January 30, 2023

A commentary advocating escrow as a way to improve prompt pay and overall project health.

Pulse: Project News for the Week of January 30, 2023

January 27, 2023

Project news from Dodge Data & Analytics.

Acquisitions

Trimble Buys Integration Platform Startup Ryvit

January 5, 2023

Technology firm says it will support Ryvit's integrations on its cloud-based Construction One suite.

Equipment

Ritchie Bros. Buys Controlling Interest in Equipment Shipper VeriTread

Auction and equipment sales leader says VeriTread will help streamline delivery to customers

Jeff Yoders

January 10, 2023

The construction equipment seller and auction house acquired a controlling interest in the online shipping exchange service by upping its investment from 11% to 75%.

Workplace Safety

Utility Firm Eversource Faces OSHA $333,000 Fine for Fatal Arc Blast

January 19, 2023

Fabio Pires, 31, an electrical engineer and union operating mechanic died last year after sustaining severe burns, but the Massachusetts firm disputes agency conclusions in proposing total of five serious and willful violations against it.

Legal

Florida County Fires Contractor on Jail Project Completed in 2021

Whitesell-Green/Caddell JV suing Escambia County over $3.5M withheld over COVID-19, hurricane delays

January 23, 2023

The joint venture of Whitesell-Green and Caddell Construction is suing Escambia County for $3.5 million it said the county improperly withheld over excusable COVID-19 and hurricane delays.

Highways

New York Awards First Contract for $2.3B Syracuse I-81 Project

Construction start date remains unclear amid state court injunction on work

January 20, 2023

Lancaster-Tully-led partnership beats two teams for $296-million contract, but start is unclear as state court injunction won by project opponents halts work execution.

Legal

CM, Subs Stole $5M in Bid-Rig Scheme, Manhattan DA Charges

January 19, 2023

DA Alvin Bragg announced indictments of 24 people and 26 companies in an alleged construction bid-rigging and kickback scheme over a number of years.

Construction Workforce

BLS: Union Construction Workforce Share Dips To Lowest in Years

Tom Ichniowski

January 19, 2023

New Bureau of Labor Statistics report says union portion of the total private sector construction workforce declined last year to 11.7%, the lowest annual level in a decade, but building trades counter that data understates organized labor strength.

HIghway Infrastructure

Industry Groups Seek Cancellation of FHWA IIJA Funding Memo

Tom Ichniowski

January 18, 2023

AGC, ARTBA, ACEC, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and other groups target the 2021 guidance document on how states should prioritize IIJA highway funding.

India Will Accelerate Green Hydrogen to Use and Export

Neelam Matthews

January 15, 2023

One Comment

Country could develop about 125GW of new renewable energy sources by 2030 for hydrogen manufacture, with $2.4 billion in new public funding announced for electrolyzers it hopes will produce up to 5 million metric tons per year.

Project Cost Uncertainty Drives New Impacts for Offshore Wind

January 26, 2023

But even with emerging cost risks, New York's latest wind procurement that seeks up to 4.6 GW attracted a record 100 proposals from six wind developers, including one that awarded Skanska USA on Feb. 7 a CM contract for a planned $250M assembly hub at a Brooklyn marine terminal.

Advanced Manufacturing

QCells Will Spend $2.5B on Georgia Solar Plant Supply Chain Projects

January 12, 2023

The solar equipment manufacturer envisiions 8.4 GW of capacity in building one new solar component plant and expanding an existing panel plant, both in Georgia.,

Southeast Construction News

Montgomery, Ala., Whitewater Project Builds More than Rapids

Derek Lacey

January 18, 2023

The $75-million Montgomery Whitewater project is set to complete in summer 2023, and developers see much more than kayakers in the Olympic-level waters.

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Energy Construction

Feds Approve $950M Pa.-NJ Gas Line Expansion, Despite State Caution

January 16, 2023

Opponents now seek a rehearing as New Jersey had told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the added capacity was not needed.

Federal Contract Dispute

US Court Halts $5B NAVFAC Contract to Six Big Firms, Citing Flaws

Mary B. Powers

January 18, 2023

Bid protest by losing firm SLSCO Ltd. was upheld by federal claims court judge, but Naval Facilities Engineering Command response to further contract execution remains unclear.

Transit

RFQ for $16B NY-NJ Rail Tunnel Delivery Partner Draws Contenders

January 12, 2023

Gateway Development Commission and Amtrak say 80 companies have signed up for an information meeting on the megaproject RFQ process.

Environment

California Officials Grapple With Damage From Severe Storms

January 18, 2023

Although the series of storms caused widespread flooding, the lasting impacts may be a slight reprieve in the drought and propel more funding to repair aging water infrastructure.

Contracts

AECOM Hunt Picked for $3B Texas Mixed-use Project’s First Phase

January 13, 2023

Developer's plans for the project include construction of multifamily housing, office space, retail and two hotels in Frisco, Texas.

Economy

Construction Material Prices Fall in Dec. But Outpace Goods in 2022

January 18, 2023

Construction input prices fell in December at a greater rate than the Producer Price Index, but still outpaced the wholesale level marker of inflation for the year.

ENR Newsmaker Choices Highlight Inspiring Events

Scott Blair

January 27, 2023

In the cartography of human accomplishment, you’ll find ENR’s Top 25 Newsmakers in past years all over the map. I mean that literally and figuratively.

Construction Economics for January 30, 2023

January 27, 2023