A slurry-filled sinkhole in the Bayou Corne area of Louisiana’s Assumption Parish that first developed earlier this month now reaches 476 feet (NE to SW) by 640 feet (NW to SE), stretching 300 feet at its deepest as of August 15. Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources An aerial view of the slurry-filled Bayou Corne sinkhole in Assumption Parish, Louisiana, from August 3. Related Links: Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Assumption Parish While the sinkhole continues to expand, its exact cause remains unknown, a representative from the Department of Environmental Quality tells
Frustrated and perplexed by continuing problems at a $300-million veterans hospital project in Orlando, Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) told officials with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs and contractor Brasfield & Gorrie, "I want answers," as he convened a U.S. House field hearing across the street from the troubled job site on Aug. 13. Photo by Scott Judy The general contractor and the Dept. of Veterans Affairs remain at odds over when the roughly $300 million Orlando hospital project can be completed. Related Links: Construction CEO's Testimony Offers Glimpse Into Troubled Project VA Threatens to Terminate Builder in Orlando Instead, the
A $1-billion intermodal center being developed in Atlanta via a public-private partnership received a boost from the White House recently that could help accelerate the project by as much as a year, officials say. Related Links: Georgia Transportation Tax Vote Delivers Only Small Boost for Roadbuilders Construction Groups See Bright Spots in MAP-21's Details The Georgia Dept. of Transportation is leading the MultiModal Passenger Terminal (MMPT) project as part of its P3 program, backed by MARTA, the Atlanta Regional Commission, the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, Central Atlanta Progress/Atlanta Downtown Improvement District and the city of Atlanta.GDOT describes the project as
It's been nearly a half century since the Texas Dept. of Transportation has taken on a project this ambitious. The $1.9-billion widening and upgrading of 96 miles of Interstate 35 in Central Texas from Salado to Hillsboro make up the most miles of new construction the agency has tackled simultaneously since it first built the state's highway system. Related Links: Engineering News Record Architectural Record As a key north-south transportation and economic corridor in the center of state that stretches a total of 492 miles, I-35 is known as "Main Street Texas." Given the upgrade program's massive scope, the main
The impact of the recession continued to sting contractors in 2011. The unsettled market shows some contractors experiencing a rebound while others still suffer. Combined regional revenue for the Top 10 contractors fell to $8.3 billion, down from $8.6 billion in 2010 and $9.4 billion in 2009. Related Links: Engineering News Record Architectural Record The makeup of this year's Top 10 offers a good snapshot of the market, as many firms with industrial, petrochemical and power work saw improvement while those focused on the traditional commercial and institutional sectors fell back. Turner Industries, Baton Rouge, remains on top with $1.78
The holidays came early for riders of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail system. DART opened the first 5.4-mile phase of its new Orange Line in July—five months ahead of schedule. Nine miles of the 14-mile project were set to be completed in December, but the design-build team—in DART's first use of the approach—rallied for an early delivery. Related Links: Engineering News Record Architectural Record The opening coincided with the 15th Annual Transportation & Infrastructure Summit and 5th Annual Global High-Speed Rail Forum held at the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas on Aug. 14-17. The new section includes
Richard W. Galloway was named senior vice president of the water and environment (W&E) group at Atkins. He had been vice president of federal business development and planning director at CH2M Hill. Galloway has 35 years of professional experience as a consultant and contractor to government agencies and private-sector clients. In his new role, he will develop strategies for Atkins' W&E Group in the Texas area and across the country. Related Links: Engineering News Record Architectural Record Arthur Stoddart has been named executive vice president of GL Noble Denton's operations in the Americas, which are based in Houston. He previously
While Cajun Industries helped rebuild Louisiana in the years following Katrina, the work also has enabled the Baton Rouge-based contractor to strengthen its own foundations for the future. Traditionally regarded as a civil contractor with expertise in specialties such as foundation and concrete work, Cajun Industries now is a formidable player in the region, this year cracking the Top 10 of ENR Texas and Louisiana's Top Contractors list for the first time. Related Links: Engineering News Record Architectural Record Through the recession, the company capitalized on unprecedented opportunities in both the public and private sectors. A combination of work with
A new permit by rule recently approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality could lead more commercial and industrial facilities to use combined heat and power (CHP) technologies for their power needs. Photo courtesy The Methodist Hospital The Methodist Hospital in Houston is host to a rooftop 4.5 MW combined heat and power unit, shown here. Existing permitting regulations state that a CHP system – regardless of building site or its megawatt capacity – falls under the strict rules for electric generating units, requiring a permit that critics say is very restrictive on emissions.“So even if you were putting
In light of recent drought, calls for construction of additional desalination plants are gaining traction. Earlier this month, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson’s office announced that the Texas General Land Office (GLO) is exploring the potential of a desalination project that would turn some of Texas’ abundant brackish groundwater into finished drinking water on a 2,000-acre tract of land along Interstate 35, between Austin and San Antonio. North Cameron Regional Water Authority North Cameron Regional Water Authoritys brackish water desalination facility in Harlingen, Texas. The plant was built in 2007 and has a capacity of 2.25 million gallons per day.
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