The sixth annual Texas Transportation Forum was held Jan. 4-5 at the Hilton Austin in downtown Austin, Texas. Edward G. Rendell, the former Pennsylvania governor and Democrat who recently joined NBC News as a political analyst, gave the first day’s keynote address. Rendell, still in office at the time, gave a talk to a crowd of attendees representing public and private companies and organizations with a stake in the future of Texas transportation. It was anything but sugar-coated. The Texas Dept. of Transportation, the forum’s primary organizer, touted Rendell in its event brochure as a “strong voice for a new national vision for infrastructure investment.” A fiery Rendell more than filled the bill, referring to the “wussification of America” and asking “how many bridges must fall, how many levees fail, before we wake up” The answer, he says, lies in infrastructure becoming a grass-roots issue, raising the gas tax and building private toll roads.

Rendell Photo: Courtesy TxDOT

Alterman, one of San Antonio�s oldest and largest electrical contractors, has won for the third consecutive year the Safe Specialty Contractor of the Year Award presented by the 435-member San Antonio Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America. Guy Katz, director of manpower & safety, accepted the award, which recognizes contractors� dedication to safe-work practices through management commitment and employee involvement. Alterman participates in the national AGC Safety Training Program and is one of the oldest partners in the country with the Safety and Health Agreement Regarding Enforcement program sponsored by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.