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January 14, 2017 • Vol. XX • No. 1 • 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215-885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • Fax 215-885-2910
80-Year-Old Minn. Highway Bridge Comes Down By Dick Rohland CEG CORRESPONDENT
General Crane Rental Takes Delivery of Grove Crane…12
Bramco Launches ‘The Rebuild Center’…14
For years, motorists driving below the long lived 80-year-old TH 36 bridge crossing over Lexington Avenue in Roseville, Minn., have seen the scaling of concrete from the shallow arch above them. Despite its rugged appearance, the arch and its solid concrete façade continued to hold onto its strength and grace. Bridge inspections over the years, though, by Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) inspectors showed that while it was still safe to carry the 85,000 ADT, it eventually would need to be replaced. MnDOT constructed the original bridge over Lexington Avenue in 1937 and earned a good return on its investment as traffic volumes grew over the years. Yet, along with its low structural rating and obvious aesthetic blemishes, maintenance costs were piling up, its geometrics were out dated and the arch construction limited bridge clearances below. see BRIDGE page 62
MnDOT awarded the $13 million contract to Ames Construction, based out of Burnsville, Minn.
Hitachi Excavators Work on Green Bay, Wis., Job…24
Table of Contents................ 4 Attachment & Parts Section ...................................... 35-38 Recycling Section........ 49-63 Truck & Trailer Section........ ...................................... 75-81 Business Calendar............ 82 Auction Section............ 86-89 Advertisers Index.............. 89
Industry Spending Project to Alleviate Reaches 10-Year High Congestion in Missouri
By Martin Crutsinger
AP ECONOMICS WRITER
WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. builders boosted spending on construction projects for a second straight month in November, pushing activity to the highest level in more than a decade. Construction spending rose 0.9 percent in November after a 0.6 percent increase in October, the Commerce Department reported Jan. 3. The increase reflected solid gains in home construction, nonresidential building and government construction activity.
The gains in all three categories pushed total construction to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.18 trillion, the highest point since April 2006 when a housing boom fueled building. Economists believe construction will continue to show gains in 2017, reflecting a strong job market with unemployment at the lowest point in nine years. Financial markets sent stock prices to record highs following the election of Donald Trump, reflecting in part enthusiasm over his vows to increase spending on see CONSTRUCTION page 18
BRANSON, Mo. (AP) The first phase of a makeover of a 5-mi. (8 km) stretch of highway in Branson could be finished by Memorial Day. The Joplin Globe reported the construction aims to alleviate traffic congestion along West Highway 76 by creating a wider, continuous pedestrian walkway in the area, which includes Branson’s entertainment district. The construction is part of Project Branson, a coalition representing more than 20 area businesses. The group’s goal is to cre-
ate a walkable, unbroken chain of attractions, restaurants, theaters and retail shops. The revitalization is expected to cost $80 million, funded through a partnership with the city and by business owners along the corridor. It could take eight years to complete. City officials said the revitalization is forecast to increase sales by $1.4 billion over the next 20 years. (This story also can be found on Construction Equipment Guide’s website at www.constructionequipmentguide.com.)