Mountain States City Scoop: Construction Starts in Salt Lake City
Overall Spending Expected to Drop 13% Following a Sharp Decline in Institutional Work
The weakness in non-residential activity will more than offset gains in residential and non-building work.
City Grill
Todd Jensen
Salt Lake City Office Leader, Associate VP
HNTB Corp.
“The thriving AEC market in Salt Lake City will continue for the foreseeable future, thanks to a state legislature that recognizes that infrastructure investment contributes to a strong economy. This is particularly true in transportation. Utah is investing state funding in many new projects that add roadway capacity and attract businesses,” Jensen says. “Take the I-15 Technology Corridor. It’s the region’s largest commercial growth area, thanks to corridor-roadway improvements. Adobe and other tech companies are flocking to the ‘Silicon Slopes,’ in part because they value mobility and see Utah staying ahead of what’s needed for efficient transportation. The airport is undergoing a $3.5-billion expansion. Transit projects can now be funded using state funds, and legislators recently authorized an inland port. Utah’s commitment to transportation creates business and jobs for AEC firms but also a challenge: Who is going to do the work? Like other parts of the country, Salt Lake is not immune to the skills shortage. We need to keep up efforts to develop and recruit engineering, construction and other skilled labor.”
