December 31, 2008

News for contractors and the construction industry

§                                 New Jersey will start construction on commuter-rail tunnel next year
New Jersey officials have accelerated plans to build an $8.7 billion commuter-rail tunnel under the Hudson River and hope to start construction on the project within six months. Officials said the state also will start widening the New Jersey Turnpike next year, and they note the projects will stimulate the state's economy and address its "infrastructure crisis." The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.)/Bloomberg (12/30)

§                                 University of Michigan embarks on ambitious construction project
The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is spending $2.5 billion on new construction as part of one of the largest university building projects in the U.S. Ten buildings have been completed in the past two years, nine large buildings are in various stages of construction, and five structures are in the design stage. "Having the right facilities is crucial to a thriving public research university," Vice Provost Philip Hanlon said. "We are producing the work force of the future in the industries of the future. And we are doing that even as the help our state government provides is declining." The New York Times (12/30)

§                                 Michigan developer settles Clean Water Act case, will pay fines
Michigan developer John Rapanos agreed to pay a fine of $150,000 and spend $750,000 cleaning up Clean Water Act violations on 54 acres of wetlands. Rapanos filled 54 acres of wetlands without receiving a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers but denied any wrongdoing. The legal battle over the wetlands started in 1994 and went all the way to the Supreme Court. NBC.com/Environmental News Service (12/30)

§                                 Downturn stalls construction in Colorado county
The economic slowdown has stalled several construction projects in Colorado's Eagle County. Developer Joseph Freed & Associates earlier this year halted a plan to build a Whole Foods Market, for example. Nevertheless, an 84,000-square-foot project dubbed Willits Bend that involves commercial and residential construction remains under construction. The Aspen Times (Colo.) (12/29)

§                                 Virginia county plan supports development of land along U.S. 29
A plan by Virginia's Albemarle County lays out the future of public and private development of 14.5 square miles of land. The document includes a vision for transportation projects, community facilities and land use. Critics say it is unclear where funding for the project will come from, but supporters say the plan will create an urbanized corridor of housing and retail. The News & Advance (Lynchburg, Va.) (12/30)

§                                 Brooklyn Bridge Park Project to revitalize New York waterfront
Swedish firm Skanska was awarded the contract for the $48 million first phase of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Project in New York. The 85-acre project will add 1,300 feet of walkways along the East River and will include lawns and viewing areas for the Brooklyn Bridge. The project will also refurbish Pier 1 and other piers along the 1.3-mile waterfront. Commercial Property News (12/31)

§                                 Other News

·                                 Developer halts work on San Francisco's 21-story tower
GlobeSt.com (12/30)

§                                 Construction accounts for 15% of mass layoffs in November
Construction companies accounted for 15% of the nation's "mass layoffs" in November, according to the Labor Department. A mass layoff generally involves one employer shedding at least 50 jobs. Meanwhile, many highway, bridge and street construction workers filed for unemployment, according to a report by the department. Journal of Commerce (Canada) (12/31)

§                                 And the top materials for 2008 are...
Graphene is the strongest material ever tested, according to researchers who worked with the single-atom-thick material this year. Also on the list of top materials in 2008 are nanoparticles and wearable electronics. A new ceramic better than nacre, the material which lines abalone shells, could be used for buildings and acoustic metamaterials to dampen sound. MIT Technology Review (12/31)

§                                 Construction begins on $700M surge barrier in New Orleans
The Army Corps of Engineers has begun construction on New Orleans' 26-foot high, two-mile long storm surge barrier near the meeting of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf outlet of the Mississippi River. Protecting the city's most vulnerable area, the project is the biggest design-build civil works project the Corps has tackled. NBC.com/Environmental News Service (12/30)

§                                 Other News

·                                 Philadelphia airport connector opens, first phase of $300M project
American City Business Journals/Philadelphia (12/30)

·                                 What makes "green" products green?
Reed/ACP Construction Data (12/30)

§                                 Government faced more contract protests in 2008
The federal government faced more protests related to contract awards in 2008 than in any year in the past decade. Protests delayed more than $70 billion in contracts in the defense industry alone, but auditors found few errors in the government's decisions. Auditors also noted that competition for contracts has increased and pointed out that lawmakers' decision to allow companies to dispute task orders on major contracts has led to more protests. Houston Chronicle/The Associated Press (12/30)

§                                 AGC releases new curriculum for project managers
AGC has released the new Project Manager Development Program (PMDP), designed for early career project managers and those looking to move into such a role. The material covers the essentials of project management by introducing and reinforcing concepts critical to the success of every individual managing the project. The course material will be available for purchase as a self-study, and courses can be accessed in other areas, including in-house at construction firms, other educational institutions and AGC Chapters. To order the PMDP, call the AGC publications team at 1-800-242-1767 or order online at www.agc.org. Please direct questions about the curriculum to Amy Fields, director of PMDP at (703) 837-5360 or fieldsa@....

§                                 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Safety & Health Requirements
This manual (EM385-1-1) prescribes safety and health requirements for all Corps of Engineers activities and operations, including Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) construction contracts. This manual will help all contractors working on DoD projects meet all the necessary safety requirements to ensure success on all their current and future federal projects. To purchase copies, visit www.agc.org/bookstore, keyword "EM385."

§                                 ConsensusDOCS offers best practice bond forms
ConsensusDOCS offers a catalog of performance, payment, bid and warranty bond forms. Recent case law in Maryland, Virginia and Florida has made signing certain unmodified bond forms very problematic. The ConsensusDOCS bond forms were written by top industry professionals to avoid such problems, yet they do not micromanage the process of making or responding to a claim. For more information on ConsensusDOCS, visit www.ConsensusDOCS.org or call 866-925-DOCS(3627).

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