Granite Construction has been awarded a $72 million contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to build new outlet structures at the Addicks and Barker Dams in Houston.
Read MoreMonth: September 2015
AGC Says Construction Employment Being Roadblocked
Construction employment expanded in 36 states and the District of Columbia between August 2014 and August 2015 while only 25 states added jobs between July and August, according to an analysis of Labor Department data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that job gains may be lagging as many firms report they are having a hard…
Read MoreHousing Starts Edge Lower in August, Permits Up
Nationwide housing starts dropped 3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.126 million units in August, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Commerce Department. Overall permit issuance rose 3.5 percent to a rate of 1.170 million.
Read MoreGrove Stone and Sand Hosts Spartan Run
On Aug. 29, Grove Stone & Sand Co.’s Black Mountain, N.C., operation hosted a race described as “one of the grittiest courses in the Spartan venue,” on the Reebok Spartan website. In deciding to host the race, Grove Stone knew that it had a unique opportunity to share its property with outdoor enthusiasts and provide a boost to the local…
Read MoreIllinois Legislator Tries to Stop Indiana Quarry
U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) requested a stay of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM) water permit that was issued for the Singleton Stone Quarry, Eagle Creek Township, Ind., until more public input is gathered on the quarry’s impact on the Kankakee River basin in Illinois, according to the Chicago Tribune. The quarry is owned by Rieth-Riley.
Read MoreARTBA Says Congress Should Take Cue from Founding Fathers
On Sept. 17, 1787, delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia signed the document they had created. The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is using the 228th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution signing to remind Congress that Article One, Section Eight, makes support for transportation infrastructure investment a core federal government responsibility. It’s time, ARTBA says, for Congress…
Read MoreIf You Build It . . .
By Mark S. Kuhar Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien and the Middle Earth will find this news utterly fascinating. An ambitious group of architects have launched a crowdfunding campaign in the hope of building a life-size replica of the city of Minas Tirith, the heavily-fortified capital of Gondor that is built into the rocks on the side of a mountain in…
Read MoreSmall Operator Wins Legal Fees in MSHA Case
A small, six-employee gravel operation in Bozeman, Mont., was awarded $65, 217 in legal fees under the Equal Access to Justice Act, after a judge ruled that the Secretary was not substantially justified in bringing a case against the company where it was accused of impeding an MSHA inspection.
Read MoreBackyard Safety
By Randy K. Logsdon
Read MoreHanson Quarry Key to Chicagoland Flood Control
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has reached an agreement that will allow space for an additional 4.5 billion gal. of storage capacity for combined sewage and stormwater, reducing flooding in the south suburbs. The MWRD was granted an extension to its easement with Hanson Material Service Corp., which is mining the quarry. The $750,000 annual investment will allow…
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