Construction Industry News

WASHINGTON (April 14, 2021) — President Biden has nominated Doug Parker to lead the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Parker is currently the chief of the California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health. Before that, Parker served in the Obama Administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy in the Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration.

ARLINGTON, Va.  (April 9, 2021) — A recent report from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) reveals that record-high prices and supply issues for materials are causing hardships for contractors on nonresidential projects. The association has issued a statement urging President Biden to put a stop to tariffs on imports to ease the issue.

HAMILTON, N.J. (April 7, 2021) – A report released by Dodge Data & Analytics shows that gains for the month were related to increases in health care and lab projects. March also saw a more broad-based selection of project types including education and recreation buildings.

WASHINGTON (April 2, 2021) — An Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data released last week by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 110,000 jobs in March. Employment is now 1.7% higher than this time last year. This coincides with unemployment numbers dropping to 6% from 6.2% in February.

WASHINGTON (April 2, 2021) — Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has detailed one of the top priorities for the upcoming infrastructure bill from the Biden administration: the $11.6 billion Hudson River Tunnel project in New York City. The project’s goal is to repair and replace sections of the tunnel damaged by saltwater in 2012.

WASHINGTON (March 31, 2021) — President Biden detailed his next legislative push Wednesday — an economic stimulus with a focus on infrastructure and creating jobs. The plan would spend $2.5 trillion over an 8-year period, paid for by a corporate tax increase to 28%, up from the current rate of 21%. According to the White House, the plan would be funded by the tax hike in 15 years.

WASHINGTON (March 26, 2021) — President Biden’s advisors are said to be working on a $3 trillion economic package that will have a major infrastructure component. More details are expected on March 31, when the president will travel to Pittsburgh to announce more details on the upcoming push. Gina McCarthy recently discussed the infrastructure plans, which will include efforts to combat climate change and work toward a greener economy.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (March 24, 2021) — Construction Business Owner, the leading business magazine for contractors, is pleased to announce a free webinar presented in partnership with AvidXchange.

The live, online event, “The Future of Payments: What's Next for AP?” will take place April 29, 2021, at 1 p.m. CDT, and will explore the era of automation and what it means for construction businesses.

Registration is free at constructionbusinessowner.com/webinars.

WASHINGTON, (March 23, 2021) — According to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) study of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released this week, the construction industry will need to hire 430,000 workers in 2021. The analysis also revealed that every $1 billion in extra construction spending generates an average of at least 5,700 construction jobs.

WASHINGTON (March 23, 2021) — Former Boston Mayor Martin Walsh has been confirmed as secretary of labor in a Senate vote this week. Walsh is notable in that he is the first union leader to serve in the position in more than 40 years. Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) released a statement supporting the appointment and encouraging Walsh to focus on the construction industry.

WASHINGTON (March 18, 2021) — The PPP Extension Act of 2021 passed the House of Representatives in a 415-3 vote this week, extending the program to May 31 from the current application deadline of March 31. The Senate is expected to approve the bill this week. The push to extend the program follows the passing of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which includes $7 billion to expand the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

HAMILTON, N.J. (March 16, 2021) — A report recently released by Dodge Data & Analytics shows that construction starts fell 2% in February to an adjusted rate of $797.3 billion. Nonresidential and residential building starts both declined.

WASHINGTON (March 12, 2021) — The $1.9 trillion relief bill signed by President Biden today includes $10 billion in funds for the "Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund." These funds will go toward projects that "carry out critical capital projects directly enabling work, education and health monitoring, including remote options," in response to the COVI

INDIANAPOLIS (March 8, 2021) — NTEA - The Association for the Work Truck Industry, kicked off its virtual Work Truck Week March 8. The event showcased new product releases and offered a glimpse at the future of trucks in the construction industry.

WASHINGTON (March 5, 2021) — According to an 

WASHINGTON (March 3, 2021) — The American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE) released its 2021 Score Card today, bumping America’s infrastructure score up to a C-, the first time it has graded outside of the D range in 20 years. The C range of scores indicates a “mediocre score with some elements exhibiting significant deficiencies in conditions and functionality.”

WASHINGTON (March 2, 2021) — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called the upcoming boost to United States infrastructure a once-in-a-generation opportunity in an interview Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (March 1, 2021) — Nonresidential construction spending increased by 0.9% in January over the previous month according to

LONDON (Feb. 24, 2021) — According to survey results in the latest IHS Markit and the Procurement Executives Group (PEG), construction prices have continued an upward trend in the past month. This is largely attributed to copper prices increasing for the eighth consecutive month, a rise in carbon steel pipe and fabricated structural steel prices from January and a third straight price increase for transformers.

WASHINGTON (Feb. 26, 2021) — A report from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) shows that the 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act Law funded more than 110,000 Road & Bridge Improvements between fiscal years 2016 and 2020. The research shows that states leveraged nearly $200 billion in federal funds to support over $340.5 billion in new highway and bridge program improvements.