The California Geological Survey in November released its final maps of the Hollywood and Sierra Madre fault lines, a measure that could have widespread impacts on development and construction in Los Angeles and its surrounding counties. The final maps create off-limits zones for new construction and could drive owners to retrofit existing buildings.The state’s conclusion on the path of the Hollywood Fault is particularly bad news for the proposed 39-story Millennium Tower, designed to be the tallest building in Hollywood’s history. The California Geological Survey (CGS) says the site sits atop an active splay of the fault. However, developer Millennium

Photo courtesy of Google Fiber Demand for gigabit internet across the U.S. and Canada is stirring up the need for thousands of construction jobs, such as this boring crew clearing a path for Google Fiber in Austin. Related Links: American-French Venture Starts Construction of First US-Brazil Undersea Cable Link Google Fiber contractors are laying thousands of miles of cable in Austin, Texas, to support the broadband company's second major gigabit build-out. Customers there will start to sign up for the ultra-fast internet service in early December. Meanwhile, AT&T is busy preparing contractors in Cupertino, Calif., for what will be the

Essar Steel Contractors were absent for most of 2014 from the future Essar Steel iron-ore-crushing plant, sited in Nashwauk, Minn. In Nashwauk, Minn., construction activity is bustling as workers race to pour concrete and erect steel at the first U.S. iron-ore processing facility to be owned by India’s largest steel producer, Essar Group.The project broke ground in 2008. However, recently, the jobsite had been dead for months, with the owner facing mechanics' liens from contractors and a troubled future. The situation took a positive turn in early October, when Essar reported closing a mix of private-equity and debt deals needed

Related Links: Clearing Out Superstorm's Soggy Mess Amtrak 2012 Construction Plan Has a Northeast Focus  Two New York City rail tunnels along the congested Northeast Corridor will require an estimated $689 million in repairs after Superstorm Sandy-related inundation, states a report conducted by HNTB Corp. for the commuter railroad Amtrak.Amtrak officials used the report, released on Oct. 2, to re-emphasize their call for the so-called Gateway program (ENR 1/23/12 p. 16). The scheme envisions two new trans-Hudson River tunnels, but, so far, no source of funding has been identified.The report notes that a two-tube tunnel underneath the Hudson River and

photo by AP Wideworld After burning a dozen houses, the King Fire is now around 90% contained. Related Links: Diverse Interests Hail $7.5-Billion Calif. Water Bond Measure View Cal Fire Incident Reports on Current and Past Fires As the King Fire, which has burned through 97,000 acres of California's Sierra Nevada mountains, started to threaten electricity and generating stations that provide power to Sacramento, late September rains helped avert a potential public emergency.The fire, which started on Sept. 13, was about 90% contained on Sept. 29, after burning a dozen homes and 68 minor structures. "We've been told that the

Photo Courtesy of TJPA Officials hope developers will not challenge new district tax rates for projects. Related Links: Crucial Intermodal Terminal Design Unveiled in Bay Area Rail Dollars Rolling Despite protests and litigation threats from real estate developers, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Sept. 23 to create a special community tax district—locally known as a Mello-Roos district—for the Transbay Transit Center at 2014 market rates. The vote marks a key funding piece for the approximately $4.5-billion Transbay Transit Center, billed as the "Grand Central of the West."Mello-Roos districts are named for Senator Henry J. Mello (D-Watsonville)

Despite protests and litigation threats from real estate developers, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Sept. 23 to create a special community tax district—locally known as a Mello-Roos district—for the Transbay Transit Center at 2014 market rates.

As the King Fire, which has burned through 97,000 acres of California's Sierra Nevada mountains, started to threaten electricity and generating stations that provide power to Sacramento, late September rains helped avert a potential public emergency.

Photo by Jean Gagnon/wikimedia Commons Alleged bribery surrounding the $1.4-billion construction program for Montreal's McGill University Health Center was among revelations of the Charbonneau Commission's two-year municipal corruption probe. Related Links: The Charbonneau commission was an expensive disappointment Thanks to Charbonneau, tough times for Quebec's mobsters Stantec to acquire engineering assets of Dessau This story was updated to reflect new story developments.The Sept. 24 announcement by Alberta design firm giant Stantec that it intends to acquire most of Dessau Inc. signals that both the Quebec engineer and the province are moving beyond ethics lapses in municipal construction that have tarred

A Canadian federal panel probing the extent of public works construction corruption in Quebec heard from its last witness on Sept. 9 after two years of testimony from industry executives, union leaders and government officials. Since then, several Quebec-based engineering and construction firms including Dessau, SNC Lavalin, WSP Global, Pomerleau and EBC Inc., were accused of, or confessed to, involvement in a province-wide conspiracy of price colluding, campaign contibution fraud and bid rigging.  Post scandal, the firms quickly began the process of rebuilding and rebranding, says David Wilkins, newly appointed chief compliance officer at Montreal-based SNC Lavalin. The Commission of