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February 5, 2013News for contractors and the construction industry

  Top Story 
 
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  Infrastructure & Project Focus 
 
  • $2.1B I-4 project in Fla. starts procurement process
    The Florida Department of Transportation has been given approval by Gov. Rick Scott and the state Legislature to begin the procurement process for the $2.1 billion Interstate 4 Ultimate Project. The 21-mile rebuild of the interstate involves building 56 new bridges, replacing 68 bridges and reconstructing 15 interchanges. It would take 26 years to finish the 21 miles of I-4 improvements if the state tried to do the work using a traditional pay-as-you-go approach, but it's expected to take five to six years to complete with a private-public partnership. FDOT hopes to have funding close by the summer of 2014. American City Business Journals/Orlando, Fla./Morning Call blog (2/4) LinkedInFacebookTwitterEmail this Story
  • $2B in transit-system aid released by DOT
    Two billion dollars in emergency funding for transit systems damaged by Superstorm Sandy was released Monday by the federal Department of Transportation. The transit systems in New Jersey sustained roughly $400 million in damages from the storm and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reported $700 million in damage to the PATH rail system alone. The Wall Street Journal/The Associated Press (2/4) LinkedInFacebookTwitterEmail this Story

  • Energy firm to invest $125M for new crude oil pipeline in La.
    Genesis Energy plans to invest $125 million for a new 18-mile crude oil pipeline project that will link its Port Hudson terminal to a refinery in Baton Rouge, La. The project, which is expected to start this year, will create 45 construction jobs. Genesis also intends to construct "a new crude oil unit train facility" at ExxonMobil’s Maryland Terminal in Baton Rouge. The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.) (2/4)
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  Economic Update 
  • Banks ease credit for some types of loans, Fed says
    U.S. banks are narrowing profit margins and loosening auto-loan requirements to bring in more business, the Federal Reserve says. Consumer demand for car loans is up compared with October, but home-mortgage applications are flat. Banks told the Fed that they aren't significantly relaxing credit standards for business loans or commercial real estate loans. USA Today (2/4) LinkedInFacebookTwitterEmail this Story
  • Report: Ore. needs infrastructure improvements amid quake risk
    The Cascadia subduction zone off Oregon's coast could trigger an earthquake and tsunami resulting in $32 billion or more in economic losses and thousands of deaths, according to a draft report from the state's earthquake commission. Oregon needs to pursue 50 years of seismic upgrades for schools, hospitals and major infrastructure to reduce the impact of such an earthquake, the report said. "[W]e can choose either a future in which the earthquake results in grim damage and losses and a society diminished for a generation, or a future in which the earthquake is a manageable disaster without lasting impact," the report says. The Oregonian (Portland) (2/4) LinkedInFacebookTwitterEmail this Story
  Innovation & Green Building 
  • Nanoparticle product cleanses pollutants from stormwater runoff
    A nanoparticle sponge developed by an ABSMaterials chemist soaks up 90% to 100% of the pollutants in stormwater runoff, then releases them slowly enough into the soil that plants and microbes can biodegrade the chemicals safely. "We can't build a pipe to every parking lot and agricultural field, but if we can take a small amount of space and turn it into green infrastructure, we can treat the water on site and percolate it into groundwater cleanly," said Paul Edmiston, the sponge's developer. PopularMechanics.com (1/24) LinkedInFacebookTwitterEmail this Story
  Policy Watch 
  • NTSB's Hersman could replace LaHood as Transport Secretary
    The top pick to replace Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood could be Deborah Hersman, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board, according to sources close to the White House. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., outgoing chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, supports the nomination of Hersman for the post, citing her experience as senior adviser to his committee. The Wall Street Journal (2/3) LinkedInFacebookTwitterEmail this Story
  Association News 
  • AGC to host webinar on the Affordable Care Act
    HR professionals cannot make tough company decisions regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) alone. As a result, many are guiding construction company owners and executives through the decision-making process to minimize the impact of the ACA on business operations. AGC's upcoming webinar series, The Affordable Care Act: The Impact of Health Care Reform on Your Construction Business, will provide those with a seat at the table the information necessary to make critical business decisions that will affect the company for years to come. The webinars will be held on Feb. 5, 7 and 12. Each webinar will be held from 2-3:30 p.m. ET. Registration for all three days is just $99 for AGC members. LinkedInFacebookTwitterEmail this Story
  • AGC of America’s Constructor magazine team launches Constructor Marketplace
    AGC of America’s Constructor magazine team, headed by Naylor, LLC, has launched its Constructor Marketplace. The marketplace is an online buyers’ guide for information about construction vendors, products and services. Information on AGC service and supply firms are listed by category -- in order to make sure your listing is accurate and up to date, please take a few seconds to review your listing. Should you need to update your company’s information, please contact Pam Dissel at PamD@naylor.com. Constructor’s Online Buyer’s Guide (Constructor Marketplace) is brought to you by Constructor, the magazine of The Associated General Contractors of America. This Buyers’ Guide is not the AGC Online Member Directory. To access the AGC Member Directory, please visit www.agc.org. LinkedInFacebookTwitterEmail this Story
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  SmartQuote 
Failure changes for the better, success for the worse."
--Seneca the Younger,
Roman philosopher, statesman and playwright


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