HOUSTON — Student engineers from The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) decisively earned their second straight first place finish at the regional AISC-ASCE Steel Bridge Competition at the Pasadena (Texas) Convention Center. 

  WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and other stakeholders are urging the U. S. Supreme Court to suspend the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) seemingly automatic presumption of the need for a wetlands permit on all needed infrastructure and residential improvements. The court heard arguments on Jan. 9 in Sackett v. U.S.EPA, a case that could fundamentally alter how the agency administers its permitting program.

   INDIAN RIVER INLET, DEL. — The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announced that southbound Route 1 traffic will be routed onto the new Indian River Inlet Bridge on Friday, Jan. 20, 2012. This will be the first stage of moving traffic from the existing Indian River Inlet Bridge to the newly constructed bridge.

   CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More than 20 leading U.S. and worldwide industry organizations, including U.S. government agencies, are lending their support to the 2012 World of Asphalt Show & Conference. Their participation enhances the networking and education opportunities for both attendees and exhibitors. World of Asphalt will be held March 13-15, 2012 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C.

   EXTON, PA. – Bentley Systems Inc. announced that the digital version of “The Year in Infrastructure 2011” is immediately available at www.bentley.com/YearInInfrastructure; print copies can be requested at www.bentley.com/2011yearbook. This 240-page yearbook highlights the work of Bentley users improving the world’s infrastructure.

  JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Building America’s Future Educational Fund and the JAX Chamber co-hosted a policy forum to discuss how a strategic and long-term plan of smart infrastructure investments would grow the economy and enhance economic competitiveness. The discussion included a frank conversation on Jacksonville’s infrastructure challenges and ways to bring greater transparency to our nation’s transportation policy so that policy decisions are made based on economics, not politics.

   PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced that closed the Ten Mile River Bridges on Dec. 30, 2011. The bridges carry North Broadway over the Ten Mile River and over a nearby small stream in East Providence. The weight limit on the bridges was posted at 3 tons in July 2011, but the results of a recent inspection revealed deterioration significant enough to prompt RIDOT to close the spans.

   TALLAHASSEE, FLA. — The District 3 office of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) selected HNTB Corporation to design resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation improvements along Interstate 10. Work will include a 6.5-mile segment in Leon County and a 5.5-mile segment in Holmes County, with designs for slope stabilization, guardrails, call boxes, and additional features to reduce animal intrusions onto the highway.