Author: agcnews

We are thrilled to announce that the Mid-Coast Corridor Project in San Diego has been honored with the prestigious 2023 Grand Award in the Build America Awards. This recognition underscores the project’s innovative design, exceptional engineering, and significant impact on the community.The Mid-Coast Corridor Project is a landmark transportation initiative aimed at enhancing mobility and accessibility for the residents of San Diego. Spanning 11 miles, this ambitious project extends the existing Blue Line Trolley from Old Town to the University City area, providing a vital link between key economic and educational hubs. Winning the 2023 Grand Award in the Build…

The Sam McIntyre Stadium project was not without its challenges. The contractor faced a tight schedule, adverse weather conditions, and the complexities of integrating modern technology into an existing structure. Despite these obstacles, the team’s commitment to excellence and innovative problem-solving ensured the project was completed on time and within budget, while taking home a 2023 Build America Award! Check it out!

Texas and Wyoming Top Lists of Year-over-Year Gains, While Missouri, North Dakota Record the Worst Losses; California and Wyoming Lead in Monthly Job Increases, While Tennessee Experiences Largest Declines Construction employment increased in 45 states and the District of Columbia in August from a year earlier, while 32 states and D.C. added construction employees from July to August, according to an analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Association officials noted that most contractors report having a hard time finding workers and that the job gains would have been larger if more qualified candidates were available to hire. “Construction…

Monthly Jump in Input Costs is Driven by Near-Record 34.6 Percent Leap in Diesel Fuel Price Index; Contractors Report Major Staffing Challenges in Association’s Latest Survey of Hiring Conditions The price of materials and services used in nonresidential construction increased 1.1 percent from July to August, driven by an extreme jump in diesel fuel costs, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America released today. Association officials noted that most other commodity prices were subdued but said their newly released survey showed contractors continue to experience widespread problems finding qualified workers and the costs associated with those shortages. “The steep climb in…

Written by Christine Preusler for Constructor Magazine As the world wakes up to the importance of mental health in all walks of life, alarming statistics highlight the need for immediate action in the construction industry. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide rates in the U.S. construction industry are among the highest at 53.2 suicides per 100,000 workers — a figure four times greater than the national average. Several factors inherent in construction work exacerbate mental health issues. For example, physically demanding tasks and exposure to hazardous conditions can lead to bodily injuries, which not only…

88 Percent of Construction Firms Having a Hard Time Finding Workers to Hire, Undermining Efforts to Build Infrastructure & Other Projects as Firms Boost Pay, Embrace AI to Cope with Labor Shortages Few candidates have the basic skills needed to work in high-paying construction careers, forcing short-staffed contractors to find new ways to keep pace with demand and undermining efforts to build infrastructure and other projects, according to the results of a workforce survey conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America and Autodesk. The results highlight significant shortcomings in the nation’s approach to preparing workers for careers in construction. “The biggest takeaway from…

Written by Ken Garcia for Constructor Magazine For decades, the construction of buildings involved sketches on paper. It was a visual representation of what a building will look like through the construction process. It showed where plumbing and electrical will be located and, for example, where the meeting room will be. It was up to the construction crew to build based on those drawings and instructions. That same process continues to be followed to this day. But technology is undoubtedly making it much easier to visualize what the final building will look like once the final brick is laid. A…

Each April, National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) brings attention to motorist and worker safety and mobility issues in work zones. To collaborate with this event the AGC of South Dakota (AGC of SD) conducts a statewide billboard coloring contest, featuring the artwork and work zone safety messages created by South Dakota fourth grade students. “We have been partnering with schools across the state for the past 11 years and have found students are very creative and have great ideas for safety messages,” said Lindsay Willits, deputy executive vice president of AGC of SD . “The billboards have become an…

Written by Christine Preusler for Constructor Magazine ConTech — a blend of “construction” and “technology” that is used to describe digital industry solutions — is easy to brush off as a sensational term. But the transformative technology behind the buzzword is genuinely worth knowing. Regardless of what we call them, these new tech tools — from cloud-based jobsite analytics platforms to digital tunnel construction and monitoring services — are radically altering the industry. Between reduced costs, improved safety, better efficiency and enhanced project outcomes, contractors are enjoying a wide range of digitally induced benefits. In an era where infrastructure contractors…

Contractor publishes illustrated children’s book to spur interest in construction… Written by Nick Fortuna for Constructor Magazine Something happens between the toddler years, when kids push dump trucks and stack building blocks on the living-room floor, and the teenage years, when ambitious high-school students worry about their class rank, convinced that an expensive college degree is their only path to success. Whether it’s through parents, teachers, media or other influencers, kids get the message that construction is an “alternative path,” a backup option in case they can’t hack it in college, said Chris Eccleston, owner of Salisbury, Md.-based Delmarva Veteran…