Concrete Products covers the issues that attract producers of ready mixed and manufactured concrete focusing on equipment and material technology, market development and management topics.
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18 • January 2015 www.concreteproducts.com To improve decision making, the report gives a series of policy recommendations on how to implement LCCA, a process which ensures total costs related to an as- set— including the cost to operate the in- frastructure in the future—is accounted for. The report can be downloaded from www.enotrans.org/publications. HIGHWAY TRUST FUND: A SUNSET? The Eno Center for Transportation, a non-partisan think-tank that promotes policy innovation in the field of transportation, released "The Life and Death of the Highway Trust Fund" in December. The study evaluates the current political, econom- ic and legal forces behind the Highway Trust Fund and examines the lessons from other nations on how they provide long-term sustainable funding for their transportation investments. It concludes with recommendations for policymakers on how to provide sustainable funding while at the same time improving the federal program's effective- ness. Among the report's key takeaways is that the current approach to funding surface transporta- tion is not working and that maintaining the sta- tus quo will continue to produce uncertainty and exacerbate existing infrastructure shortfalls. The three potential solutions offered in the study include: adjusting spending to reflect rev- enues (either by reducing spending or increas- ing revenues); adopting a hybrid approach that combines general funds and gas tax revenues; or, eliminating the Highway Trust Fund and replacing it with general fund revenues. — National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association The report can be downloaded from www.Enotrans. org/publications GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS INFRASTRUCTURE • Though federal policy encourages the use of economic analysis, particularly LCCA, its use is not mandatory or incen- tivized with funding. Some state and local agencies have implemented successful programs, authors add, but these programs have resulted from unique situations under strong political and agency-level leadership. LCCA can be more widely implemented through direct action at the federal, state, and local level that requires and encourages the develop- ment of more robust, data-driven analysis programs at relatively low cost to agencies. material consolidation Better better overall fi nish to concrete products call 800.544.2947 visit martin-eng.com email info@martin-eng.com A Global Company Manufactured By Concrete Forms Vibrating Tables ® Registered trademark of Martin Engineering Company in the US and other select locations. © 2015 Martin Engineering Company. Additional information can be obtained at www.martin-eng.com/trademarks. Call our specialists for more information. 800.544.2947 • Quiet operation • Electric and pneumatic models • Retrofi t on existing mounts • Adjustable force output • 1800/3600 RPM avail- able • Compact design Visit Us | Booth N-822 Cougar ® Vibration for