Construction News Tracker Video: Dodge Forecasts 9% Building-Construction Growth for 2015

Single and multifamily housing as well officie construction are leading the way to a 9% increase in building for 2015; plus more industry new on the November 25, 2014 edition of Construction News Tracker

Positive growth signs ahead for construction...

Structural concrete standards being revised...

and Kansas City welcomes a major development...

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

Dodge Construction Outlook has a rosy picture for construction in the months ahead. Both single family and multifmaily housing areas, as well as office construction are seen as leading the way to a 9 percent increase in building for 2015. The Dodge Report bolsters its numbers on plenty of input including easier financing, improved investment climate and bond measures, and the need for more schools and other institutional buildings.

The American Concrete Institute is revising its building requirement for structural concrete. The so-called AC 318 Manifest, the first revision since 1969 - a major undertaking - the new code book at 519 pages is expected to be more intuitive and easier to follow. It includes a major overhaul of design and detail requirements such as columns, foundations, slabs, walls and beams.

Speaking of concrete, don't forget the World of Concrete show is not far off. It begins February 2 in Las Vegas. We'll be there, and hope you are, too.

Oregon is about to begin a vehicle miles tax test program soon. Five thousand drivers will use either GPS or odometer tracking of their mileage and pay taxes based on miles traveled. Oregon DOT officials say their pilot program is designed to give motorist the most flexibility in recording miles driven.

Caterpillar is making Cat grade control features available on its 20-ton class 323F excavators in an effort to push adoption of the grading and sloping technology and is waiving the activation fee for six months.

Kansas City has just created 4,500 construction jobs. The Cerner Corporation has broken ground on its Trails Campus project that officials say will take 10 years for complete buildout. The entire project will consist of 16 buildings and 4.7 million square feet when completed. The company says it plans to eventually employ 16,000 workers for the complex at the former site of a shopping mall.

On the west coast, Los Angeles to be specific, a joint venture between Skanska, Traylor and Shea is underway with a new metro line project. Easing construction with additional rail is the goal of officials trying to east major traffic congestion and improve air quality. The purple line extension first phase follows Wilshire Boulevard to La Cienega, and it's all underground. Voters approved a half cent sales tax hike in 2008 to fund the rail project.

There's still time to register for the National Pavement Expo in Nashville January 28. A multitude of events are planned along with industry round tables and of course new equipment and items to keep your company moving forward. Early registration, which provides some nice discounts, ends December 12 for the National Pavement Expo January 28-31 at the Music City Center. And don't forget the special Case equipment giveaway that'll occur the last day of the show. All the information is available at nationalpavementexpo.com.

In closing, there's a fine line between courage and foolishness. Too bad it's not a fence.

 

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