The Colorado Dept. of Transportation and the city of Grand Junction are partnering to bring the state its first diverging diamond interchange. The DDI is an innovative interchange design that improves efficiency by eliminating some of the wait time for left-hand turns. Map courtesy of CDOT A DDI eliminates traditional left-hand turns by crossing lanes and shifting drivers to the left side of the road. This gives drivers direct access to a left-hand ramp to access the interstate without waiting at a traffic signal. The project represents a partnership between CDOT and the city of Grand Junction to improve safety
New construction starts in June receded 1% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $489.5 billion, according to McGraw Hill Construction, a division of McGraw Hill Financial. Nonresidential building lost momentum in June after strengthening during the previous two months, and housing experienced a pause from its recent upward trend. Meanwhile, nonbuilding construction advanced in June, lifted by the start of several large bridge projects. For the first six months of 2013, total construction starts on an unadjusted basis were reported at $233.8 billion, down 2% from the same period a year ago. The 2013 year-to-date decline for total construction
Sean Miller has been hired by McGough Construction as director of health care for the Southwest. Based in the firm's Phoenix office, Miller is LEED accredited and holds degrees from Southern Nazarene University and Oklahoma State University. Earlier stops in his construction career included stints at HBE Corp. and JE Dunn Construction. Related Links: Upload Your Firm's People Announcements to ENR Southwest's People Gallery View Past ENR Southwest People Articles Norm Dianda, founder of Q&D Construction in Reno, is continuing a succession to his two sons, Chris and Mike Dianda. The elder Dianda will continue to serve as chairman of
The last several years have been a mixed bag for most construction companies operating in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico. But after tentative improvement in 2011, the following year brought generally better news to the Southwest construction industry. In fact, seven of the top 10 firms responding to ENR Southwest's annual survey of general contractors reported an increase in revenue during 2012 compared with the previous year. Related Links: ENR Southwest Rankings Index ENR Southwest Top Contractors 2013 Rankings ENR Southwest Top Contractors 2013 by Market Sectors Success May Bring ChallengesFirms operating in many different construction sectors expressed a positive
Kitchell is a name synonymous with the growth of Arizona and the West; its projects have dotted the regional landscape since the firm was founded in 1950. From hospitals to prisons and everything in between, the company has built virtually every building type in a wide variety of locales and keeps its focus on building long-term client relationships, fostering internal talent and driving innovation. Related Links: Gila River Opens Kitchell-built Wild Horse Pass Kitchell Leads Healthcare Construction Resurgence Much of the culture within Phoenix-based Kitchell and its core contracting business, Kitchell Contractors Inc., was embedded in the firm's DNA by
Salt Lake City officials unveil on July 19 what they say is the largest public-owned building anywhere to generate as much energy as it uses. In planning Salt Lake City’s new $125-million Public Safety Building, city officials came to the design team with a full slate of requests. They wanted a building that could withstand and continue to operate after a large-scale earthquake or terrorist attack.They asked for a building that would be welcoming to the public, could host city events and extend a three-block stretch of public buildings that includes the Matheson Courthouse, the historic City County Building, the
Total construction spending climbed modestly in May as growth in residential and public construction offset a drop in private nonresidential activity, according to an analysis of new Census Bureau data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials predicted that spending would remain uneven through the second half of 2013. “Hesitancy by private owners to commit to new construction, along with continuing shrinkage in public budgets, will keep the recovery weaker than it otherwise would be,” said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. “On the plus side, both new residential spending and improvements to existing homes will keep some
Owners of retail and hotel establishments are reporting growing levels of green building activity planned over the next two years, according to a new report recently released by McGraw-Hill Construction in partnership with Waste Management. The report, titled “Green Retail and Hospitality SmartMarket Report: Capitalizing on the Growth in Green Building Investments,” is based on a study of 79 retail, 30 hotel and 22 restaurant owners conducted in 2013 by McGraw-Hill Construction. The study defined a green building project as one built to LEED or another recognized green building standard, or one that is energy-efficient, water-efficient and improves indoor-air quality
Transportation improvement and the reduction of traffic congestion and air pollution are the main reasons 85% of Denver-area residents believe the Regional Transportation District’s FasTracks program was a good decision, according to a recent public opinion survey of residents living in the eight-county metropolitan region. Nearly a decade after metro-area taxpayers approved the build-out of the FasTracks mass transit program, an overwhelming majority continue to believe the benefits of more light rail, commuter rail and bus rapid transit outweigh any other considerations. According to the survey, Denver-area residents cited reduced traffic and air pollution and the creation of thousands of
Resurfacing work on I-70 eastbound in Glenwood Canyon, east of Hanging Lake Tunnel, has been completed ahead of schedule. Contractor Interstate Highway Construction of Englewood had a contract with the Colorado Dept. of Transportation for a 94-working-day project and completed the work in 78.5 days—or 15.5 days early. With a $6,000/day early completion incentive offered by CDOT, IHC will earn an incentive of $93,000 for the accelerated work. Photo courtesy of CDOT CDOT says the concrete reconstruction will extend the life of the highway for up to 30 years. “We implement early-completion incentives on projects with high public and community
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