| January 24, 2013 | News for contractors and the construction industry |
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- Wash. state needs $1.4B to complete work on SR 520 project
Exactly where to run the new Highway 520 bridge across Lake Washington to Interstate 5 in Seattle has been controversial, but now the City Council seeks to finalize the placement and speed up construction. In a formal draft resolution, the Council is asking the Washington state transportation department to shift the Portage Bay bridge section a bit to the north and keep it as narrow as possible to save money and construction time. Meanwhile, there is still a $1.4 billion shortfall in the project's funding. KUOW-FM (Seattle)
(1/23), The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)
(1/24)      
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| Infrastructure & Project Focus |  |  |
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- Map identifies 721 fixed-guideway transit projects in U.S.
Reconnecting America has updated its "Transit Space Race" map, which shows 721 fixed-guideway transit projects in various stages of planning or construction in the U.S.
More than 50 are already under construction. The projects include commuter rail, subways, streetcars and bus lines. "Of the current projects, 497 have a cost estimate," Reconnecting America said. "The total required to build just those 497 projects would be $250 billion. At the current rate of federal transit investment, it would require more than 78 years to construct those projects." The Atlantic Cities
(1/23), StreetsBlog.org/Washington, D.C.
(1/22)
- Work on $400M, 660-foot Seattle tower to start by fall
Construction of the 660-foot-tall Fifth and Columbia Tower in Seattle has been stalled for five years, but developers now plan to break ground this fall on the $400 million project. Plans have been revised, according to the permit application filed with city planners. One change includes adding a luxury hotel that would take up several floors. The Seattle Times
(1/23)
| Economic Update | | |
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- IMF: Global economic growth is slower but risks are lower
Global economic growth is slowing, but "acute risks" are fading, such as the disintegration of the eurozone, said Olivier Blanchard, chief economist at the International Monetary Fund. The fund expects 3.5% global economic growth this year, slightly below the projection it made in October. The IMF also forecasts 2% growth in the U.S. The Washington Post
(1/23)
| Innovation & Green Building | | |
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- 7 buildings around the world offer sustainable solutions
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas is one of seven buildings from around the world that gives "us a glimpse of what our future holds," writes Emma Sloley. In this compilation, modern structures -- from the Burj Khalifa in Dubai to the Galaxy Soho Building in Beijing -- provide an idea of how construction and design innovation could solve a number of sustainability issues, according to Sloley. The Huffington Post
(1/22)
- Study seeks to extend life of concrete structures using bacteria
A study led by the University of Ghent in Belgium and sponsored by the European Union is developing new technology that combines "limestone-producing bacteria" with concrete. The intent is to combat the effects of water and chemicals on concrete and thus extend the life of structures. "As the water seeps into the concrete, the bacteria will activate and start producing limestone, which will mend the cracks before they become a threat to the structure," said Carola Edvardsen, a concrete expert for engineering consulting firm Cowi. TheConstructionIndex.co.uk (U.K.)
(1/21)
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