Construction industry firms, hit by the recession, are searching feverishly for more details on which infrastructure projects might be funded in the eagerly expected economic stimulus package. Highways have been a particularly hot topic, partly because President-elect Barack Obama has mentioned that sector prominently and partly because the segment is so large.
Interest in the stimulus is “huge,” says Brian Deery, senior director of the Associated General Contractors’ highway and transportation division. “I’m getting calls all the time,” from firms and AGC chapters. It’s no wonder why interest is keen: Deery says, “A lot of [companies] just don’t have any work or their backlog is dissipating very quickly.”