Continuing its historic leadership in the bridge sector, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) announced June 16 the launch of a new strategic partnership with the International Bridge Conference (IBC) and the Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania (ESWP). The 2009 IBC event, held June 14-17 in Pittsburgh, also hosted the first membership meeting of the ARTBA Bridge Policy & Promotion Council (BPPC), a new industry body created to help boost investment, promote new products and technologies, enhance industry communications and educate the public and government officials about the importance of the bridge sector.

ARTBA and IBC/ESWP have entered a multiyear partnership to develop services and programs to include safety and regulatory training sessions and marketing campaigns to support future IBC events. Both will jointly develop conference curriculum, product education and industry promotional material to increase bridge contractor participation.

Various BPPC leaders will oversee the partnership, including Bob Luffy, president and chief executive officer of Coraopolis, Pa., and 2009 ARTBA Materials & Services Division president. Other BPPC stakeholders include principals from Figg Engineering Group, the Walsh Group, Granite Construction, HNTB, Skanska, Traylor Brothers, Flatiron, Parsons Brinckerhoff, CH2M HILL, the Vecellio Group and Corman Construction.

BPPC leaders have begun addressing numerous federal policy and regulatory issues and have met with House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) to discuss bridge issues, program reforms and legislative priorities for the 2009 highway/transit bill authorization expecting Congressional action this summer.