Construction Industry News: July 5, 2017

News and updates from the construction industry.

Why construction's role in smart cities is key

Construction Dive sat down with Elizabeth Heider, chief sustainability officer for Skanska USA, to discuss why construction firms should be involved in the greater dialogue around smart cities, how resilience is key in sustainable design, and why new delivery methods can help all stakeholders provide the best option for local communities.

Full Q&A here.

NYC Construction Worker Wages Hit 10-Year High

Construction workers’ average annual wages shot up 5.4 percent last year, to $80,200 in 2016 from $76,100 in 2015. The uptick was the biggest annual increase since wages rose 6.4 percent in 2007. It also marks the first time in nine years that construction worker earnings increased by more than 3 percent in a year.

Full report here.

Way past Rosie the Riveter: Women make strides in the construction industry

As women continue to gain employment in the construction sector, this stereotype is steadily changing. According to a Huffington Post by by Kimberly Gallagher based on her own experiences in the industry, “old stereotypes do not ring true for the industry as a whole and there many men who see women as equals.” Today, women regularly populate construction sites and are both respected and highly capable of performing the various tasks associated with producing or remodeling a building.

Full report here

OCTA approves $627 million loan, last funding needed for I-405 improvements

ORANGE – County transportation authority officials on Monday, June 26, approved plans for securing a $627 million federal loan for the Interstate 405 Improvement Project, the final financing piece for the largest capital project the agency has ever undertaken.

Full report here.

5 things you need to know about the I-70 reconstruction

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) says construction will start on the reconstruction of Interstate 70 in the Spring of 2018. CDOT announced the timeline and more details about the project during a media tour Tuesday.

Full report here.

Pensacola Bay Bridge construction threatens 1559 Luna shipwreck excavation

Construction of the new Pensacola Bay Bridge is threatening the search for additional ships that were part of the Don Tristan de Luna 1559 fleet, a University of West Florida archaeologist said Thursday. 

Full report here.