appreciate the heritage of their country. Recognition of civil engineering achievement remains one of ASCE’s important roles. Let us work together to help our communities understand the value of infrastructure and civil engineering. Hopefully, we will not have to wait 1,000 years to appreciate what we do.