The California Public Utility Commission’s Consumer Protection and Safety Division (CPSD) released its incident investigation report in which it alleged that Pacific Gas & Electric violated the Public Utilities Code, several federal and state pipeline safety regulations and failed to follow accepted industry standards. On Sept. 9, 2010, a 30-in diameter natural gas transmission pipeline, owned and operated by PG&E, ruptured and ignited in a San Bruno neighborhood, resulting in eight deaths, 58 injuries and the destruction of 38 homes. Since then, there have been reports by the National Transportation Safety Board and an independent review panel that take the
Despite the resignation of two key leaders, California’s High-Speed Rail Authority still has the backing of a very enthusiastic governor. Following a scheduled board of directors meeting Jan. 12 in Los Angeles, Roelof van Ark, the authority’s CEO, announced his resignation effective in two months. Board Chairman Thomas J. Umberg also announced that he'd be stepping down as chairman but will remain on the board.The board asked van Ark to “provide advice on the project through the end of the year.”In his state of the state address Jan. 18 to the legislature, Gov. Jerry Brown reemphasized his support of the
After 20 years of effort, the five-member San Francisco Port Commission recently voted unanimously to construct the Pier 27 James R. Herman International Cruise Terminal and Northeast Wharf Plaza. Image courtesy of the Port of San Francisco A rendering of the new cruise terminal and plaza Construction on the $52-million project could begin as early as March, according to Renée Dunn Martin, spokeswoman for the Port of San Francisco, who said the specific start date is dependent on various final regulatory approvals (e.g., a major development permit issued by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission).Last June, the Port Commission awarded
The Federal Transit Administration approved $900 million worth of funding for the first 10-mi phase of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) extension project to Santa Clara Valley. Rendering by FMG Architects BART's Berryessa station in San Jose Rendering by VBN Architects The Milpitas station The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) requested the full funding grant agreement (FFGA) amount. The project has received all of the federal and local administrative approvals, and the VTA says it is now 60 days away from receiving the funds.Construction is scheduled to begin this spring, according to Bernice Alaniz, spokeswoman for the BART
A preferred equity capital investment by the Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund (CJUF) has jump-started the development One Santa Fe, a $160-million, mixed-use project in downtown Los Angeles’ arts district. Rendering by Michael Maltzan The mixed-use One Santa Fe development The project’s team also includes The McGregor Co., Polis Builders Ltd. and Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group (UIG). Locally based KTGY Group, Inc. is the executive architect for the project, which was designed by Los Angeles architect Michael Maltzan. KTGY has already completed construction drawings and the general contractor, Bernards, has commenced predevelopment work onsite. The project is anticipated to be completed
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s governing board recently voted to approve phase 1 of the Homewood Mountain Resort Ski Area master plan. Homewood is a 50-year old ski resort located on more than 1,200 acres on the west shore of Lake Tahoe that has been identified as a property in need of environmental redevelopment by TRPA. The vote allows the property owner, JMA Ventures, to begin redevelopment and construction of the $500-million project, which is scheduled to begin in 2014.The project, being designed by John Hill of Hill Glazier Studio/HKS, Palo Alto, includes construction of a slope-side five-star hotel with
With the New Year comes a host of changes to laws impacting the construction industry in California. Addressed below are some of the most important new laws to be aware of. Unless otherwise noted, all of these laws take effect on Jan. 1, 2012: Changes to Mechanics Lien LawsSB 189 (Passed in 2010) & SB 190 (Passed in 2011). SB 189 and SB 190 were passed as part of an effort to modernize and simplify California’s mechanics lien laws spearheaded by the California Law Revision Commission. The majority of the changes brought by SB 189 and 190 are minor and are intended to
Officials from the Orange County Transportation Authority and Riverside County Transportation Commission last week signed a cooperative agreement to construct and operate a long-planned 8-mi extension of the State Route 91 express lanes system. Photo courtesy of OCTA The SR-91 express lanes in Orange County The officials had also just received word that the project would receive a $20 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant that will support a Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan financing up to one-third of the cost of the $1.3-billion project.OCTA and RCTC have worked collaboratively to extend the lanes since
California’s department of transportation has awarded an emergency contract to Flatiron Construction to demolish the Paramount Blvd. overpass above State Route 60 (the Pomona Freeway) in Montebello following a gasoline tanker truck explosion and fire Dec. 14 underneath the bridge that severely damaged its structural integrity. The freeway was closed to traffic through 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, while portions of the overpass were demolished, according to Caltrans spokeswoman Kelly Markham. Markham said that the freeway was also closed overnight on Monday, Dec. 19, to finish the demolition.Caltrans said the reopening was delayed when its and Flatiron’s crews discovered Southern
Nearly 800 students from 22 high schools across the Greater Bay Area attended the 2011 Bay Area Construction Career Awareness Day, hosted by Skanska USA Civil West. Students had an opportunity to explore construction post-secondary education and career paths and related hands-on activities at over 40 exhibits. New to CCAD this year was an orientation assembly that incorporated information on construction careers, and was presented by students from Chico State’s AGC student chapter, Josh Payne and Sy Harrell. Also new were two Skanska-sponsored demonstrations. The first was a series of safety stations that had students learning about construction safety related
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