Julie L. Labonte will join the San Francisco office of MWH Global as vice president and director of program management for the Americas, beginning in January 2014. Labonte is a professional civil engineer with more than 25 years of experience in utilities engineering for the private and public sectors. Until the end of 2013, Labonte will remain in her current position as director of the San Francisco Public Utility Commission's Water System Improvement Program—the largest wet infrastructure program ever undertaken by the city and county of San Francisco. Labonte was named the American Society of Civil Engineers 2013 Government Civil
From Levi's Stadium for the San Francisco 49ers in the north to Dodger Stadium's renovation in the south, ACCO Engineered Systems has become known throughout the California construction industry as a valued member of teams that build ultra-fast-track projects.
Construction is back on track for many, but not all, California specialty contractors, according to a recently conducted ENR California-McGraw Hill Dodge Analytics survey. The top 40 firms participating in the survey reported $5.65 billion in total 2012 revenue. That's up 42% from the $3.97 billion that the same number of companies reported in 2011. Related Links: View the Ranking of California's Top 50 Specialty Contractors View Complete List of Top Specialty Contractors by Market Sectors Specialty Contractor of the Year: ACCO Engineered Systems "Construction is looking up," says Larry Hollis, vice president of business development with San Jose-based Rosendin
In an effort to expedite the construction of a new $448-million sports-and-entertainment arena in downtown Sacramento, the California Legislature late last week overwhelmingly passed a bill to prevent potential litigation over environmental concerns. Image courtesy of City of Sacramento The arena is intended to boost redevelopment of Sacramento's blighted downtown. Image courtesy of City of Sacramento/AECOM AECOM produced this early concept drawing of the arena prior to the firm's selection as architect. Related Links: PLA Deal for New York's Tappan Zee Bridge Construction 49ers Use 'Integrated Bridging Design-Build' To Speed Stadium Construction The bill's passage came on the heels of
Tunneling 100 ft below a busy city with varying substructure is a delicate job, especially when the work comes within 8 ft of existing tunnels. Such is the case on San Francisco's new $1.5-billion Central Subway Project, which began major subterranean excavation last month. Photo courtesy SFMTA Mom Chung began tunneling more than 100 ft underneath San Francisco. Related Links: Barnard Impregilo Healy JV Awarded San Franciscos Central Subway Tunneling Project "The tunnels pass through both soft ground and Franciscan formation, which is heterogeneous rock that is not predictable except in its unpredictability," says Sarah Wilson, a San Francisco Municipal
The U.S. Navy's new $455-million Replacement Hospital project in Oceanside, Calif., is not only $100 million under budget and six months ahead of schedule but also one of the first major U.S. design-build projects of its kind to use a unique 100% turnkey equipment procurement process, according to the project team. Related Links: Clark/McCarthy JV Breaks Ground on $394-Million Naval Hospital Clark/McCarthy Joint Venture is performing the design-build contract with full medical planning, including all equipment procurement, coordination, installation and training. "We are not aware of another major health-care facility where the same entity was responsible for design, construction and
The opening date for the San Francisco-Oakland East Bay Bridge has been moved back to the original date of Tuesday, Sept. 3. The bridge opening had been postponed until December to allow time for contractor American Bridge/Fluor Joint Venture to install permanent saddle braces to replace the clamping force lost when corroded steel bolts broke during tensioning in March. Photos courtesy Caltrans As the temporary shims are put in place to allow the bridge to open on time (above), work continues on the permanent saddle fix (below). Related Links: View a Brief Video of a Worker Installing a Temporary Shim
In 1997, a 13-year-old girl and her family stopped to watch an explosive demolition of an abandoned hospital in Australia. She was killed by flying debris. "Almost overnight, implosions worldwide ceased being actively promoted as spectator events," wrote Brent L. Blanchard, operations manager for consultant Protec Documentation Services, Rancocas Woods, N.J., in his history of the demolition technique. Photo courtesy of David Seibold Injury to onlooker may trigger new efforts to discourage live viewing at demo site. Related Links: A History of Explosive Demolition Bakersfield Power Plant Implosion Gone Wrong Results in Serious Injuries Now there is a sad new
The world's largest solar thermal powerplant is nearing completion in the Ivanpah Dry Lake, 50 miles northwest of Needles, Calif. Comprising three units that will begin staged operation in the fourth quarter, the 377-MW Ivanpah complex will generate enough electricity for 140,000 homes and displace more than 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, says the owner-developer. Related Links: Solar Sees Growth But Clouds Loom Ivanpah Solar Project Renews Power Market BrightSource Energy Inc., Oakland, has power-purchase agreements in place with PG&E and Southern California Edison. By generating more than 1-million-MWh annually, the $2.2-billion plant will nearly double U.S. commercial
Phase 2 of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority Expo Light Rail project is closing in on its quest to reach the Pacific by 2015. About 45% complete as of late July, the $1.5-billion, 6.6-mile-long line from Culver City to Santa Monica faces obstacles above and below ground. Related Links: Opponents Seek to Stop L.A. Light Rail Project Condo, Transit Projects Dominate California's 2012 Top Project Starts The project continues the Expo Line's $930-million, 8.6-mile-long Phase 1, which opened last year and links downtown Los Angeles with Culver City. Phase 2 broke ground last summer and will extend the line
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