CAWP Legislative News 2-09
CAWP Member Swank Associated Companies hosts Project Visit for Congressman Altmire
As the debate in Congress continues on whether to reauthorize a six-year federal transportation bill or extend the current program for several months, CAWP Contractor member Swank Associated Companies and the Association had the opportunity to weigh in on this important issue when Congressman Jason Altmire, member of the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee member, visited Swank’s Shippingport Bridge project on Friday, September 4th.
The message conveyed to Congressman Altmire was this: Transportation infrastructure plays a critical part in supporting the nation's economy and the construction industry plays a key role in building, maintaining, and improving the systems. However, transportation infrastructure investment in the United States is woefully inadequate. Please support efforts to enact a six year highway reauthorization with adequate funding to begin to address the transportation funding deficit.
Congressman Altmire toured the $19.8 million bridge rehabilitation project located in Beaver County, and spoke with Russ Swank, President of Swank Associated Companies, and other members of the Company. Also present were Rich Barcaskey of CAWP and Jim Foringer, Assistant District Executive for Construction, PennDOT District 11-0. In addition to discussing the affects of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on Swank and other members of CAWP, Congressman Altmire heard that investing in Pennsylvania’s crumbling transportation infrastructure is important, because it creates good paying jobs, promotes economic development, reduces congestion, and saves lives.
The idea of touring Swank’s Shippingport project had its beginnings in May of this year, during the Transportation Construction Coalition Fly-In. While meeting with representatives of Swank and CAWP, Congressman Altmire expressed his interest in visiting a project, and specifically mentioned the Shippingport Bridge.