Bridge

Posts Tagged ‘Bridge’

Gas Tax, Road Tolls Imperative to U.S. Road, Tunnel & Bridge Markets, According to SBI Energy

Posted by admin on December 17th, 2012

ROCKVILLE, MD–(Marketwire – Dec 17, 2012) – There is a growing disconnect on both the federal and state levels between the amount of money being generated from fees paid by users of the U.S. road system and the amount of money required to maintain and expand that system. High gas prices exacerbate the problem, as well as pressure to move towards more fuel-efficient cars and alternative energy vehicles, creating a reduction in fuel use that has the effect of also reducing the amount of gas tax revenue.

Capital spending for roadways has averaged a 6% per 10-year CAGR since 1950. However, a new forecast anticipates the CAGR of spending during the next decade to be just 4.8% between 2013 and 2022. According to The U.S. Road, Bridge & Tunnel Construction Market, a new study from energy market research publisher SBI Energy, as long as both state and federal governments refuse to increase their respective gas taxes or implement other user-based funding schemes, long-term market prospects remain bleak.

“While the pay-as-you-go system has worked reasonably well for decades, it is no longer able to pay for all of the roadway construction required to maintain the U.S. road network at its current performance level,” according to Norman Deschamps, SBI Energy analyst and author of The U.S. Road, Bridge & Tunnel Construction Market.

The Federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF) is the primary vehicle through which the federal government collects and transfers money to the states to fund roadway construction. The HTF operates as a pay-as-you-go system, largely funded through taxes on gas and diesel fuel, with the collected funds then transferred to the states through multi-year transportation bills.

“Almost half of the states have less than 60% of their transportation spending come from user-based taxes and fees. The pay-as-you-go system is failing at the federal level as well,” Deschamps continues. “Since 2008, the federal government has had to inject $ 32.1 billion dollars to maintain solvency of the HTF, and the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), passed midyear 2012, transfers an additional $ 18.8 billion into the HTF through FY2013 and FY2014. Unfortunately, MAP-21 also does not address the growing discrepancy between the amount of money collected through user-based fees by the HTF and how much money state and local governments are spending to maintain and improve the nation’s roadway infrastructure.”

Unfortunately for the road, bridge and tunnel construction market, the availability of public funding has been, and continues to be, a serious constraint on the market. This lack of funding shows in the growing discrepancy between fees collected for the HTF and the amount of money needed to maintain those same assets, and in growing debts at all levels of government.

The U.S. Road, Bridge & Tunnel Construction Market by SBI Energy provides key insight into current and future construction trends for the nation’s road infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on bridge and tunnel construction segments and an analysis of key states. The analysis includes definitions, current product offerings and market detail on the following segments:

Road construction, including lane widening, resurfacing and rehabilitation
Bridge construction and rehabilitation
Tunnel & wall construction

The report also studies the key elements driving new road construction, analyzing local, state and federal financing strategies that provide construction funding in the U.S., and the impact these projects have on employment.

About SBI Energy
SBI Energy, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes research reports in the industrial, energy, building/construction, and automotive/transportation markets. SBI Energy also offers a full range of custom research services. To learn more, visit www.sbireports.com

Marketwire – Environment

One Man’s Dream to “Light The Mackinac Bridge” with…

Posted by admin on July 18th, 2012

Mackinaw City, MI (PRWEB) July 18, 2012

A Mackinaw City, MI campground owner has a dream. Vince Rogala, of Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping, would like to see the Mackinac Bridge outfitted with a computerized LED lighting system.

“The system would create a five mile long, 552 foot tall light display, not to mention save energy and lower maintenance costs,” said Rogala. “There could be a different color theme each month or even each night. Imagine holiday colors (Green for St. Patrick’s Day, Red for Valentine’s Day), as well as commemorative displays (blue for Autism Awareness and pink for Breast Cancer Awareness). It’s a way of making the 50 year old Mackinac Bridge ‘new’ again! It is possible to make the Mackinac Bridge an even greater attraction,” explained Rogala.

Rogala received an invitation to present his idea to the seven-member Mackinac Bridge Authority at their July 2012 meeting on Mackinac Island. The Mackinac Bridge Authority, which was established in 1950, oversees the financial and legal services necessary to preserve and maintain one of the world’s leading suspension bridges.

“It was a great opportunity to get in front of not only the decision makers on the panel, but also the engineering staff for the bridge,” said Rogala. Vince’s presentation showing artworks, narration, and a short video was set to run about 8 minutes, but ran well over 20 minutes as board members asked questions and expressed their thoughts.

“To sum it up I’d say the Mackinac Bridge Authority is intrigued with the concept of an LED lighting system for the bridge. They were very open to the idea. We discussed thoughts on how to balance and preserve the historical character of the bridge with a fresh modern element. After finishing, the board took the time to compliment my presentation” said, Rogala.

Explaining further, “The Bridge Authority encouraged me to continue building local and state wide support, to pursue ways to finance the project, and left an open invitation to readdress the Bridge Authority as the undertaking moves forward” said Rogala.

The origin of the idea came to Vince as he was researching LED lighting for illuminating trees. Vince is one of four brothers who operate one of Michigan’s largest family owned campgrounds, Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping, (http://www.CampMackinaw.com). “I was looking on the web for a new way to provide nighttime lighting that was both practical and tranquil for our campground. I came across LED architectural lightning on large structures, one of which was a bridge, when instantly it dawned on me – how amazing the Mackinac Bridge would look with LED lights!” explained Rogala.

“I wasn’t sure how popular or possible the idea would be until I started casually telling people about the concept. Everyone was eager for more information, and full of lots of questions. I knew I needed help spreading the word, so I asked my brother Frank to give me a hand,” explained Rogala.

Vince and Frank both have experience in the entertainment industry, having signed a record deal together in Hollywood just after graduating from Mackinaw City High School. Experienced at creating music, video, and films, they have landed their work on major record labels, MTV, the Sundance Channel and NetFlix. “Frank has the artistic skills in video, sound, and the Internet that were needed to bring this idea to a bigger audience,” explained Vince.

The brothers created photo illustrations of what the bridge might look like lit with colored LED lights, and then after finding dozens of videos on YouTube showing other bridge lighting projects, they assembled their own. The final step was putting all the material onto the web, including Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, so that it could be easily viewed and shared by those who might support the idea.

As an enthusiastic champion of the Mackinac Bridge, Rogala has seen the bridge from many viewpoints, “Like hundreds of thousands of others, I have walked the five mile span on the Labor Day Bridge Walk. I’ve taken sunset cruises under the bridge, walked through the underbelly of the steel superstructure with the rumble of traffic just above my head”, but Rogala recalls his most exciting memory was while working as a videographer. Shooting the Bridge provided Rogala the rare opportunity to go to the very top of the 552 foot towers on three different occasions to capture footage. “It was both terrifying and breathtaking,” recalls Rogala.

Vince adds, “Coincidentally, Frank had just finished creating an artist rendition of what the bridge could look like lit with LED lights for the 4th of July, on the actual 4th of July. That very night at our campground, which has a mile of shoreline on the Straits of Mackinac, a couple thousand of our campers gather along the shore to watch the 4th of July fireworks from Mackinaw City, St. Ignace and Mackinac Island. Those fireworks always raise cheers and I thought ‘what if the 5 mile long bridge was simultaneously animated in Red, White and Blue during the fireworks’ – it would be spectacular. There would be nothing like it anywhere else.”

“These types of systems have been installed around the world, they last 25 years, and with the lowered energy and maintenance cost, they make sense,” added Vince. “We aren’t inventing the wheel, we just want to bring it to Mackinac.”

Following the suggestions of the Mackinac Bridge Authority, Rogala is asking the public to show their support by liking the “Light The Mackinac Bridge” page on Facebook (Facebook.com/LightTheMackinacBridge) and by spreading the word by sharing the video about the project or leaving a comment at http://www.LightTheMackinacBridge.com and following the effort on Twitter @LightTheBridge. Rogala is beginning work on a fundraising effort to raise money for billboards, media and internet ads in order to gain public and political support as well as corporate sponsorship to “Light The Mackinac Bridge” .

Environment

EPA Encourages the Public to Comment on Plan for Cleanup at Evor Phillips Superfund Site in Old Bridge, New Jersey (NJ)

Posted by admin on June 9th, 2012

(New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a plan to clean up contaminated ground water at the Evor Phillips Leasing Company Superfund site. The six-acre vacant site is in an industrial area of Old Bridge Township, New Jersey. Past industrial activities contaminated the ground water with volatile organic compounds, which can have serious health effects. The proposed plan calls for the ground water to be treated to break down the contaminants to protect people’s health and the environment.

The EPA will hold a public meeting on June 19, 2012 to explain the proposed plan and is encouraging public comments. The meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. at the Old Bridge Central Library, 1 Old Bridge Plaza, Municipal Center, Old Bridge, New Jersey. Comments will be accepted until July 9, 2012.

Some volatile organic compounds can cause cancer. The extent and nature of potential health effects depend on many factors, including the level and length of exposure to the pollution.

“The chemicals in the ground water at the Evor Phillips Superfund site pose health risks,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “Removing them is the best way to protect the health of people who live and work in the area. The EPA encourages the public to attend the June 19 meeting and share their views on the proposed plan.”

From the early 1970s to 1986, the Evor Phillips site was used for industrial waste treatment and metal recovery operations. Liquid waste was treated on site and two waste disposal areas were used to neutralize acidic and caustic wastewater. The site also contained 19 small furnaces for incinerating photographic film and printed circuit boards to recover silver and other precious metals. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection closed down the liquid waste treatment operations in1975 after the operators failed to comply with state environmental requirements. All operations at the site stopped in 1986 with the shutdown of the metal recovery furnaces.

The Evor Phillips site was listed on the EPA’s Superfund list of the nation’s most hazardous waste sites in 1983. Because of the nature and complexity of the contamination at the site, the cleanup is being conducted in three phases. The first phase, conducted by NJDEP, involved the removal of approximately 40 buried drums and soil contaminated by metals, and the construction of a ground water treatment system to prevent the contaminated ground water from moving off site. In 2002, several companies responsible for the contamination began operating the ground water treatment system, with NJDEP oversight. The companies also demolished office buildings and furnaces, and removed buried drums, contaminated soil and underground storage tanks.

The EPA took the lead in overseeing the cleanup in 2008. The removal of contaminated soil, which will begin this summer, is the second phase of the cleanup. The third phase, which is currently proposed by the EPA, is the long-term treatment of the ground water using a process known as chemical oxidation. Chemical oxidation uses chemicals to destroy pollution in soil and ground water, breaking down the harmful chemicals into water and carbon dioxide. The oxidants are pumped into the ground water at different depths in the polluted area. Each injection is followed by monitoring to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. Samples of the ground water would be collected and analyzed to ensure that the technology is effective. The ground water will be monitored for several years after the cleanup goals have been met to demonstrate that the ground water is no longer a source of contamination.

The Superfund program operates on the principle that polluters should pay for the cleanups, rather than passing the costs to taxpayers. After sites are placed on the Superfund list of the most contaminated waste sites, the EPA searches for parties responsible for the contamination and holds them accountable for the costs of investigations and cleanups. The cleanup of the Evor Phillips site is being conducted and paid for by the responsible parties with oversight by the EPA.

Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:
Rich Puvogel, Remedial Project Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 2
290 Broadway – 19^th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10007-1866
(212) 637-4410
[email protected]

For more information on the Evor Phillips Leasing Company Superfund site, go to: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/evorphillips/.

For a Google Earth aerial view of the Evor Phillips Leasing Company Superfund site, go to: http://www.epa.gov/region02/kml/evor_phillips_leasing.kml. (You must have Google Earth installed on your computer to view the map. To download Google Earth, visit http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html).

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U.S. EPA News

Bridge Bank Announces New Group for Renewable Energy Project Finance

Posted by admin on January 26th, 2012

SOURCE: Bridge Capital Holdings

SAN JOSE, CA–(Marketwire – Jan 26, 2012) – Bridge Capital Holdings (NASDAQ: BBNK), whose subsidiary is Bridge Bank, National Association, a full service professional business bank headquartered in Silicon Valley, announced today the launch of its Energy and Infrastructure Group (EIG), which will offer specialized financing for clients with proven sustainable alternative energy projects located in the United States. EIG will operate from the bank’s Silicon Valley headquarters.

“Bridge Bank was founded to serve all sectors of Silicon Valley and the broader technology business community, which is continuously being reshaped by new innovation,” said Daniel P. Myers, president and chief executive officer of Bridge Bank. “The creation of our new Energy and Infrastructure Group is reinforcement of the bank’s commitment to serving the changing needs of businesses and support the nation’s goal of greater energy independence with economically sound alternative energy ventures.”

Many clean-tech supply chain and development companies, in addition to contractors and other small- to mid-size firms who are focused on renewable energy projects, remain largely underserved by financial institutions and other debt providers. Bridge Bank expects to be a leader in providing the specialized debt financing required by developers and solar companies, and to be a valuable advisor to the firms seeking entry into this emerging market.

The new Energy and Infrastructure Group will be led by Scott Reising, senior vice president at Bridge Bank. Reising, who joined the bank in August 2011, has an extensive background in energy project design, development, implementation, and finance, and has been involved in over $ 20 billion of structured finance transactions in various sectors, including solar, wind, bio-fuels and hydro-power. Reising has also been involved in large infrastructure projects for local governments, and most recently worked for several major European banks in New York City.

“Well-established developers working on large scale projects have many choices for financing, but for developers who are working on smaller projects in the one to five megawatt range, there are very few options,” said Reising. “We are providing the kind of advisory services and structuring expertise that is typically found only at the larger multi-national banks. For clients, especially those new to this market, Bridge Bank offers a unique and extraordinary value.” EIG will lend to companies with projects in the installation phase, and provide liquidity options for government incentives in addition to permanent phase financing.

Over the past five years, Bridge Bank has built a presence in the alternative energy sector. Nearly $ 85 million in loans and credit commitments has been extended by the bank to firms engaging in renewable energy and solar projects. Dan Pistone, senior vice president and manager of the bank’s Technology Banking Group added, “We believe that the segment EIG will serve represents a $ 5 billion market, with annual growth projected at about 20%. If the federal government intensifies its effort to reach energy independence, those numbers are likely to increase substantially.”

About Bridge Capital Holdings
Bridge Capital Holdings is the holding company for Bridge Bank, National Association. Bridge Capital Holdings was formed on October 1, 2004 and holds a Global Select listing on the NASDAQ stock market under the trading symbol BBNK. For additional information, visit the Bridge Capital Holdings website at www.bridgecapitalholdings.com.

About Bridge Bank, National Association
Bridge Bank, National Association is Silicon Valley’s full-service professional business bank. The Bank is dedicated to meeting the financial needs of small, middle market, and emerging technology businesses. Bridge Bank provides its clients with a comprehensive package of business banking solutions delivered through experienced, professional bankers. For additional information, visit the Bridge Bank website web at www.bridgebank.com.

About Bridge Bank’s Technology Banking Group
With a growing nationwide web of offices and a correspondent banking network that stretches worldwide, Bridge Bank’s Technology Banking Group serves venture-backed and non venture-backed companies from inception to IPO, and companies focused on renewable energy projects. Bridge Bank’s product offering includes growth capital, equipment and working capital credit facilities and treasury management solutions, along with a full line of international products and services and financing secured by domestic, government, and foreign receivables.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain matters discussed in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are subject to the safe harbors created by that Act. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include the words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” or words of similar meaning, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may.” Forward-looking statements describe future plans, strategies and expectations. Forward-looking statements are based on currently available information, expectations, assumptions, projections, and management’s judgment about the Company, the banking industry and general economic conditions. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, nor should they be relied upon as representing management’s views as of any subsequent date. Future events are difficult to predict, and the expectations described above are necessarily subject to risk and uncertainty that may cause actual results to differ materially and adversely.

Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from those presented, either expressed or implied, in this press release. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to: the Company’s ability to successfully execute its business plans and achieve its objectives; changes in general economic, real estate and financial market conditions, either nationally or locally in areas in which the Company conducts its operations; changes in interest rates; new litigation or changes in existing litigation; future credit loss experience; increased competitive challenges and expanding product and pricing pressures among financial institutions; legislation or regulatory changes which adversely affect the Company’s operations or business; loss of key personnel; changes in accounting policies or procedures as may be required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other regulatory agencies; and the ability to satisfy requirements related to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other regulation on internal control.

The reader should refer to the more complete discussion of such risks in Bridge Capital Holdings’ annual reports on Forms 10-K and quarterly reports on Forms 10-Q on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

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Marketwire – Environment

New Site Puts Portal Bridge Designs on the Web

Posted by admin on November 24th, 2011

PITTSBURGH–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A national design review of Pittsburgh’s iconic Point State Park portal
bridge is now available for public review and comment, thanks to a
newly-launched website.

“Portal to the Point: A Design Ideas Exploration”

“Portal to the Point: A Design Ideas Exploration” is an idea
generation project focused on the portal bridge as an opportunity to add
a bold new dimension to Pittsburgh’s signature urban park. Five concepts
from design teams across the United States are now publicly available at www.portaltothepoint.org
and are also on display for public review and comment.

Colcom Foundation initiated the project by engaging the Pennsylvania
Environmental Council, with coordination by SPRINGBOARD Design, to issue
an open call for design qualifications related to the portal bridge. The
Foundation cited an interest in establishing a greater appreciation for
one of Pittsburgh’s most interesting yet unheralded places.

SPRINGBOARD Design invited multidisciplinary teams from across the
United States to explore ideas relating to the form, function, artistic
elements, and interpretative design of the portal bridge and its
immediate vicinity. Qualifications from fifteen design teams were
submitted and five were selected by a review committee of architects,
landscape architects, designers, artists, educators, and CEOs, as well
as key stakeholders.

Five design teams from across the United States were selected to explore
ideas relating to the form, function, artistic elements, and
interpretative design of Point State Park’s Portal Bridge.

Displays of all five concepts can also be viewed in person at the
following locations:

November 2011: SPRINGBOARD Design, 24 Terminal Way, Pittsburgh,
PA 15219
Hours: Open 9am to 5pm weekdays
Early December 2011: Fort Pitt Museum, located in historic
Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh
Hours: Open 10am to 5pm
daily
Late December 2011 to Early January 2012: Heinz History Center,
1212 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh
Hours: Open 10am to 5pm daily

“The portal bridge is a blank canvas that represents a fantastic
opportunity for Pittsburgh,” said Davitt Woodwell, executive vice
president for the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. “We often can’t
see the forest for the trees when we look at something every day, but
letting these design teams imagine what the portal bridge could be is a
great way to begin a conversation about the future in terms we’ve never
thought of before.”

The five teams selected were:

Marlon Blackwell Architect, Fayetteville, AR
Marlon
Blackwell; Kendall Buster; Guy Nordenson & Associates; dlandstudio;
Renfro Design Group
MAYA Design, Pittsburgh, PA
Dutch MacDonald; The Gray
Circle
SCAPE / LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, New York, NY
Kate Orff;
The Living
Weiss/Manfredi, New York, NY
Marion Weiss, Michael
Manfredi; Magnusson Klemencic Associates; Green Shield Ecology;
Mark
Dion
wHY Architecture, Culver City, CA
Kulupat Yantrasast; Reed
Hilderbrand; WET Design

About the Pennsylvania Environmental Council

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council is a statewide organization that
brings people, government and business together to find real world
solutions for environmental challenges. These solutions bring about
sustainable communities, protect our water resources, and address energy
and climate issues. The Council was founded in 1970 and serves the
entire state through offices in Meadville, Luzerne, Pittsburgh,
Harrisburg, and Philadelphia.

For more information, visit www.pecpa.org.

About SPRINGBOARD Design

Founded in 2001 by Architect Paul Rosenblatt AIA, SPRINGBOARD is an
award-winning nationwide architectural firm that has developed a
reputation for excellence. SPRINGBOARD’s museum architecture, exhibition
design and cultural facility planning are especially noteworthy. The
hallmark of SPRINGBOARD projects is user interaction – SPRINGBOARD
buildings and environments are truly engaging, fun, and exciting.

For more information, visit www.springboarddesign.net.

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Business Wire Environment News

World’s Largest Solar Bridge for London

Posted by admin on October 5th, 2011

London will soon host the largest solar bridge in the world, with the first pieces of the new Blackfriars railway station now being assembled in the UK’s capital city.

The development will effectively extend the current Blackfriars Station out across the existing Blackfriars Bridge, giving it the capacity to handle larger trains and higher volumes of passengers.

Renewable energy technologies will be incorporated into the Blackfriars Bridge modernisation, in the form of photovoltaic panels, which convert solar energy into electricity. There’ll be more than 4,400 photovoltaic cells, in all, and they’ll be arranged in banks of about 50, positioned in parallel rows overhead the bridge.

World’s Largest Solar Bridge

These solar panels will take up a total area of more than 6,000 square metres – giving London its largest solar array to date and the world its largest solar bridge of any kind. Ultimately, they’ll be responsible for generating half the electricity used by the new Blackfriars Station – approximately 900,000 Kilowatt-hours per annum – and they’ll cut back current Carbon Dioxide emissions levels by something like 511 tonnes every 12 months.

The Blackfriars Bridge’s solar panels aren’t the only environmental technology incorporated into the structure – there’ll also be sun pipes for the production of natural lightning, and water recycling systems.

London Solar Bridge

Funding for the London solar bridge installation was supplied by the Department for Transport, via its dedicated safety and environment fund, while the installation itself is being carried out by Solarcentury, using SANYO Electric solar cells.

“We’re creating a spacious, modern station and delivering a vastly improved train service for passengers, while at the same time installing London’s largest solar array to make Blackfriars more environmentally-friendly and sustainable”, Blackfriars project director at Network Rail, Lindsay Vamplew, explained in a company press release issued on 4 October 2011.

“The Victorian rail bridge at Blackfriars is part of our railway history. Constructed in the age of steam, we’re bringing it bang up to date with twenty first century solar technology to create an iconic station for the city.”

“It’s fantastic to see this project finally come to fruition”, Solarcentury’s CEO, Derry Newman, added. “Blackfriars Bridge is an ideal location for solar; a new, iconic large roof space, right in the heart of London. For people to see that solar power is working is a vital step towards a clean energy future.”

According to Network Rail’s press release, there’s just one other solar bridge in operation – Kurilpa Footbridge in Brisbane, Australia.

Image copyright and courtesy of Network Rail

Work starts on solar bridge at Blackfriars station

Posted by admin on October 4th, 2011

BusinessGreen, part of the Guardian Environment Network

A computer-generated image of Blackfriars railway station across the Thames, covered with 4,400 solar panels. Photograph: SolarCentury

Work on the world’s largest solar bridge formally begins today as the first of more than 4,400 solar panels are installed above the new Blackfriars station platform.

The historic London site is undergoing a multi-million pound refit, which includes extending the platform along Blackfriars Bridge, a structure built in 1886.

When complete in 2012, the Victorian bridge will play host to some 6,000 square metres of photovoltaic (PV) panels, making it London’s largest solar array.

Solarcentury, the UK company managing the installation, expects the panels to generate around 900,000kWh of electricity a year, providing half of the station’s energy and reducing annual CO2 emissions by an estimated 511 tonnes.

“Blackfriars Bridge is an ideal location for solar; a new, iconic large roof space, right in the heart of London,” said Solarcentury chief executive Derry Newman in a statement.

“Station buildings and bridges are fixed parts of our urban landscape and it is great to see that this one will be generating renewable energy every day into the future. For people to see that solar power is working is a vital step towards a clean energy future.”

Other energy saving measures, such as rain harvesting systems and sun pipes for natural lighting, are also being fitted at Blackfriars, as part of Network Rail’s plans to reduce carbon emissions by 25 per cent per passenger kilometre by 2020.

Lindsay Vamplew, Network Rail’s project director for Blackfriars, said that the refurbishment will make the station a template for green stations around the world.

“The Victorian rail bridge at Blackfriars is part of our railway history,” he said. “Constructed in the age of steam, we’re bringing it bang up to date with 21st century solar technology to create an iconic station for the city.”

One other solar bridge is known to exist, the Kurilpa footbridge in Brisbane, Australia, although 16,000 solar panels were laid on the top of a train tunnel in Belgium earlier this year. The array is capable of powering all of the country’s trains for one day a year.

Environment news, comment and analysis from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk

New bridge over the Mersey

Posted by admin on October 3rd, 2011

The new dual three-lane bridge and associated link roads will form a major new transport route improving links between the Liverpool City region, north Cheshire and the wider North West to the rest of the country. It will also ease the significant congestion currently experienced by users of the Silver Jubilee Bridge, reducing journey times by up to 10 minutes at peak times.

Construction of the new bridge – known as the Mersey Gateway Bridge – is expected to begin in 2013 and is due to be open for traffic in 2016. The construction cost (including land) is around £600m which the Department for Transport will support with a mixture of capital grant and revenue funding for the bridge’s continued operation.

The existing Silver Jubilee Bridge, located 1.5 miles to the west of the planned bridge, will be converted into a local traffic bridge with priority for buses and improved conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. There will be toll charges for those using both crossings to help fund a significant proportion of the scheme. The funding provides for discount schemes, which would be prioritised for local and regular users.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said:

“The Mersey Gateway Bridge is an important transport project which will improve journeys and boost economic growth. It will not only provide much needed traffic relief for the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge, but also help to regenerate the Borough of Halton, the Liverpool city region and the wider north west by improving transport links, maximising local development and regional economic growth opportunities.

“In response to the Government’s request to reduce costs, Halton Borough Council have achieved savings of around £30m on the original proposed cost – meaning the scheme will offer better value to the taxpayer, whilst bringing vital improvements to the region. Further cost savings are expected through a competitive procurement process.

“I was determined to ensure that the agreed funding package represented a robust and sustainable funding model for the bridge that protected both the taxpayers and the residents of Halton. This is a good result.

“We have already committed to support local transport schemes across England to the value of £870m in the current spending review period, with a further £650m worth of schemes expected to be funded in December. This means we will have invested £1.5bn on improving local transport across the country in the current spending review period.”

The benefits of the new bridge include:

Relieving congestion on the Silver Jubilee Bridge and improving public transport links across the River Mersey between the two parts of Halton;
Improving accessibility in the region;
Improving local air quality and enhancing the urban environment; and
Encouraging increased use of cycling and walking.

Steve Nicholson, Director, Mersey Gateway Project, said:

“We have been working very closely with Government over recent months to finalise the details of this agreement and I am delighted with the results. This agreement represents the best possible deal for the public purse and means that we can focus on delivering a project that will bring benefits to local people, commuters and businesses from across the region.”

Notes to editors

1. This announcement allows Halton Borough Council to start the procurement process for the project which will take around two years. Final approval enabling construction to begin will be subject to successful completion of the procurement process.

2. The Department for Transport will provide £86m in capital grant towards land and remediation and up to £14.55m per year in long term revenue support for 26.5 years from opening.

3. Following the spending review, local authorities were challenged to look again at the cost of proposed transport schemes to ensure value for money. Nine schemes were given the go ahead in February after £45.5m (14%) of savings were identified.

4. The Mersey Gateway Bridge was a more complex project with a detailed and complex financial structure which has taken longer to assess and conclude the funding agreement with Halton Borough Council. Halton Borough Council have identified cost savings for the new bridge of around £30m (5%) with further savings expected to be delivered through the procurement process

5. The approved scheme will have a 1000m length span, with three towers of up to a maximum of 140m in height in the River Mersey. It will also include link roads from the existing highway network.

6. Construction cost is expected to be £589m (including land purchase and remediation)

7. Tolls will be levied on the new bridge and the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge with toll levels expected to be similar to those seen on the Mersey Tunnels (currently £1.50 per car).

8. Both bridges will be operated by a Mersey Gateway Crossings Board – an independent subsidiary of Halton Borough Council.

9. A private sector operator will build, finance and operate the bridge (inc managing toll collection) in return for an annual payment from the Crossings Board.

10. The Crossings Board will raise the revenue to cover the annual charge from the tolls paid by those using the bridge and will also benefit from the grant from DfT.

Press Enquiries: 020 7944 3066
Out of Hours: 020 7944 4292
Public Enquiries: 0300 330 3000
Department for Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk
www.twitter.com/transportgovuk | www.youtube.com/transportgovuk | www.flickr.com/transportgovuk

Department for Transport

‘Flashride’ expected on Blackfriars Bridge

Posted by admin on July 29th, 2011

Commuters ride across Blackfriars Bridge in London. Photograph: Alessia Pierdomenico/Corbis

At 6pm on Friday evening, hundreds of cyclists are expected to gather on Blackfriars bridge in a “flashride” to protest against Transport for London‘s (TfL) decision to increase the speed limit and alter the current road layout, creating what one leading opponent has called “a motorway in the centre of town”.

Roadworks are due to begin on the site but as the heavy equipment rolls on to the bridge so will the cyclists. Over 2,000 people signed London Cycling Campaign’s (LCC) petition to retain the 20mph speed limit on the bridge – TfL want to increase it to 30mph.

The go-slow ride will start from two locations. A group led by the London Cycling Campaign will meet outside the Doggett’s pub on the south side of the Bridge at 6pm and ride slowly across the bridge in each direction until 7pm. While a second group led by Critical Mass will leave from outside the Southbank Centre at 6pm arriving on Blackfriars around 6.45.

Politicians of every hue have called for the design to be reviewed. But the decision rests with Boris Johnson whose duty it is as the mayor of London to instruct TfL.

Johnson said on 13 July:

“More work needs to be done on cycling over Blackfriars Bridge and over the accessibility of cycling over the Blackfrairs Bridge, and speaking as somebody who uses that route the whole time I am very much familiar with the problems of the cyclist on Blackfriars Bridge, and I am working with TfL to try to sort it out.”

But on Monday, the Green London assembley member, Jenny Jones, tweeted “Am told that work on #BlackfriarsBridge will start overnight on 1st Aug. As per plans of last May.”

LCC’s Mike Cavenett said: “Cyclists deserve an explanation from the mayor. Is he working with TfL as he said he would or not?” He went on to say: “Cyclists have said Blackfriars Bridge isn’t safe; the London assembly has voted to review the design; the minister for transport has agreed it isn’t safe; even the mayor has said that the bridge isn’t safe. Why is nothing being done?”

Johnson and TfL clearly discuss the matter regularly as they use the same arguments when responding to their critics. Johnson claimed that retaining the 20mph speed limit was unecessary. He said: “My information is that the general speed there is in fact nearly 12mph, therefore a speed limit of 20 is not necessary and could be a serious impediment to smooth traffic flow.”

TfL made exactly the same point, adding that their analysis showed “usage by cyclists through this junction is predominantly for travelling to and from work and is therefore concentrated during traditional rush hour”, implying that the majority of cyclists are unlikely to encounter the faster traffic.

TfL’s own road safety audit identified a number of potential dangers to cyclists. It found that “minimal lane widths may result in poor lane discipline and a false sense of security for cyclists if other traffic regularly over-runs the cycle lane, potentially resulting in increased cycle conflicts.” And that long breaks in the cycle lane across slip roads “present added vulnerability to cyclists from left-turning vehicles.”

Blogger Cyclist in the City has documented every stage of the debate and describes the proposed design as “a motorway in the centre of town” Here he explains why he will be joining the flashride tonight.

“We’ve been terribly polite. We’ve talked to the politicians. We’ve won over every one of the political parties. It’s taken months and months. And nothing is going to change … I’m not prone to protest. But I’ve had enough of TfL and its behaviour. I’ve tried the political approach. And I think TfL has just stuck two fingers up at the politicians as well as me. Blackfriars isn’t just about the bridge. It’s about how I feel TfL ignores cycling all across London.”

Environment news, comment and analysis from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk

Ross Bridge Ranks Among the Top-20 Communities in the Country for New…

Posted by admin on July 20th, 2011

Birmingham, AL (PRWEB) July 19, 2011

2010 has been an extraordinary year for Ross Bridge. The new home community located in Hoover, Alabama ranks among the top 20 master-planned communities nationally for total home sales. Quite an achievement considering the Birmingham market size (49th nationally) relative to the other communities listed in the top 20 who are predominantly located within the largest metropolitan areas throughout the country including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Houston, Phoenix, Denver and Orlando.

John Burns Real Estate Consulting developed the national sales report. They are an independent research provider and consulting firm focused on the housing industry compiling and analyzing an unprecedented volume of information.

In addition to this sales achievement, Ross Bridge was also named winner of the 2010 Best in American Living Awards (BALA) by the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) receiving the platinum award in the category of best community.

In addition to this prestigious new home community award, Ross Bridge’s Dorothy Tayloe won the Silver Award for Best Sales Manager and the Community won the Gold Award for Best Signage.

Since 2005 Ross Bridge has been Birmingham Alabama’s hottest selling new home community with over 900 families. This past year is an accumulation of outstanding accomplishments and yet, the best has yet to come.

The latest community amenity – Shades Creek Park & Pool opened this past May.

The community features several neighborhoods with a variety of home styles for everyone from first-time homebuyers and basement-style homes to stunning custom homes. The very near future will bring new neighborhoods, new builders with new home styles and price points to meet the market’s demand for what is truly one of the nation’s hottest selling new home communities.

Ross Bridge is jointly developed by USS Real Estate and Daniel Corporation. Reflecting the latest design trends in Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND), Ross Bridge aptly demonstrates that coastal areas and the big cities of the Northeast are no longer the only domain for TND and mixed-use communities. It has taken the decades-old “planned unit development resort community” concept and infused it with the latest in traditional neighborhood development design, creating a walkable community with a unique sense of place and a vibrant community spirit.

The Award Winning Welcome Center and Models are open Daily 9am-5pm, Sunday 1pm to 5pm

For more information, please contact Dorothy Tayloe at the Ross Bridge Sales Center at (205) 443-4663 or visit http://www.rossbridge.com. 2101 Grand Avenue, Hoover, Alabama 35336

The complete article from John Burns Real Estate Consulting is available online

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