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Construction employment remains below peak levels in 329 out of 337 metro areas, according to a new analysis released this week by the Associated General Contractors of America. Given the continued weakness in construction employment, the association urged Congress to pass years-late infrastructure measures, including legislation to fund highway, transit and aviation construction work. “What makes these job losses even more frustrating is the fact that many of them could have been avoided,” said the association’s chief executive officer, Stephen E. Sandherr. “Thousands more construction workers would be employed today if Congress wasn’t years late in passing measures like the

The cost of construction materials is showing signs of accelerating after moderation in January, according to an analysis of producer price index figures and recent market information recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Ongoing price increases underscore the urgency of funding public construction projects promptly, association officials said. “Cost increases have slowed in recent months but haven’t disappeared,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “In fact, today’s producer price index report may be the low point, as manufacturers and commodities markets are signaling that bigger increases may be just around the bend.”Simonson noted that the price

The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, which had decreased in January, increased in February. The index now stands at 70.8 (1985=100), up from 61.5 in January. The Present Situation Index increased to 45.0 from 38.8. The Expectations Index rose to 88.0 from 76.7 in January.
 Consumers’ assessment of current conditions was more favorable in February. Those claiming business conditions are “good” increased slightly to 13.3% from 13.2%, while those claiming business conditions are “bad” decreased to 31.2% from 38.3%.Consumers’ appraisal of the labor market was also less pessimistic. Those stating jobs are “plentiful” increased to 6.6% from 6.2%, while those

The Abo Group Inc. and B+Y Architects PC, both of Denver, have merged, effective February 27, to provide expanded architectural design, planning and project management services. For over 30 years, The Abo Group has focused on a broad range of public and commercial work, with clients that include Denver International Airport, the city of Denver, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and National Renewable Energy Laboratory.“With our recent award of the DIA South Terminal Construction Management contract, The Abo Group needs additional resources to continue to provide a high level of service to our clients,” said Ron Abo, president, The

Flatiron’s first Bridges to Prosperity volunteer team of 2012 has successfully completed a much-needed footbridge in Santa Lucia, Condega, Nicaragua. Flatiron, a Firestone, Colo.-based transportation and infrastructure contractor, has partnered with the nonprofit Bridges to Prosperity since 2009. More than 50 Flatiron employees have helped design and build footbridges over impassable or life-threatening river crossings in rural areas of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and now Nicaragua.At each bridge site, Flatiron sponsors a multi-disciplinary team of employees—engineers, supervisors, laborers and support staff. These employees also act as onsite trainers for the local residents, teaching design, construction and maintenance fundamentals.
A team of

Associated Builders and Contractors Rocky Mountain Chapter held its annual chapter awards dinner and political action committee fundraiser on February 16. More than 100 ABC members and guests attended the event. Courtesy of ABC Mark Latimer, CEO/president of ABC Rocky Mountain (second from right) presents the Dick Goodman Community Service Award to (from left) Jeff Van Es, Darren Hinton, and Bryon White of Milender White Construction Co. During the PAC Fundraiser, held before the Chapter Awards earlier in the evening, $24,000 was raised. The funds will go to support political candidates and political endeavors that further promote and defend the

Salt Lake City will add another landmark building to the greater downtown area with completion of the $125-million Public Safety Building, scheduled to open in spring 2013. It will replace the current building occupied by public safety administrators since 1958. Continuing a west-to-east line of civic buildings that includes the state's Matheson Courthouse, the historic City and County Building and the Moshe Safdie-designed Salt Lake City Public Library, the new Public Safety Building will fulfill a multitude of needs, including consolidating the administrative offices of the police and fire departments, central dispatch and a disaster/emergency operations center. It also will

A software system developed by two Denver-based managers at Kleinfelder Group Inc. is saving the city's Eagle P3 project time and money and enhancing the cutting-edge technology used on the $2.1-billion public-private partnership. The Eagle P3 commuter rail is a key component of the Regional Transportation District's (RTD) nearly $8-billion, 12-year FasTracks program to expand bus and rail service in the Denver area. The 36-mile project will provide the metro area with its first regional commuter rail lines, including long-awaited rail service from downtown Denver to Denver International Airport.Longtime collaborators Danny Bennett, a Kleinfelder project manager, and Kevin Zirlin, a

Recently, I have had a number of calls from general contractor clients complaining that one or more of their subcontractors have gone broke, leaving a bunch of unpaid suppliers. So what do they do? There are two possible solutions that might work if their owners have personal wealth or the subcontractors are corporations or limited liability companies. It may then be possible to prove (1) that the owners used payments made to their companies for something other than the payments to their suppliers, or (2) that their companies were not properly organized or maintained separate and apart from themselves.The first