Lucy Perry – CEG CORRESPONDENT - Thu October 31, 2024

Construction Market Boosts Economy

Due in large part to the 2021 IIJA bill, the construction sector is adding jobs to the U.S. economy. In September alone, the industry added 25,000 jobs compared with August. In fact, from September 2023 construction gained 238,000 jobs, which equates to a 3 percent increase....

Lucy Perry – CEG CORRESPONDENT - Thu August 08, 2024

Survey: Concerns Remain Over Buy America Requirements

Rising highway construction costs are draining more dollars from BIL funds allocated for federal transportation projects across the country. The FHWA admits that what can be purchased today with BIL funds earmarked in 2021 is markedly less that what was pledged....

Lucy Perry – CEG CORRESPONDENT - Wed August 23, 2023

Final BABA Rule Stipulates Domestic Made Construction Materials On Federal Projects

In mid-August, the White House issued final guidance on the controversial Build America Buy America Act (BABA). President Joe Biden aims to bolster the economy "from the middle down and the bottom up." With some exceptions, the word to the construction industry is to use American-made materials built by American workers....

Lucy Perry – CEG CORRESPONDENT - Thu August 10, 2023

Equipment Financing On Uptick for Second Half of 2023

The equipment finance picture is encouraging, six months after a report indicated it would be a so-so year. The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) reports that June new business volume was up 6 percent year-over-year....

Lucy Perry – CEG CORRESPONDENT - Thu July 27, 2023

OMB Hit With Questions Surrounding Build America, Buy America Act

While the construction industry awaits the Biden administration's final wording of its Build America, Buy America Act (BABA), contractors can study up on application of the rule. Meant to bolster the economy through the required use of domestically sourced construction materials, the rule is considered contradictory at best and confusing at worst....

Lucy Perry – CEG CORRESPONDENT - Wed March 08, 2023

Assessing Your Assets: Now Is Good Time to Optimize Fleet

With the bipartisan IIJA committing hundreds of billions to fund infrastructure projects over the next five years, now is the time for contractors to assess off-road fleets and start shopping for machine upgrades....

Capitol Beat News Service - Mon July 25, 2022

Inflation Forced GDOT to Reject 12 Project Bids Due for Lettings in August

Inflation is having a negative impact on the construction schedule for the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), the Capitol Beat News Service in Atlanta reported July 24. The agency has rejected bids on 12 projects that had been due for letting in August, Meg Pirkle, GDOT's chief engineer, told members of the State Transportation Board July 21....

IED and CEG - Wed March 30, 2022

IED Welcomes Charlie Dougherty to Discuss 2022 Forecast

The Illinois Equipment Distributors (IED) kicked off the new construction season with its 2022 Construction Equipment Forecast meeting March 24 at Venuti's Italian Restaurant in Addison, Ill. Charlie Dougherty, vice president and economist of Wells Fargo's Corporate and Investment Bank, was guest speaker....

Lucy Perry – CEG CORRESPONDENT - Thu January 27, 2022

Contractors Strategize How Best to Fill Job Openings

Two big construction industry outlook reports released in early January show promising construction industry stats where workforce is concerned. The supply-chain issues and labor shortages continue, yet respondents to both surveys said they plan to hire and increase staff this year....

AGC - Tue December 28, 2021

Texas Among Top States in Construction Jobs, Growth: AGC

People seeking employment in the construction industry are often curious where the best jobs are. Obvious data like wages, job openings and projected growth play into that analysis. Many other factors also play a role in attracting construction workers, including competition for job openings, cost of living and quality of life....

Lucy Perry – CEG CORRESPONDENT - Mon November 15, 2021

President Biden Signs $1.2T Infrastructure Bill — Here's What's in It

U.S. construction stands to gain mightily now that President Joe Biden has signed the $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law. But the industry's collective sigh of relief may become nervous tapping as it prepares for work on much-needed infrastructure projects....