Roads & Bridges

    Hard Hat and a Hammer: Measuring the Impact of Federal Infrastructure Spending

    By Richard Branch, Chief Economist On Friday, November 5, the House of Representatives passed the nearly $1 trillion infrastructure bill, following months of uncertainty. Over the life of the funding, the programs will inject nearly $550 billion in new spending across a multitude of programs such as roads and bridges, water and sewer, broadband internet, rail, and enhancements to the electric grid. Additionally, the vote also approved a long-overdue five-year authorization for surface transportation (replacing the FAST Act) as well… Read More »Hard Hat and a Hammer: Measuring the Impact of Federal Infrastructure Spending

      The Infrastructure Bill: What’s in It? And When Can You Start Bidding for Jobs?

      Get in line. As the Biden administration and Congress work toward a landmark, $1 trillion infrastructure deal, nearly 2,000 corporations and other groups have met with legislators and White House officials in an effort to shape the bill to their own interests. The White House and a bipartisan group of senators announced a preliminary agreement at the end of July, which includes some $550 billion in new spending. As of early August, the bill totaled 2,702 pages, a massive laundry… Read More »The Infrastructure Bill: What’s in It? And When Can You Start Bidding for Jobs?

        M&A Highlights: Zweig Group’s 8/30/21 – 9/05/2021 Activity Report

        By Shirley Che Domestic Transactions DCCM, (Houston, TX) a national provider of design, consulting, and program & construction management services has announced the acquisition of Rochester & Associates (Gainesville, GA). Link to Details McKim & Creed, (Raleigh, NC) has acquired Texas Engineering and Mapping Company, (Houston, TX). T.E.A.M. specializes in land surveying, site development engineering and subdivision platting. This acquisition will expand McKim & Creed’s presence in Texas and provide site development engineering services in the Houston area. Link to Details National consulting, engineering, and construction services firm, Atwell Group, (Southfield, MI)… Read More »M&A Highlights: Zweig Group’s 8/30/21 – 9/05/2021 Activity Report

          Robotics Are Revolutionizing Infrastructure Inspection

          It should come as no surprise that the nation’s infrastructure is in poor shape. The American Society of Civil Engineers has long been sounding the alarm with its recurring infrastructure report card, awarding the U.S. an alarmingly C- for 2021. (And that’s a marked improvement over the D+ overall score from the previous round, in 2017.) The questionable condition of our roads and bridges only foregrounds the necessity for safe and reliable inspections, a concern that Ron Stupi, Senior Vice… Read More »Robotics Are Revolutionizing Infrastructure Inspection

            The Emerging Value of Remote Inspection in Civil Construction – On Demand Webinar

            Even before the COVID-19 crisis, the potential of remote inspections to help automate parts of the inspection process was gaining attention as a means to improve the inspection process, free up inspectors’ time to focus on more high-value tasks and help project owners deal with shrinking budgets. Now the pandemic has put a spotlight on the value of remote inspection to help reduce the number of people on dynamic jobsites to improve safety and health. However, the industry is still… Read More »The Emerging Value of Remote Inspection in Civil Construction – On Demand Webinar

              A Narrow, Novel Solution for the Nation’s Housing Shortage

              That the United States faces an acute housing shortage should come as no surprise. Eviction moratoria, increased unemployment benefits, and other measures spared many owners and renters from losing their homes at the height of the economic crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fully one third of renters used some kind of government assistance to pay the landlord, according to a recent article in The New York Times. Unfortunately, lower-income families are still vulnerable, particularly with benefits coming to… Read More »A Narrow, Novel Solution for the Nation’s Housing Shortage

                Is Technology Reducing Construction Risks? | Construction Podcast

                Listen to Dodge’s Ben Johnson and Donna Laquidara-Carr discuss the emerging technologies shaping risk management in construction. Below is a transcript of this construction podcast. Ben Johnson:Hello and welcome to this episode of a podcast that builds. I’m your host Ben Johnson, and on today’s show we’ll be discussing the use of technology to help manage construction risks. The data we’ll be using in today’s show came from a new SmartMarket Insight called Using Technology to Improve Risk Management in… Read More »Is Technology Reducing Construction Risks? | Construction Podcast

                  Benefits of BIM and Prevention Through Design: Improved Construction Site Safety | Construction Podcast

                  Listen to “A Podcast That Builds” host Ben Johnson and Dodge’s Donna Laquidara-Carr discuss the benefits of BIM in the construction industry, including how it can improve construction site safety. Also learn how prevention through design could transform the industry’s approach to construction site safety. Below is a transcript of this construction podcast. Ben Johnson:Hello and welcome to “A Podcast That Builds”, construction industry experts keeping you in the know with news, trends and analysis that will shape the future… Read More »Benefits of BIM and Prevention Through Design: Improved Construction Site Safety | Construction Podcast

                    The Civil Quarterly 2021 Issue 1

                    The Civil Quarterly (TCQ) features original research collected quarterly from civil contractors and engineers. The research provides a snapshot of the current business health of contractors operating in the dynamic civil sector, and each issue also offers insights into some of the many trends that are transforming the sector through research, interviews and feature articles. This quarter’s issue features: The latest on civil contractors’ business conditions, including their confidence in the market and workforce challenges. Data on how prepared contractors… Read More »The Civil Quarterly 2021 Issue 1

                      Can Civil Construction Benefit from Using Remote Inspection Technology?

                      Written by on March 11, 2021 While use of remote inspection technology is still emerging in civil construction, studies show it delivers considerable value. One such study, conducted by the University of Kentucky Transportation Center with the Ken­tucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), tracked three e-construction technologies to collect data normally gathered by inspectors—e-ticketing, paver mounted thermal profilers and intelligent compaction. The outcome: e-ticketing delivered immediate benefits and, with improvements, the other two technologies can provide value to the inspection process. About… Read More »Can Civil Construction Benefit from Using Remote Inspection Technology?