Letters

Design-Build Article Misleads On Walsh-Granite v. HDR

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 14:35:00 -0400

The article “Walsh-Granite Lawsuit Against HDR Cited Standard of Care and Quantities” (ENR 2-6/13, p. 24-25) by Richard Korman contains false and misleading statements regarding me and my firm, O’Connell & Lawrence Inc.

Getting the Story Straight on Top-Down Construction

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 16:00:00 -0500

This letter is a rebuttal to online comments posted by Michael McNally and Robert T. Williams in response to the cover story, “From the Top Down” (ENR 10/31-11/7/22, p. 18), and its associated sidebar about TGE Top Down LLC, where I am chairman.

Setting the Record Straight on Concrete Pumping Stability

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 12:00:00 -0400

A letter to ENR's editorial staff regarding concrete pumping stability.

Most Comments Blast ENR's Trump Editorial

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 16:52:00 -0400

ENR’s editors used its opinion page to weigh the pros and cons of the Trump presidency for the construction industry and found that the cons heavily outweighed the pros.

Fixed-Price Issues Affect Engineers Too!

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:28:00 -0500

Professional liability attorney David Hatem speaks out on project risk imbalance.

Letter: Merit-Shop Training Educates and Upskills

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 13:17:00 -0400

The commentary, “Keep The Rule Exemption As Is,” claimed that construction should remain excluded from the U.S. Dept. of Labor’s proposed rule on apprenticeship expansion because union apprenticeship programs set the bar high on quality training and earning potential.

Letter: Battery Storage Fire Risks Need Greater Attention

Wed, 21 Aug 2019 13:22:00 -0400

The article “Fire at Arizona Energy Storage Battery Draws Scrutiny” (ENR 7/8-15 p. 18) illuminated the potential hazards associated with energy storage systems and lithium-ion batteries and accurately noted that the technology “now make[s] up 98% to 99% of all new battery-type storage systems.”

LETTER: Speed Cameras in Work Zones: Keep Them Out

Wed, 12 Oct 2016 11:30:00 -0400

Where speed cameras are used, the speed limits are artificially low and tickets go out just barely above the speed limit.

Letter: Misrepresented Reality of CM Accreditation

Wed, 31 Aug 2016 09:30:00 -0400

Again, we must take exception to a recent article that misrepresents the reality of accreditation for construction-management programs in universities and colleges in the story “A Big Increase in CMF-PM Fees” (ENR 6/20 p. 44).

Letter: CM Viewpoint Confuses Important Differences

Wed, 15 Jun 2016 16:00:00 -0400

In her viewpoint column, “Managing the Construction Manager in a Cost-Plus Contract,” Barbara Res expresses a significantly obsolete understanding of agency construction management.

Letter: Levee Failture Clarification

Wed, 25 May 2016 15:00:00 -0400

In your story on the Permanent Canal Closures and Pumps project in New Orleans (ENR 5/9 p. 24), with regard to the severity of Hurricane Katrina’s storm surge in Lake Pontchartrain, wave heights were typically similar to those assumed for the design of the structures (IPET, vol. 1, p. 2).

Letter: The New York Transit Hub Isn't a 'Boondoggle'

Wed, 23 Mar 2016 15:00:00 -0400

This letter is in response to an ENR article, headlined “Bird of Pay” (3/14 p. 7), and a New York Times article, “Santiago Calatrava’s Transit Hub Is a Soaring Symbol of a Boondoggle” (3/2).

Letter: CM School Accreditation Is Not a New Phenomenon

Sat, 21 Nov 2015 00:00:00 -0500

The article “CM Schools Boost Standards With First US Accreditations” (ENR 10/19 p. 17) is misleading in its title and inaccurate throughout much of the content.

Letter: CFMA to Contractors and Agencies: Do a Better Job

Wed, 18 Nov 2015 05:37:00 -0500

I read with great interest your editorial titled “Media Contempt for Construction” (ENR 11/2 p. 92).

Letter to the Editor: The Climate-Changers Are Killing Construction

Thu, 02 Jul 2015 12:00:00 -0400

It’s too bad that your magazine is publishing articles written by left-wing environmentalists (likely devoid of any science background) making statements like “the very real effects of climate change

Letter to the Editor: There's Nothing New Under the Sun for Bridges

Thu, 02 Jul 2015 12:00:00 -0400

I get a bit amused by articles on “new” construction methods for bridges, such as the following one in Ohio.

Letter to the Editor: Major Shifts Needed for Integrated Project Delivery

Thu, 02 Jul 2015 12:00:00 -0400

Thanks for the great article on Lean and IPD (ENR 6/15 p. 8). It’s very helpful for the design and construction community to have a thoughtful piece for discussion.

Skanska: Modular Hospital Story Missed the Mark

Wed, 25 Mar 2015 12:00:00 -0400

I am writing on behalf of Skanska USA Building Inc. to express our disappointment in your recent article "Modular Hospital 'Triumph'

Modular Comeback

Wed, 08 Oct 2014 12:00:00 -0400

The modular sector needs less cheerleading and more critical observation, so I thank ENR for publishing this well-researched and informative article. Despite the challenges, the reason the modular sector will continue to grow is because a well-organized plant is a much more productive work environment than a construction jobsite.

Letter to the Editor: Design-Build vs. AWP

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 12:00:00 -0400

I just read with interest Bruce Buckley's cover story on enhanced productivity, titled "Teams Are Driving Detailed Planning Into Design Phase"

Federal Software Choice For Asset Management Shuts Out Private Sector Vendors

Wed, 27 Nov 2013 12:00:00 -0500

VFA Inc., a provider of integrated software and services for facilities asset management, capital planning and capital spend management, read with interest the article on the U.S. Dept. of Defense's recent decision to standardize on SMS BUILDER.

Letter to the Editor: U.S. Must Address Risk to Power Grid of Coronal Mass Ejections

Tue, 12 Nov 2013 12:00:00 -0500

The latest article, “Hardening Energy Assets” is particularly interesting.However, I’d respectfully point out that an especially important subject that has been omitted.

Letter: Crane Stats Were Wrong

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 12:00:00 -0400

The Letters section on page four of ENR's June 4, 2012, edition, in which William Shuzman of the Allied Building Metal Industries commented on an earlier staff editorial regarding crane safety in New York City, gives some numbers that are not correct.

Correction

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 12:00:00 -0400

On the Top 100 Design-Build Firms list, HOK, St. Louis, made an error on its survey and was improperly ranked at No. 50. HOK should be removed from the list. Thus, Webber LLC,The Woodlands, Texas, should rank at No. 100, with revenue of $107 million.

Letters: Go With the Flow, Chicago

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 12:00:00 -0400

Any plan advanced by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers or others to re-reverse the flow of the Chicago canal system will hasten the demise of Lake Michigan

Corrections

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 12:00:00 -0400

"BIM Consensus Standard Is a Step Forward but Not a Major Leap Toward Interoperability" should have stated that Nemetschek Vectorworks and Graphisoft are owned by the same company, Nemetschek Group. Also, the headquarters of FM:Systems is located in Raleigh, N.C."Cracks Slow Pontoon Job" erroneously stated Kiewit-General is widening state Route 520 east of the floating bridge. Eastside Corridor Constructors, a joint venture of Granite and PCL, is on that job. Alleged on-the-job drinking did not involve anyone from ECC.

Boardroom Qualifications

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 12:00:00 -0400

The cover story "Boardrooms Raise the Bar" was interesting and made good sense, but it missed the main points for [director] qualifications today: truthfulness, honesty, ethical behavior and moral integrity.Harry Watkins, P.E., Retired President Watkins Engineering Consultants Inc.Birmingham, Ala.

Critical Picks Not Needed

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 12:00:00 -0400

The membership of Allied Building Metal Industries Inc. were dismayed at the contents of your recent editorial "Making a City Safe for Cranes," in which you suggest that users should de-rate a crane's load chart so every lift in New York City defaults to a critical lift.Crawler cranes already have a standard 75% reduced chart; truck cranes are at 85%. A further reduction to 75% would limit the crawler capacity to 56%. There is already a built-in factor of safety in the manufacturer's approved charts. Cranes are typically load-tested to at least 130% of rated capacity. A further reduction to

Correction: Wrong Casino Collapse Photo

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:00:00 -0400

Related Links: Engineering News Record Architectural Record The story "OSHA Points to Process Errors in Cincinnati Casino Collapse" contained errors. The photograph depicted another Horseshoe Casino, which collapsed last December in Cleveland. Also, Messer Construction Co. received its last OSHA violation in January 2006, not May 2006 as the article stated. The violation was to be deleted as part of an informal settlement but remains visible in OSHA's online database.

Clarification

rubind@enr.com (Debra K. Rubin) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:00 -0400

In the story "As Fluor Turns 100, CEO Seaton Notes Successes, Challenges," the Q&A with Fluor Corp. Chairman and CEO David Seaton requires the following clarifications.A reference to "greenhouse gas" should have instead read "greenhouse-gas regulation."The sentence "The [Obama] administration said it wants to drive gas prices up to push renewables" refers to a 2008 statement by Energy Secretary Steven Chu.The sentence "Fluor has perfected the public-private approach [to infrastructure finance]" should have stated "sort of perfected."A quotation used should have been stated as "You don't earn a penny unless you sell something."