Published Nationally
Northeast Edition
$3.00
®
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded 1957.” 470 • Ft. Washington, PA Drive 19034 • Toll• 215-885-2900 Free 800-523-2200 • Fax 215/885-2910 • www.ConstructionEquipmentGuide.com AprilMaryland 25, 2012 •Drive Vol. XLIX • No. 9 • 470 Maryland • Ft.• 215/885-2900 Washington, PA 19034 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • Fax 215-885-2910 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com
Inside
Work Continues on N.J. Route 208 Bridge By Mary Reed CEG CORRESPONDENT
Cruz Carries Legacy Under New Ownership…8
Construction & Design Expo Held in W.Va. …14
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is currently overseeing reconstruction of the Route 208 bridge over Lafayette Avenue (CR 665) in Hawthorne Borough, Passaic County. The bridge features two travel lanes in each direction plus a deceleration lane for southbound traffic and an acceleration lane for northbound vehicles. The latter two lanes and the southbound ramp to Route 208 northbound will be closed during the first phase of the project, which has been designed so that Route 208 will have two traffic lanes open in both directions for the life of the job. The $3.1 million federally funded project has become necessary because the present bridge, constructed in 1959 and widened in 1971, is now structurally deficient. According to NJDOT the bridge carries approximately 79,000 vehicles a day. Belleville, N.J., based Ritacco Construction Inc, is serving as general see BRIDGE page 32
Norr is Sal es Opens Ne w Part s Faci lit y…22
Table of Contents ................4 Truck & Trailer Section ........ ......................................65-73 Recycling Section ........77-99 Attachment Section 119-123 Parts Section ..................125 Auction Section ......130-148 Business Calendar ..........138 Advertisers Index............146
Belleville, N.J., based Ritacco Construction Inc., is serving as general contractor for the project, which involves complete replacement of the bridge superstructure, including abutment seats, backwall, structural steel girders, bridge deck, sidewalks, and parapets.
Construction Employment Finalists Emerge in Increases in Private Sector National Mall Sites Design Competition Construction employment increased in 171 out of 337 metropolitan areas between February 2011 and February 2012, decreased in 119 and stayed level in 47, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released April 10 by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said employment was increasing in many metro areas due in large part to growing private sector demand for construction. “It is encouraging that the number of metro areas experiencing construction job gains outpaced the number of areas with losses,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “The
increases would be even more widespread if not for public sector budget woes and a shaky homebuilding market.” Atlantic City-Hammonton, N.J., added the highest percentage of new construction jobs (33 percent, 1,300 jobs) followed by Michigan City-La Porte, Ind. (31 percent, 400 jobs). Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, Colo., added the most jobs (6,300 jobs, 10 percent). Other areas adding a large number of jobs included Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. (4,700 jobs, 5 percent); Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, see INCREASE page 24
By Brett Zongker ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON (AP) Lakeside gardens, dining rooms hovering over water, grassy new amphitheaters and underground pavilions at the foot of the Washington Monument have emerged as finalists in a design competition to overhaul neglected sites on the National Mall. Designers and architects are dreaming big for a chance to improve the place sometimes called America’s front yard. see MALL page 32