The struggle to meet ever-shorter project schedules with a limited workforce continues to dominate daily life for most contractors across the region. Steady in-migration and an economic boom in Boise, Salt Lake City and along Colorado’s Front Range are driving demand for new projects as firms scramble to keep up with record growth in those areas.
“And that’s a good challenge to have,” says Rich Thorn, president and CEO of AGC of Utah. “2019 in Utah across all sectors is shaping up to be a good year, and 2020 looks pretty darn good, too.” Thorn cites statewide unemployment under 3%, ongoing megaprojects at the Salt Lake airport and more than $3 billion in work with the state of Utah—including a new state prison—as further reasons for optimism.