Erica N. Guy

WASHINGTON — The American Trucking Associations on July 26 commended the Senate Appropriations Committee for voting to advance the transportation funding bill with provisions that would support the trucking industry and professional drivers. In addition to investing in vital infrastructure and U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) programs, the bill incorporates measures similar to those previously approved by the House Appropriations Committee to support expanded truck parking, prevention of cargo theft, protections against predatory towing and the integrity of the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program (SDAP). The bill now heads to the full Senate for consideration. “Trucking is the industry that the American people depend on most to move the vast majority of the nation’s freight.  Given the essentiality of the trucking workforce to our economy and our way of life, it is encouraging to see the Senate Appropriations Committee endorsing key policies that would benefit drivers and bolster the supply chain,” said Chris Spear, president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations. “As the appropriations process moves forward, ATA will continue to push the Senate to back up its clear statements of support for truck parking and cargo theft with robust funding, and we will seek to ensure that the final conference agreement addresses trucking’s priorities.” Truck parking If enacted into law, the transportation funding bill would direct the USDOT to continue to identify sources of funding for states to use to expand truck parking.  According to a USDOT study, 98% of truck drivers regularly experience difficulties locating safe parking, while the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) found that this situation forced the average driver to sacrifice nearly an hour of drive time per day. The Appropriations Committee acknowledged the inherent safety hazards and challenges that a lack of truck parking creates for drivers and urged USDOT to build on the investments provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has already resulted in the construction of roughly 2,000 new truck parking spaces. Cargo theft In recognition of the sharp increase in cargo theft, which spiked by 57% in 2023 compared to the prior year, the bill would direct a coordinated effort from the USDOT, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security’s Supply Chain and Resilience Center, and relevant stakeholders, including professional policing organizations, to confront this issue. The bill would require the agencies to provide a report on cargo theft trends in the transportation supply chain, along with a strategy to combat cargo theft, to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. Predatory towing To crack down on predatory towing, the funding bill would direct FMCSA to engage with local, state, and private sector stakeholders to study current practices concerning towing and recovery regulation and fees in order to ensure fair and equitable treatment of roadway safety clearance opportunities for motor carriers.  A recent ATRI study found that more than four out of five motor carriers experienced excessive rates and unwarranted extra service charges, while a majority also encountered issues such as truck access and cargo release delays.  The provision in the appropriations bill would take an important step forward to develop commonsense reforms that inject more transparency and fairness into the system and hold unscrupulous companies accountable. Safe Driver Apprenticeship Program The transportation funding bill would also lock in the improvements ATA secured to the SDAP to restore congressional intent and get the program back on track. The apprenticeship pilot was designed to serve 3,000 participating drivers at any one time; however, due in part to extraneous requirements imposed by FMCSA, participation was disappointing. The ATA successfully removed these burdensome regulations this spring, and the language in this year’s funding bill would ensure these reforms remain intact.

IRVING, Texas — Detroit and Windsor are together at last. Fluor Corporation and its partners celebrated the official deck connection of the Gordie Howe International Bridge spanning the Detroit River. Measuring a half-mile (853 meters), the bridge connects Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America and the 10th longest in the world. The bridge also has the distinction of being the longest composite steel and concrete decked cable-stayed bridge in the world. Bridging North America (BNA), a joint venture between Fluor, ACS Infrastructure Canada and Aecon Group Inc., is building the bridge for the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA). Construction began in 2018 from both sides of the river and culminated with an intricate, four-week, multi-step, precision process that included the placement and removal of temporary bents and the installation of the final steel girders, beams, panels and precast concrete. “The team has worked incredibly hard since 2018 to achieve this important project milestone,” said Shawn West, President of Fluor’s Infrastructure business. “The connection of this iconic bridge serves as a testament to our dedication and perseverance to build safe and reliable infrastructure. This bridge will soon serve as a major gateway between Canada and the United States.” “Making connections is what the Gordie Howe International Bridge is all about,” said Charl van Niekerk, CEO of Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority. “While we celebrate the physical deck connection today, it gives us the opportunity to look to the very near future when we will see truck drivers make their way to deliver their freight to market, commuters heading to work and back home again, and tourists enjoying the views that bond our two countries from the multi-use path. We look forward to opening for business in fall 2025.” “The connection of the bridge deck underscores our unwavering commitment to building a legacy infrastructure project with the highest standards of quality and safety,” said David Henderson, CEO of Bridging North America. “We salute the thousands of dedicated, skilled tradespeople and engineers whose dedication and expertise made this achievement possible for the Gordie Howe International Bridge project.” While the main focus of construction has been on the bridge deck, progress is also being made on the Ports of Entry in Canada and the United States, as well as the connection to I-75. When completed, the bridge will include six lanes of traffic, two ports of entry, a multi-use path, a new interchange at I-75 with four new road bridges, five pedestrian bridges and four interchange ramps connecting I-75 to the U.S. Port of Entry. The Gordie Howe International Bridge is scheduled to open in the fall of 2025. Upon completion, Fluor and ACS will operate and maintain the facility for 30 years for the WDBA.

AKRON, Ohio — On July 23, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) reached a major milestone on the State Route 8 bridge replacement project in Akron, Ohio, as crews began erecting the new structure using the “bridge launching” method. This marks the first instance of a bridge being launched on an ODOT project. The method involves crews building the bridge in sections on the ground and slowly rolling each section from one pier (vertical support column) to the next into its final position. When planning the project, ODOG determined that bridge launching would be a more cost-efficient and safer option than conventional steel erection; in bridge launching, crews construct each section on the ground and avoid being suspended in the air. The first section of the bridge to be launched is 196 feet in length and will take approximately five to six hours to reach its final placement. Then, each section will be pushed from pier to pier using rollers and hydraulic jacks, which will move each section at about 40 feet per hour. After the first launch is complete, crews will begin to assemble the structural steel of the next section, which will be 230 feet in length and is expected to be launched in mid-August. A total of six launches — totaling 1,600 feet and 8.2 million pounds of steel — will take place for the SR 8 southbound structure. The last launch is expected to be completed in January 2025. Upon completion of the southbound bridge, all SR 8 traffic will be shifted on the bridge and work will begin on the northbound bridge. ODOT anticipates bridge launching for the northbound structure will begin in 2026. For more information and project updates, click here. The current SR 8 bridge was built in 1953 and carries over 114,000 vehicles per day. This bridge has undergone many repairs, and it has been deemed more cost-efficient to replace the bridge rather than keep up the maintenance of the current bridge. This $158 million project began in August 2023 and is expected to be completed in 2028.