Dodge Momentum Index Slows The Dodge Momentum Index slipped 2.6% in February compared to the previous month, according to McGraw Hill Construction. The latest month's retreat is expected to be a brief pause in a broader upward trend, Dodge says. Weak employment growth in December and January raised concern that the U.S. economic expansion was losing momentum, dampening planning for commercial and institutional buildings. Moderate improvements in the February jobs report should alleviate some of that concern.Equipment Dealer Optimism Hits New High Construction optimism has reached a nearly two-decade high of 124 points, after bottoming out in 2009 with 42
Related Links: Arthur J. Gallagher Backpedals on Surprise Individual Surety Offer by New Employee Big Surety Broker and Leading Promoter Part Ways Steven Golia, a leading promoter of controversial individual surety bonds, no longer works for national insurance-surety broker Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., the company confirms. Golia had become an employee in December after Gallagher acquired McIntyre Risk Management, a Cherry Hill, N.J., broker for whom he had apparently worked since late last year. A spokeswoman for Gallagher would not discuss details of his departure. After the acquisition, Golia, who is based in Haddonfield, N.J., announced the new parent
Related Links: Safety Week Construction Deaths, Fatality Rate Climbed in 2012 Leaders of 31 major construction firms agree that safety should not be proprietary. They are offering their ideas about how to make the industry a safer place to work by launching the first annual "Safety Week" on May 4-10, and they encourage large and small contractors across the country to join them in elevating and celebrating safety.These firms belong to either the Construction Industry Safety Initiative or the Incident and Injury Free Executive Forum. The companies in the groups can be fierce competitors, but they also meet regularly and
ENR Art Dept. A Decline in Volume Follows a Strong December The value of new construction starts fell 13% in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $485 billion, according to McGraw Hill Construction Dodge. The downturn follows a strong December, which was the third-highest month for starts in 2013. On an unadjusted basis, total construction starts in January were $34.1 billion, which was down 5% from the same month a year ago. "Non- residential building in 2013 advanced 7%, but the progress was occasionally hesitant, including sluggish activity at the end of last year that carried over into
Related Links: Sewer Job Battle is a Question of Arithmetic (subcription required) Miami Dade Procurement Webpage Description of the Cone of Silence The Miami-Dade County website makes a big deal about its procurement "cone of silence"—a term popularized by the old TV comedy "Get Smart"—which is meant to describe the county's system for preventing forbidden communications in response to requests for qualifications. When, this past summer, the county sought to hire a construction manager for a $1.5-billion sewer-repair program, a lack of specific language about communication while the so-called cone was in force engendered confusion more appropriate to a comically
Related Links: See who else is moving up, or moving on, in the AEC sector Jane A. Chmielinski, chief operating officer of AECOM, has been named to the Chmielinskiadditional role of president of its Americas unit. The company confirms a Feb. 17 note to employees, obtained by ENR, that she replaces Michael Della Rocca, who was CEO of the group but has left the company, which he joined in 2011. Della Rocca had formerly been regional managing director in North America for U.K.-based Halcrow.Turner Construction Corp. has promoted Karen Sweeney and Tom Manahan to senior vice president from vice president.
Colorado's U.S. 6 Closed for Bridge Demolitions.The Colorado Dept. of Transportation closed Denver's U.S. 6 freeway on the weekend of Feb. 14 to demolish the Knox Court Bridge and part of the Federal Boulevard Bridge over U.S. 6. During the full closure, crews from contractor Edward Kraemer & Sons Inc., Castle Rock, Colo., completed 20 nights' worth of work in 72 hours. Tasks also included a lane shift to allow for additional bridge work, says Kevin Sullivan, CDOT project director. The $98-million project will replace six obsolete bridges on U.S. 6 between Knox Court and Interstate 25 and improve traffic
Photo By Chad Sattler Project officials estimate the schoolwhich was delivered via a public-private partnershipwill generate more electricity annually than it will consume. Related Links: 2013's Best of the Best Projects Winners Sandy Grove School Earns Positive Energy Marks This middle school in Lumber Bridge, N.C., built via a public-private partnership and designed to achieve LEED Platinum status, incorporates more than 2,300 solar panels that, collectively, generate an estimated 589.5 kilowatts of electricity annually, or about 30% more than the school will require, project officials estimate.As a result, project developer FirstFloor K-12 Solutions estimates that, over the next 40 years,
Photos by: (top) Rosales + Partners; (bottom) Freese and Nichols Inc. The $2.5-million Phyllis J. Tilley Memorial Pedestrian Bridge stretches out 366 ft and is 12 ft, 9 in., wide. Related Links: View Other 2013 Best of the Best Projects Winners ENR Texas & Louisiana - Best Small Project: Phyllis J. Tilley Memorial Ped. Bridge North America's first steel-arch and stress-ribbon bridge now adorns the city of Fort Worth, Texas, serving as a connection from the city's central business area with the arts district and its largest and oldest park.The $2.5-million Phyllis J. Tilley Memorial Pedestrian Bridge stretches out 366 ft
photo courtesy of C.C. Myers Inc. The seven-span bridge features a 354-ft arch. Related Links: 2013 Best of the Best Projects Winners Elegant Arch Bridge Spans Seismically Active Canyon Constructed 160 ft above a rugged creek bed in an earthquake-prone forest near Quincy, Calif., this seven-span box-girder bridge is supported by an open- spandrel arch. An innovative mass-concrete cooling system pumped cold water from the creek below and circulated it through the 354-ft arch's pour, saving $200,000 compared to other methods. Due to lack of local infrastructure, crews were challenged by a five-hour detour to haul supplies from one side
