In the ongoing conflict between the California Department of Transportation and the state capitol’s lead newspaper, the Sacramento Bee, over safety testing of the new east span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, the newspaper’s latest claim was that Caltrans has ignored several deficiency assessments of state transportation projects made by an internal engineering team. Related Links: Bay Bridge Safety Concerns Trigger Local Scrutiny and Senate Hearing Sacramento Bee Refuses to Retract Bay Bridge Safety Story This team, according to the Bee, has been examining safety test results from gamma-gamma testing since December, and the newspaper, through a Freedom of
The $2.2 billion Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System project, located on approximately 3,500 acres of federal land in California’s Mojave Desert managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior‘s Bureau of Land Management, is at the halfway point and has reached it peak construction workforce of 1,200 construction workers. Related Links: Ivanpah Solar Project Renews Power Market Principals on the project include NRG Energy, Google, BrightSource Energy and construction partner Bechtel.The 370 (net) megawatt Ivanpah solar power facility is actually three individual power plants that will feature BrightSource Energy’s solar thermal power tower technology to produce clean, renewable energy from
The 10 leading companies on ENR California's 2012 Top Contractors list collectively had a strong year, reporting a 15% gain in their Golden State revenue in 2011. But in general, most contractors saw business hold relatively steady, posting small revenue upticks or declines compared with their 2010 results. Related Links: ENR California's Top Contractors 2011 Ranking Engineering News Record As they look at 2012 and beyond, California contractors are starting to see brighter business signals on the horizon. In particular, they are spotting signs of life in the technology-driven commercial office and residential markets, both in the San Francisco Bay
A video posted on YouTube captures the moment when a roadheader, an enormous tracked tunneling machine, breaks through a wall of rock and earth and workers step through to greet their fellow miners on the other side. Titled "NIT's Road Header Rendezvous," the clip shows one grinning crew member shouting congratulations over the drilling noise as he reaches out to shake hands with a teammate. Related Links: Race Against Time: Water System Upgrade Moves Into High Gear (ENR 9/22/10) Hetch Hetchy System Launches Upgrade (ENR 7/17/06) The clip shows the moment on June 12 when the two mining crews working
Combining prominent transportation and energy projects, impressive revenue growth in the Golden State and an active community outreach program, Kiewit has been selected as ENR California's Contractor of the Year.
Reno Contracting’s Efficient Sustainable Practices (ESP) division was selected to provide energy and water conservation services to the County of San Diego under its energy and water sustainability program. In conjunction with the County of San Diego Department of General Services, Reno ESP will guide and support the county in its pursuit to lower energy and operational costs, drive down greenhouse gas emissions, as well as reduce water consumption, according to Walt Fegley, president of Reno Contracting, San Diego.Fegley says Reno ESP designed a strategic leadership relationship with Brummitt Energy Associates and Environmental Building Strategies. The wider team of specialty subconsultants
Webcor Builders named Jes Pedersen, the current executive vice president and chief business officer, as the company’s new president and chief executive officer, replacing longtime executive Andy Ball. Pedersen has served for years as a Webcor’s senior executive, who has led the transition of a company working only in the private sector to a now more diverse company with major projects in the public and federal marketplace.“On behalf of all of Webcor, I want to recognize, appreciate and give a special thanks to Andy Ball for all he has done for Webcor,” said Pedersen in a statement. “We are grateful
The design-builder team of Hensel Phelps and Fentress Architects recently joined U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, acting Federal Aviation Administration administrator Michael P. Huerta, Mayor Edwin M. Lee and airport director John L. Martin in officially breaking ground for San Francisco International Airport’s new air traffic control tower. Rendering courtesy of SFO HNTB designed the tower. Image courtesy of SFO HNTB was the designer of the new tower. Related Links: Watch the YouTube video of the new control tower design and construction. The new control tower will be located between Terminals 1 and 2, east of the existing tower. It will
A team of 66 employees of McCarthy Building Cos. Inc. teamed up with Clark Construction and three subcontractor partners recently to raise over $5,000 for military members and their families in the annual 10-K World Famous Mud Run at the Camp Pendleton Base north of Oceanside. The Clark/McCarthy team captured fourth place out of 293 in the Mixed Division, placed number 14 out of 70 in the Female Division, and ran away with three of the top five spots in the Corporate Division, including a fourth place overall. The Clark/McCarthy team also had the highest number of participants of any
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