March 7, 2022

For the past several years, the main attractions for construction buffs in Orlando have been at the airport itself.

Viewpoint

Eliminating Loader Blind Spots Isn't So Simple

Udo Schultheis

March 2, 2022

Despite many upgrades with new technology for loaders, excavators and cranes, manufacturers are still busy trying to solve a persistent safety problem: striking workers or pedestrians while moving in reverse.

Drone-Mounted LiDAR Brings Fresh Data to State DOTs

C.J. Schexnayder

March 2, 2022

In recent years contractors have seen the advantages of employing light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology with unmanned aerial systems (UAS), also known as drones.

Executive News

Amentum Shifts to New CEO After Completing Big Acquisition

February 27, 2022

Plaza Construction chief departs with successor unclear, while design firm Cooper Carry taps Perkins & Will for new COO.

Workforce

Ironworkers: Use Pre-Apprenticeships To Boost Industry Diversity

February 23, 2022

Unions and contractors are looking to attract more women and people of color to construction.

New $130M Hanford Site Facility Is Start of Major Nuclear Waste Cleanup

Tim Newcomb

February 17, 2022

One Comment

DOE contractor-built system is first step in removing long buried plutonium production wastes at huge complex before they are transformed into inert glass and disposed, possibly at an offsite storage facility.

Transportation

Judge Gives Cintra Bid Protest of $9B Md. P3 Project Award New Life

Jim Parsons

February 17, 2022

Ruling largely rejects state assertion that challenge of Transurban/Macquarie contract missed key deadline; no state comment yet on impact to project schedule.

Enbridge to Issue RFPs for Great Lakes Oil-Gas Tunnel

Annemarie Mannion

March 2, 2022

Enbridge Energy will issue requests for proposals in the coming weeks for contractors to construct a $500-million Great Lakes tunnel to carry crude oil and natural gas liquids through the Straits of Mackinac between Michigan and Ontario.

Water Supply

Panama Canal Rescopes $2B Water Supply Scheme to Cut Contractor Risk

C.J. Schexnayder

March 2, 2022

One Comment

Ambitious effort restarts to boost historic waterway’s freshwater supply shortage, with design now by the US Army Corps of Engineers and a new tender set for release in two years.

Government Spending

Administration Launches 'Buy Clean' Construction Materials Push

Task force will prioritize lower embodied carbon materials in federally funded projects

February 15, 2022

New federal task force will prioritize materials with lower embodied carbon for US-funded projects.

Clean Energy Construction

Feds Roll Out $12.1B in Infra Funding for Carbon Capture Tech, Pipelines

Mary B. Powers

February 20, 2022

White House seeks comment by March 18 on approaches to extract CO2 from sources and from the air, with $2B for new pipelines. Capture projects have strong critics, but DOE also funds $4M of planned Rio Tinto-Talon Metals nickel mine demo project in Minnesota.

Manufacturing

Ford Picks Barton Malow, Gray to Build $5.8B EV Battery Plants in Ky.

February 17, 2022

Contractors are named for BlueOval SK Battery Park project on 1,500-acre site.

Legal

UPDATE: Feds Want Court Ruling By March 15 to Restore Social Cost of Carbon Metric

Mary B. Powers

February 22, 2022

In appeals court filing, Justice Dept. says Louisiana judge's Feb. 14 injunction of metric is "illogical, unreasonable, and unlawful," and has halted work on oil and gas permits, NEPA reviews and rulemaking.

Champlain Towers Engineer Settles With Collapse Survivors

Jim Parsons

February 25, 2022

Maryland-based consultant had been overseeing restoration plans before the deadly June 2021 building failure, but agreement terms were not disclosed.

Rural Transportation

Feds Suspend $600M Alaska Mine Road Project for New Permit Review

February 24, 2022

Interior Dept. says prior administration's environmental analysis of the Ambler mine access road across national park and federally managed land had “significant deficiencies.”

International Conflict

Big Ukraine Nuclear Plant Is Taken in Russian Invasion

February 26, 2022

One Comment

UPDATE: Russians now occupy Zaporizhzhia faciity, but fire caused by shelling is out with no reactor damage or elevated radioactivity as yet, although power output remains reduced, Ukraine officials said, in latest big assault on the country's infrastructure from Putin military invasion.

Legal

High Court Hears Consolidated Clean Air Cases

Questions by justices suggest a narrower ruling than what coal companies and Republican-led states are seeking.

Pam McFarland

Tom Ichniowski

March 1, 2022

Arguments before U.S. Supreme Court pit power companies, EPA and environmental advocates against coal industry interests and several Republican-led states.

Urbanization

ASCE's ‘Mega City’ Tool Provokes Thoughts About Future of Building

March 1, 2022

The desktop app offers an immersive experience of a possible future city.

Climate Adaptation

Resilient Infrastructure Window Is Closing Fast, UN Climate Report Warns

February 28, 2022

Climate-resilient development is critical before changes cause irreversible impacts, United Nations panel warns

Companies

Fluor 2021 Results Prompt Analysts To Take Notice

March 2, 2022

Despite past troubles and remaining bumps, contractor reported gains in year-end results, with the energy transition set to drive a 10% revenue boost this year, executives told analysts Feb. 22.

Clean Energy Construction

NY Offshore Wind Ocean Lease Auction Nets Record $4.37B

March 2, 2022

Six teams are provisional winners of U.S. Interior Dept.'s 64-round auction of ocean areas in the New York Bight south of New York City, with future development to be done under project labor agreements, it said.

Pulse: Project News for the Week of March 7, 2022

March 2, 2022

Project news from Dodge Data & Analytics.

Construction Economics for March 7, 2022

March 2, 2022