McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies, has released the 2010 Chicago Construction Outlook. After enduring a 46% decline in 2009, Chicago construction starts are projected to rebound 18% to $11.5 billion in 2010, helped by a recovery in all major construction types. Highlights of the report conclude: Residential construction starts will advance 38% in 2010 to $2.9 billion, led by a 70% gain in single family housing. As state programs and federal ARRA stimulus funding provide aid, nonbuilding construction starts will increase 17% to $4.5 billion in 2010, with the largest benefit seen in highways and bridges. Nonresidential construction starts
Purdue University researchers in West Lafayette, Ind., are working with Westinghouse Electric Co. to ensure that a new design for nuclear power plants will stand up to strong earthquakes. Photo: Purdue University Purdue University associate professor of civil engineering Amit Varma stands atop a specimen being tested as part of work with Westinghouse Electric Co. to ensure that a new design for nuclear power plants will stand up to strong earthquakes. Engineers are testing components of an "enhanced shield building" that will contain a plant's main system components. The work focuses on testing structures like those to be used in
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Ottawa River Group and the state of Ohio began construction of phase one of a $49-million clean-up of the Ottawa River and Sibley Creek in Toledo, Ohio, on Dec. 19. Under EPA's Great Lakes Legacy Act, the project partners will remove approximately 260,000 cu yds of contaminated sediment from the river and creek. The project's goal is reducing impact to human health and the environment on the Ottawa River. This is the Legacy Act's eighth clean-up of a contaminated site. "The start of this cleanup brings us closer to the day when the public
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Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission, in concurrence with Illinois DOT, awards contract to build main span of bridge from St. Louis to Illinois. The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission has awarded the Mississippi River Bridge main span contract to a joint venture of Massman Construction/Traylor Brothers/Alberici Constructors for $229.5 million. The decision was made with concurrence from the Illinois Department of Transportation. "We're excited to be moving forward with this needed project," said Kevin Keith, P.E., the Missouri Department of Transportation's Chief Engineer. "The important thing to remember is this bridge dramatically improves safety, relieves congestion on the Poplar Street
Slight Uptick in November Construction Employment Outweighed by Big Drop for Year Overall. Missouri, Wisconsin, and Indiana added a small percentage of construction jobs in November, while Illinois lost still more. Citing employment data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the AGC of America said that construction employment increased in 26 states during November. It attributed some of the construction-job growth to warm, dry weather. Over the past 12 months, however, nationwide construction employment has dropped in every state but North Dakota, the AGC analysis showed. "It is too early to say if the (November) pickup reflects improving
EPA 1-day symposium looks at latest techniques in green preservation of older buildings. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting a free one-day symposium on current approaches and innovations in green preservation of older buildings on Jan. 21, 2010, in Indianapolis. The event, which begins at 8:30 a.m., will be hosted by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 at the Columbia Club hotel and meeting center, 121 Monument Circle. Government-rate rooms are available to symposium registrants. Required registration for the event closes Jan. 7. The agenda includes sessions on financial incentives to practice green preservation, an exercise led by consultants
The International Standards Organization (ISO) now offers more than 100 crane standards on CD. A recent statement from ISO says it expects the CD collection to be useful for designers, manufacturers, owners, operators, sellers, inspectors, consultants, crane authorities, regulators and consultants. The standards it contains relate to mobile, tower, bridge and gantry, and jib cranes, and cover aspects including terminology; design principles and requirements; use, operation and maintenance; load rating; testing; and safety. They have been developed by ISO technical committee ISO/TC 96, Cranes, in which 21 countries participate, while another 26 are observers. Some of the world's leading experts
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today visited the future site of Western Illinois University's Riverfront Campus in Macomb, Ill., to announce the renovation of approximately 60,000 square feet of space for the new campus and the 2,000 new jobs the construction project is expected to create. Funding for the project is part of the Illinois Jobs Now! plan that will help create or retain more than 439,000 jobs over the next six years. Despite northwestern Illinois having a population of more than 350,000 people, Western Illinois University-Quad Cities is currently the only public university in the area. Completion of the new
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. Every winter, the Missouri Dept. of Transportation (MoDOT) uses considerable labor, salt and other chemicals to remove snow and ice from the state's roads and bridges. Within the next year, MoDOT will become one of the nation's first agencies to turn to solar energy to prevent ice and snow from building up on bridge decks. MoDOT will install a 'solar warming system' on two bridges near Excelsior Springs, Mo. next spring when the bridges' decks are replaced as part of the state's Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Program. Both bridges are on Route 10. The one
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