AGC has prepared a drone use survey to determine the state the art in drone use on highway, bridge, heavy and civil projects. AGC's Highway and Transportation Division has created a task force to address the use of Unmanned Arial Systems – aka drones – in civil construction operations. The task force is looking at issues such as: how contractors are using drones in day-to-day operations, what impediments to their use exist, what are best practice recommendations, what technical issues need to be addressed, how can AGC work with FHWA and state DOTs in addressing these concerns. Three members of the task force participated in a national roundtable conference with FHWA, AASHTO, state DOTs and industry representatives in February to discuss how the groups can work together to ensure that no unnecessary impediments are preventing the use of this technology in construction operations from developing. This survey will help guide the task force's efforts. Please take the time to have the person in your company who is the expert on drone use complete the survey. Learn More...

 

AGC’s Highway and Transportation Division Chair Ken Kubacki participated in a media event at the Jane Byrne interchange project in downtown Chicago, Illinois as part of this year’s Work Zone Awareness Week activities. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner headlined the event. AGC serves on the National Work Zone Awareness Week organizing committee which seeks to raise this issue with motorists nationwide and annually participates in the national event. AGC chapters across the country also cooperate with their state DOT to raise awareness on the dangers that work zones can pose to both workers and drivers alike. This year many AGC chapters and member companies took part in the Orange for Safety campaign as part of the week’s activities. Learn More...

 

Construction costs climbed again in March, with increases for a wide range of building materials, including many that are subject to proposed tariffs that could drive prices still higher and cause scarcities, according to an analysis by AGC of America of Labor Department data released recently. Association officials warned that tariffs on some items might lead to project delays and cancellations if supplies become unobtainable or too expensive for current budgets. Learn More...

 

In Line with AGC Environmental Review Streamlining Recommendations

On April 9, the Trump administration unveiled an AGC-backed "One Federal Decision" memorandum of understanding signed by more than a dozen federal agencies that establishes a coordinated and timely process for environmental reviews of major infrastructure projects. AGC has advocated for streamlining provisions like the "One Federal Decision" process, whereby one agency takes the lead on navigating the permitting process, reviews are conducted concurrently, and the agencies follow a reasonable timetable. AGC’s chart and background document highlight some of the common road blocks and delays in environmental reviews and permitting of major infrastructure projects. Learn More...

 

Bridges connect cities with supplies, enabling commerce. They afford people the freedom of travel, making difficult passages and impossible crossings easy every day. Constructors have long found fascination with these feats of engineering and elegant design, but modern bridges – and the builders who create them – enjoy advancements that the industry’s earliest innovators could scarcely have imagined. Learn More...

 

 

This year, AGC celebrates 100 years as the leading association for the construction industry. To commemorate this momentous occasion, AGC has created a centennial website where members can learn about the association's rich history, share their own stories, register for upcoming events, and much more. Learn More...

 

Over the last 20 years, labor-productivity growth in the construction sector has averaged only 1 percent per year compared with growth of 3.6 percent per year in the manufacturing sector. Technology that promotes lean principles can help close that gap. Contractors need to be aware that some of the technology is new and untested. Simple video-based technologies, however, are plentiful and affordable. Here is a quick guide on where and how contractors can see their way to greater productivity and safety and reduced waste.
SOURCE: WILLIS TOWERS WATSON Learn More...

 

 

The North Central West Virginia Chapter of the American Society of Highway Engineers honored Michael Clowser, executive director of the Contractors Association of West Virginia, as 2017 Man of the Year at its banquet on March 29, 2018. Clowser has served on many charitable and non-profit boards and actively participates in various business and economic development organizations and trade associations.

 

On March 28, Moss, a South Florida Chapter-AGC member, and the School District of Osceola County, Fla., celebrated the groundbreaking of Harmony Middle School AA. Completion of the 170,000-sq-ft facility is slated for opening in the August 2019 school year. Learn More...

 

Skanska, a member of multiple AGC chapters, has begun working on EdgeCore Mesa’s facility located at 3856 S. Everton Terrace Mesa, Arizona. Phase one, a $22-million construction project, consists of development of a 25-acre site into the first of a seven-building data center. The project includes site work, underground utilities, a 200,000-sq-ft, two-story precast building, electrical and mechanical equipment, platforms and generators. Learn More...

 

Western Specialty Contractors, a Master Builders of Iowa and AGC of Missouri member, has acquired the 125-year-old Western Roofing Company of Kansas City, Missouri to merge with its existing Kansas City Roofing Branch and expand its roofing business in the Kansas City, Missouri area. Learn More...