Skanska USA Civil West California District was among the 1,100 firms that expressed interest in building the California High-Speed Rail Authority�s planned rail line. The submissions, by small businesses to multinational corporations and large construction firms, were in response to a �Request for Expressions of Interest� issued by the authority in February, asking that the private sector put in writing their desire to help develop California�s high-speed rail project. In the responses, companies addressed the design, construction, operation and funding aspects of both the initial construction segment in California�s Central Valley and the overall first phase of the statewide project
O.C. Jones & Sons Inc.'s non-profit organization TLC for Kids Sports will dedicate its second little league field renovation project April 2 in Antioch, with Brian Hooker from the office of Congressman John Garamendi, former 49ers star Brent Jones and Olympic silver medalist Vicky Galindo in attendance. The Antioch Little League fields are located at 10th and O Streets and host boys little league games and girls softball as well as the Challenger Division games for physically and mentally disabled children ages 5-22 years old. O.C. Jones & Sons, a Berkeley-based construction firm, created and sponsors TLC for Kids Sports,
In what has become a very rare occurrence in California of late, a new Class A office construction project is getting off the ground in San Diego. Rendering by Brian Paul & Associates. KMA is designing building 2, which is the one on the left. The building on the right already exists. Last week, KMA Architecture & Engineering, in partnership with Swinerton Builders, were retained as the architect of record to design/build the Class A Sunroad Centrum II Office Tower for Sunroad Enterprises. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2011, and is expected to be complete in 2012. Located
Taisei Construction Corp., Cypress, recently completed a 53,000-sq-ft herbal healthcare supplements plant in the western Riverside County community of Mira Loma for Wakunaga of America. The construction phase spanned 11 months and was finished one month early. The five-acre plant, located at the intersection of East Philadelphia Avenue and Venture Drive, represents a major expansion of an eight-acre site occupied by Wakunaga since 1992. The new tilt-up-concrete facility has 29,000 sq ft of production space, 11,400 sq ft of office space and about 12,500 sq ft of warehouse space. Wakunaga already has a 23,000-sq-ft plant on a contiguous 2.3 acres.
The American Institute of Architects, California Council has published a whitepaper with specific recommendations for building a stronger Division of the State Architect (DSA), including consolidating the state�s construction related functions under a single, efficient agency, and �embracing project delivery methods that increase project value, reduce waste and optimize efficiency through all phases of design, fabrication, and construction.� With the state facing further budget cuts, the AIACC says it embarked on this effort to focus on �efficiency and effectiveness in the built environment.� �The fragmentation of the state�s design and construction process over the years has increased costs to California
Kristine Young has become the first woman installed as national president of the Associated General Contractors of America. CEO of Miller the Driller, a Des Moines, Iowa-based trenchless technology contractor, she was inaugurated on March 25 at AGC�s 92nd annual convention, held this week in Las Vegas. Photo: Courtesy of AGC Kristine Young The association�s front-burner issues this year include federal investment in infrastructure, new ways to connect with members and coping with the recession. Young is well aware of the tough economic times facing the engineering and construction industry. The incoming president�s Des Moines-based underground construction company, Miller the
The California Public Utilities Commission and Pacific Gas and Electric agreed on a penalty of at least $3 million for failure to supply all its records for pressure tests of natural gas pipelines in high-consequence areas (HCA) as requested earlier this month. Photo courtesy of NTSB The deal was reached March 24 during a CPUC �Order to Show Cause� hearing on the matter. The commission will discuss the order Monday, March 28, before an administrative law judge with a final decision made �thereafter,� says the CPUC. The CPUC�s Executive Director Paul Clanon says the stipulated outcome would fine PG&E $6
Out of 50 states and the District of Columbia, California ranks 18th worst nationally in terms of the overall condition of the state�s bridges, according to a new report issued by Transportation for America, Washington, D.C., a national transportation reform coalition. San Francisco�s Lefty O�Doul Bridge, built in 1933, needs more structural upgrades. Within the state, San Francisco County leads the way with 40 structurally deficient bridges out of 116, or 34.5%, followed by Madera County with 74 of 229 or 32.3%. According to the report: �Today, one out of every eight bridges that motorists in California cross each day
Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 105 into law this week, which is expected to protect $2.5 billion to $3.5 billion of transportation funds essential to the survival of state, regional and local transportation programs. The Associated General Contractors of California were lobbying hard for the passage of the governor�s budget proposal asking for approval of the transportation tax swap. Proposition 26, approved by the voters in the November 2010 election, invalidated the 17.3-cents of gasoline excise taxes and a 1.75% sales tax rate on diesel, both of which were enacted to replace Proposition 42 revenues eliminated in the �gas
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission on March 24 advertised the final segment of the San Joaquin Pipeline (SJPL) system upgrade program (contract 3, eastern segment, $75 million) with a pre-bid meeting and site tour scheduled for April 20. Photo courtesy of the SFPUC The SJPL is part of the SFPUC�s Water System Improvement Program (WSIP), a $4.6 billion bond-funded program that includes 86 projects to seismically upgrade and repair the aging regional water system in six Bay Area counties. The WSIP involves a broad range of projects varying in size and complexity covering all aspects of the water system
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