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May 21, 2016 • Vol. XX • No. 11 • 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215-885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • Fax 215-885-2910
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Inside
Spending on Construction Rises in March
Modified Excavator Works on Mighty Mississippi...12
Rieth-Riley Construction Co. Inc. crews are making steady progress in the Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) $13.9 million project to resurface Interstate 94 between Bridgman and Stevensville. Titan Machinery Hosts Two Open Houses...14
Rieth-Riley Leads Vital I-94 Repaving, Bridge Repair Work By Irwin Rapoport CEG CORRESPONDENT
RMS Cu stomers Play i n the S andbox. .. 18
Table of Contents ..............4 Truck & Trailer Section ........ ....................................39-51 Attachments Section ............ .................................... 55-58 Recycling Section ......73-92
Rieth-Riley Construction Co. Inc. crews are making steady progress in the Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) $13.9 million project to resurface Interstate 94 between Bridgman and Stevensville. The work began in mid-March and is scheduled to be completed on Oct. 21, although some of the work on eastbound I-94 will be completed in the 2017 construction season. The project, funded by 80 percent fed-
Auction Section ........97-103 Advertisers Index ..........102
see MDOT page 66
see BUDGET page 54
Minn. Senate Rejects $1.5M Public Works Bill By Kyle Potter
Business Calendar ............95
eral and 20 percent state funding, is one of several ongoing projects to resurface I-94. This section of repaving covers more than 7 mi. (11.2 km) of the highway in Berrien County between Red Arrow highway exit 16 in Bridgman and mile marker 22.6 east of Puetz Road and Stevensville Other aspects of the project include: bridge repairs, median cable barrier, guardrail, culvert, freeway signing and right-of-way fencing. “I-94 is a vital commercial and commuter corridor,” said Nick Schirripa, communica-
Construction spending increased by 8 percent in March compared to a year earlier and also was up slightly between February and March amid growing demand for many types of construction, as the spending total hit the highest level since October 2007, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the growth comes amid strong private-sector demand and new federal investments in surface transportation programs. “Construction should be a significant contributor to economic growth in the remainder of 2016 and beyond,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Right now the biggest challenge for contractors in many parts of the country is that they are worried about finding enough qualified workers to meet demand.” Construction spending in March totaled $1.138 trillion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, 0.3 percent higher than the revised February total and 8.0 percent higher than in March 2015, Simonson said. Private residential spending increased by 1.6 percent for the month and 8.5 percent compared to 12 months earlier. Spending on multifamily residential construction jumped 5.6 percent for the month and 34.6 percent year-over-year, while single-family spending was flat compared to February but rose 13.4 percent compared to March 2015.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Minnesota’s Senate narrowly rejected a Democratic plan to borrow $1.5 billion for public construction projects across the state
on May 5, providing just the latest reminder of the wide divide between Republicans and Democrats as the legislative session winds down with little settled. The public works package would have overhauled aging water infrastructure systems, pro-
vided money for upkeep at public college and university campuses and socked away $400 million for road and bridge repairs. But it failed by just one vote, as only one Republican joined the Senate’s 39 Democrats to approve it on a 40-26 vote. So-called bonding bills
require a three-fifths majority to pass. The borrowing package is one piece of the Legislature’s remaining to-do list, along with a bill offering tax cuts, funding transportation repairs and other spendsee PLAN page 54