Geotechnical News December 2010
49
ASFE NEWS
The National Infrastructure Bank:
An Idea Whose Time Has Come
Felix G. Rohatyn is an 82-year-old
investment banker (he prevented the
bankruptcy of New York City in the
1970s) and former U.S. Ambassador
to France. He wrote about the Obama-
administration-proposed infrastructure
bank inaSeptember 15, 2010
Wall Street
Journal
op-ed, saying that a “national
infrastructure bank could leverage
private capital for projects of regional
and national significance… [and] begin
to reverse federal policies that treat
infrastructure as a way to give states
and localities resources for projects
that meet local political objectives
rather than national economic ones.”
Another advantage? “The bank would
evaluate prospective infrastructure
projects on consistent terms. It would
be able to negotiate with state or local
sponsors of a project what their cost
shares should be. The bank also could
help groups of states come together for
regional projects such as high-speed
rail and better freight management.
Such consolidation would improve
project selection,” he said.
Would there be other benefits? Yes,
he wrote: “The bank also could ensure
that states and localities consider all
other options—from wetlands preser-
vation to implementing tolls—before
structural options are funded. It would
create an avenue for private investors
to put risk capital into new projects and
bless their involvement with the bank’s
own participation. In short, it would
treat infrastructure like a long-term in-
vestment, not an expense.” And in con-
clusion? “By investing significantly in
infrastructure we would act in the tra-
dition of American leaders whose bold
programs shaped our progress. Presi-
dent Lincoln transformed the country
by beginning a transcontinental rail-
road during a time of war. FDR’s GI
Bill allowed millions of Americans to
attend college and become the source
of our technological and intellectual
power. President Eisenhower built the
interstate highway system, creating
millions of jobs and a suburban econo-
my still basic to the U.S. Renewing our
country’s infrastructure will have simi-
lar impact. The infrastructure bank is
an idea whose time has come.” Amen.
New Members
ASFE has been reaching out to
geoprofessional faculty of late, in an
effort to spread the word about the
geoprofessions and geoprofessionals to
university students via their professors,
all as part of our efforts to achieve
our new purpose. That’s why we
are delighted to announce three new
Faculty Members. We want more! If
you know geoprofessional faculty who
would benefit from knowing more
about ASFE, what we’re about, and
what we have available for them and
their students, let them know a about
ASFE. Encourage them to visit our
website and, if they’re interested in
membership, to contact John Bachner
). Membership is by-
invitation only and costs just $50 per
year. And PLEASE do not be hesitatnt
about encouraging geoprofessional
practitioners to have their firms join
ASFE. The more members we have,
the more we can do for each.
Our three new Faculty
Members are…
David Arellano, Ph.D., P.E.
(De-
partment of Civil Engineering / Univer-
sity of Memphis / 104 Engineering Sci-
ence Building / Memphis, TN 38152 /
tel: 901/678-3272 / fax: 901/678-3026)
Dr. Arellano is an assistant professor of
civil engineering in the Department of
Civil Engineering at the University of
Memphis.
Allen L. Jones, Ph.D., P.E.
(South
Dakota State University / Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineer-
ing / CEH 124 / PO Box 2219 / Brook-
ings, SD 57007 / tel: 605/688-6467 /
fax: 605/688-6476)
Dr. Jones is a ten-
ured associate professor in South Da-
kota State University’s Department of
Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Ali Maher, Ph.D.
(Rutgers Uni-
versity / Dept. of Civil and Environ-
mental Engineering / 100 Brett Road
/ Piscataway, NJ 08854-0577 / tel:
732/445-0579 / fax: 732/445-0577)
Dr. Maher is a professor of
civil and
environmental engineering
at Rut-
gers and the director of the Center for
Advanced Infrastructure & Transpor-
tation, a USDOT-funded University
Transportation Center.
Antonio
“Tony”
Marinucci,
Ph.D., P.E., MBA
(ADSC, Parkway
Tower, 8445 Freeport Parkway, Suite
325, Irving, TX 75063 / tel: 469/359-
6000 / fax: 469/359-6007)
is our new-
est
Practitioner Member
. He is di-
rector of operations for ADSC: The
International Association of Founda-
tion Drilling.
And our newest
ASFE-Mem-
ber Firm
is
Vertical V, Inc
.
(200 S.
Park Road /Suite 350 / Hollywood,
FL 33021 / tel: 954/495-2112 / fax:
954/495-2101)
Vertical V offers an ex-
tensive range of technical services and
solutions including preconstruction
services, geotechnical engineering,
construction materials engineering and
testing, geotechnical and environmen-
tal drilling, and standard penetration
testing.
Alexander A. Hockman, P.E.
is chief operations officer; and
Steven
E. Black P.E.
is vice president.
