Bohannan Huston is a regionally focused firm cemented in New Mexico. But the firm, which performs civil, structural, construction, mechanical and electrical engineering services, has recently extended its reach throughout the Southwest. The firm puts an emphasis on advanced technologies and the ability to perform a variety of engineering and design services, ranging from surveying and mapping to preconstruction and on through to the end of the job. Related Links: Engineering News Record Architectural Record Serving in a variety of capacities on a variety of project types, Bohannan Huston's most high-profile start in 2013 was the $450-million El Cabo wind
Thousands of people will celebrate the May 9 grand opening of the exterior renovation of Denver Union Station into a sprawling $500-million multimodal transportation hub for the Mountain West. Union Station’s transit component includes an underground regional bus facility with 22 bays, an eight-track commuter rail hall with five platforms covered by a sweeping canopy and significant landscaping and improvements to surrounding streets.The Union Station design-build project stretches over 40 acres in downtown Denver’s Central Platte Valley and was done under the aegis of the Denver Union Station Project Authority (DUSPA) as owner. The redevelopment is part of metro Denver’s
The unemployment rate in construction dropped to the lowest April level in seven years as contractors added 32,000 workers to payrolls. The increase lifted industry employment to 6 million, the highest level since June 2009, according to a recent analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. “It is heartening that all categories of construction employers added workers, not only in April but over the past 12 months,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Moreover, contractors have been adding to workers’ hours as well as hiring more employees.”Construction employment totaled 6 million in April, a
Total construction spending remained in a holding pattern in March as strong gains in apartment construction and modest growth in homebuilding and private nonresidential activity offset falling public outlays, according to a recent analysis of new Census Bureau data by the Associated General Contractors of America. “Overall construction spending has increased from a year ago but has stayed in a narrow range since December,” said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. “It is encouraging that spending remained level despite severe winter weather that may have delayed some projects, and the totals are likely to grow moving into spring.”Construction put in
At a press conference during halftime of the Kansas State Wildcats’ Spring Football Game in Manhattan, Kan., representatives from K-State Athletics and Kansas State University announced plans for the new Vanier Football Complex (VFC) and North Endzone Project at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Rendering by Populous, courtesy of GE Johnson The $65-million VFC will encompass 132,000 sq ft of enclosed space as well as new north end zone seating. The project marks the third phase of the Bill Snyder Family Stadium master plan. Situated along the north end zone of the stadium, the state-of-the-art facility will serve all K-State student
The Colorado Dept. of Transportation reports that work is “progressing well” on a project to improve safety at the S.H. 172 intersection at Oxford in La Plata County. The county is managing the project at county roads 311 and 513, which began in mid-February. Map courtesy of CDOT The project reconstructs and improves the S.H. 172 intersection at Oxford in La Plata County, Colo. The project is expected to extend through November and will reconstruct the intersection by adding acceleration and deceleration lanes on S.H. 172, realigning County Road 311 with County Road and improving drainage and irrigation.The cost of
We are facing a shortage of skilled workers. We hear that message almost daily. Many reports say the shortages are already here. We have heard the reasons: an aging work force, letting 30% of our people go during the recent downturn, a weak immigration policy, bad industry image and students unaware of construction career opportunities. The time to focus on solutions is now. The shortage must be solved at the local level but first we need a national strategy. In mid-February, President Obama wrote a letter of apology to Ann Johns, an art history professor at the University of Texas.The last
Faced with what could be an unprecedented labor shortage as the economy picks up, construction professionals are uniting in a mission to rebuild the pipeline of young workers that once flowed into the industry from vocational and technical education programs across the country. Image courtesy of AGC AGC of America economist Ken Simonson (right) and Phil Washington, general manager of Denver's Regional Transportation District, helped to launch AGC's new workforce initiative program in Denver in April. “Somewhere in recent decades, our country made a collective decision that everyone should attend college. The robust work force and technical education programs that
New construction starts in March advanced 7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $521.4 billion, according to McGraw Hill Construction, a division of McGraw Hill Financial. Nonresidential building picked up the pace after its lackluster performance at the outset of this year, while nonbuilding construction managed a moderate gain. Meanwhile, residential building settled back as single-family housing remained sluggish. During the first three months of 2014, total construction starts on an unadjusted basis were reported at $107.4 billion, down 2% from the same period a year ago. The latest month’s data lifted the Dodge Index to 110 (2000=100), up
Costruction is a risky business full of jobsite hazards, from life-threatening falls to blunt trauma injuries, but more insidious dangers exist, like crystalline silica inhalation, which can lead to a type of cancer known as pneumoconiosis. It’s what coal miners call “black lung” disease, where tiny airborne particles cause lesions and scarring on the lungs, gradually leaving workers unable to breathe. Courtesy of National Association of Home Builders Silica becomes a corrosive airborne inhalant during most construction tasks and can lead to a disease known as silicosis or grinders asthma. Silicosis, its equally harmful cousin, currently affects 1.7 million workers
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