Temblors continue in Puerto Rico after a 6.4 magnitude quake that struck Jan. 7, but the House is expected to pass this month a $3.4 billion aid package that includes $1.25 billion for highways and $2 billion for community development. In the interim, some residents are taking up shelter in public schools that were built before the island enacted seismic building codes.

Perennial underfunding and rising construction costs are forcing the Maine Department of Transportation to spread two years' worth of capital projects over three years as the transportation system continues a slow decline, Transportation Commissioner Bruce Van Note says. The state has a $233 million annual funding gap for roads and bridges.

Missouri's interdependent commitments to infrastructure and workforce development have led to roughly $5 billion in private investment and record-low unemployment, Gov. Mike Parson says. State lawmakers approved $400 million last year for road and bridge projects, and Parson says additional work is forthcoming.

California is planning to build a 30-mile water tunnel under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in a bid to preserve the delta ecosystem while channeling more water from the northern part of the state. The $11 billion project is said to be the biggest of its kind in the state in decades.

Gemma Power Systems will provide engineering, procurement and construction services for a $1 billion natural gas-fired power plant in Cadiz, Ohio. Work is expected to begin this year and provide 500 to 750 construction jobs over three years.

TC Energy says in a US court filing it plans to resume preconstruction on the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline in February and to start full construction work in April. The $8 billion project will carry 830,000 barrels per day of Canadian oil to US markets.

Building a tunnel beneath the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Fla., instead of an overhead bridge, would result in fewer delays for boat traffic but would cost $3.3 billion, as well as $8.2 million annually to maintain, according to a feasibility study. Officials could pool funds from Brightline and federal, state and local governments, Mayor Dean Trantalis says.

The Washington Legislature has appointed a commission to consider six sites for a commercial airport to handle burgeoning demand in the western part of the state. The commission must recommend a location by the beginning of 2022.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has proposed using more than $300 million to replace and improve aging water infrastructure as part of a $2 billion borrowing package. The funds would include upgrades to Minneapolis' stormwater tunnel system, where leakage threatens to destabilize subsurface soil.

The Army Corps of Engineers has received $39.6 million to design and build a levee to protect the historic town of Princeville, N.C., from floods. The town has sought dike upgrades since Hurricane Floyd in 1999, Mayor Bobbie Jones says.

The ConstructorCast is AGC of America's monthly podcast covering all the news, views, and interviews relevant to your construction business. Each month, we pick a new topic and sit down with experts to go in depth on some of the most pressing subjects in the construction industry. Search for it on your mobile device's podcast app to subscribe, or visit AGC's website for more information.

Data DIGest is your source for the latest economic news relevant to the construction industry with commentary and analysis from AGC's Chief Economist, Ken Simonson. It brings you actionable information to stay ahead of the curve on issues such as materials, prices, construction employment, and state-by-state construction trends. Subscribe here.

In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the US, SmartBrief will not publish Monday. Publication will resume Tuesday.