Author: Jeanie Clapp

Why America’s highway system needs an upgrade Initiated by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Interstate Highway System is widely considered one of the greatest public works projects in the 250 years of U.S. history. For the construction industry, it represented an unprecedented era of standardized road building, requiring all routes to be freeways with at least four lanes, controlled access, and no at-grade crossings. When signing the legislation in 1956, the president remarked, “Our highways badly need modernization and expansion to accommodate today’s vastly increased motor traffic.” Seventy years later, that statement still…

Why construction teams are choosing to build differently BY ELSBETH RUSSELL Across the construction industry, owners are facing a difficult reality: Projects are becoming more complicated at the exact moment timelines are shrinking and certainty is harder to achieve. Those pressures are driving renewed momentum behind design-build delivery. Long viewed as an alternative project delivery method, design-build is increasingly being treated as a strategic business tool that helps owners reduce risk, accelerate schedules, improve collaboration, and maintain greater cost certainty throughout a project lifecycle. That strategic shift is the story behind two very different projects: a massive industrial buildout driven…

Innovative concrete pour expands the Gila River Bridge’s lifespan BY AUTUMN CAFIERO GIUSTI Extreme conditions are a way of life in Arizona. Seasonal torrential rains have been known to rapidly produce flash floods, while summer days regularly bring highs of 110 degrees. Add to that a fast-growing population, with more traffic and heavier cargo putting additional strain on state roadways. “We’re seeing more and more longhaul and other cargo trucks transporting goods across the United States. Wear and tear on the roads is higher than it’s ever been, and it’s only going to get worse,” said Amy Haymaker, Arizona area…

How new purchasing models and intuitive technology are expanding access for smaller contractors BY LAWRENCE SMITH, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, TRIMBLE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, AN AGC OF AMERICA CAPSTONE SUPPORTER Across the construction industry, small and mid-sized contractors make up the vast majority of firms. Yet for decades, they have been challenged when it comes to accessing enterprise-level technology benefits supporting larger contractors. The imbalance is shifting. Democratization of technology, driven by cloud-based platforms, predictable subscription models, and mobile-first workflows, is lowering the barriers to entry and ongoing success. Tools that once required large capital budgets, dedicated IT teams, and tech-savvy…

AI Innovations for Finance Leaders BY KRYSTAL PERTUIT Managing construction job costs, retainage, WIP schedules, cash flow timing, and month-end close across multiple entities can feel like a financial obstacle course — especially as teams face labor shortages and tighter deadlines. Finance leaders are being asked to move faster, with fewer resources, while still delivering clarity and control. That’s where AI embedded in Sage Intacct for construction can help — not as a flashy buzzword, but as a practical way to reduce friction in everyday work. Why AI Matters in Construction Finance AI isn’t about replacing construction finance professionals. It’s…

Bipartisan bill adds protection to highway work zones BY AMY KING The dangers facing highway construction crews, emergency responders, and roadside workers have become impossible for policymakers and the construction industry to ignore. Across the country, workers repairing roads, responding to crashes, directing traffic, and clearing disabled vehicles continue to operate mere feet away from high-speed traffic, often in unpredictable and hazardous conditions. For AGC of America, the growing risks in work zones have become one of the industry’s most pressing safety concerns. Now, a new bipartisan proposal in Congress aims to address those dangers through stronger planning, better data…

The planning, precision, and teamwork that led Michigan Central Station to a Build America Grand Award BY A.D. THOMPSON Austin Giesey’s grandmother grew up about a quarter of a mile from Michigan Central Station. She’d tell him stories about what it was like back then, how her sisters used to walk through the grand building during the holidays, singing Christmas carols with a choir. “However, when I was growing up, the station was a sign of decay,” Giesey, now a senior project manager with The Christman Company, told Constructor. “I’d drive past and think I wouldn’t want to go in…

Inside the culture that has earned AGC’s highest safety honor threefold BY JENNIFER KLING When the lights came up at AGC of America’s annual convention in March, and Sundt Construction was called to the stage at the WTW Construction Safety Excellence Awards (CSEA) program, it was a moment that had never happened before. For the third time, Sundt took home the Grand Award, having previously won in 2006 and 2016. No other contractor in the award’s history has claimed the prize three times. The company’s safety and health program was selected from among 22 first-place winners across six occupational divisions,…

BY EDGAR SANCHEZ, NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER OVER JOBSITE SAFETY SOLUTIONS, MILWAUKEE TOOL, AN AGC OF AMERICA CAPSTONE SUPPORTER Safety across the construction industry has long been shaped by compliance, policies, procedures, and protective measures designed to reduce risk. But as jobsites become more complex and performance demands increase, that approach is evolving. Increasingly, safety is being viewed not as a checklist, but as a connected system, one that integrates equipment, worker behavior, and jobsite conditions to better protect the workforce. This shift reflects a broader industry movement toward proactive, humancentered safety strategies. Rather than reacting to incidents, companies are investing…

Inside the shift transforming construction marketing, business development, and trust BY JEANIE J. CLAPP For decades, construction marketing followed a familiar formula: Promote the project, list the qualifications, submit the proposal. But today, in an industry defined by competition, workforce challenges, and an increasingly informed client, that approach alone is no longer enough. Across the construction industry, marketing has evolved from a support function into a strategic driver of business development — one rooted in storytelling, expertise, and relationships. Marketing Moves from Promotion to Positioning “Construction marketing has evolved from focusing solely on the projects to the people,” said Jennifer…