Construction News Tracker Video: AEM Issues Hazard Warning on Diesel Fuel

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers has issued a warning of new static electricity hazards that come with the use of new ultra low sulpher diesel fuels mandated by the EPA plus more news on the July 11, 2013 edition of Construction News Tracker

The nation's top 20 cities with new construction...

A hazard warning issued on new diesel fuel...

Which state may be first to adopt a vehicle mileage tax...

And the nation has a new Transportation Secretary...

That and more on Construction News Tracker brought to you by Caterpillar and produced by ForConstructionPros.com.

McGraw Hill Construction Data has just completed a new survey that shows construction was up 10 percent in 2012 and is projected to climb 12 percent this year.

Top 20 U.S. Cities with Most New Construction

Using MSA data, the document shows where funds have been spent through May of this year on new construction starts that fall under the total building umbrella on all types of projects - except public works and electric utilities. Phoenix, which places either on the list, comes in as the number one hottest housing market this year.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers has issued a warning of new static electricity hazards that come with the use of new ultra low sulpher diesel fuels mandated by the EPA. It's outlined in a bulletin available at www.aem.org.

The state of Oregon could become the nation's first to adopt a vehicle mile tax assessed on the amount of gasoline used, and replace the Federal Gas Tax. We emphasize "could" becuase the Oregon bill would require motorist to install a computer device designed to track a vehicle's location so the tax would not be collected if a motorist left the state.

Oregon Passes Nation's First Road-Usage Tax

Anythony Foxx is now Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Foxx Confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Transportation

The former Charlotte, N.C., mayor received a unanimous vote of the U.S. Senate. Foxx will face a multitude of problems in his new role, including finding money to fund future infrastructure projects.

Outgoing secretary Ray LaHood told the National Press Club in a farewell address it is doubtful that a new Surface Transportation Bill will be passed by the House of Representatives when the present bill expires in 2014.

A bridge that's rated only 2 on a federal safety scale of 200 points, presents a problem. That's what Oregon DOT faced with the Sellwood Bridge in Portland built in 1925. Upon running the cost numbers they decided to move the bridge and use it as a detour wihle constructing a new one. This time lapse video shows it took 14 hours to move the one piece, 11,000-foot, 34,000-ton truss. Using tracks covered with teflon pads covered in liquid soap, workers used 40 150-ton hydraulic jacks to pick up old Sellwood and slide it. And it was a cock-eyed move - 66 feet on the west end but only 33 feet on the east end. The new replacement should be finished in 2015. After that, the original Sellwood bridge will go to the scrap yard.

Connecticut lawmakers have approved spending $1.5 billion on expansion projects for the UConn system. New classrooms, housing and labs will be built with the proceeds from state issued bonds. Officials say 30,000 construction jobs will result from construction at four Connecticut campuses and will create 4,000 permanent campus jobs when completed.

Finally, computers will only become perfect when they can compute how much more than the estimate the job will cost.

This is Construction News Tracker watching out for the industry that makes the world a better place, brought to you by Caterpillar and produced by ForConstructionPros.com

 

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