Published Nationally ®
Southeast Edition $3.00
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded 1957.”
www.constructionequipmentguide.com
May 25, 2016 • Vol. XXIX • No. 11 • 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215-885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • Fax 215-885-2910
Inside
Spending on Construction Rises in March
ment services. “The demand for on-campus housing has surpassed what we have been able to accommodate, and we’ve had to put students up in hotels for several years.” Originally designed to face McKenzie Arena, the more than 231,000-sq. ft. (21,460 sq m) complex was ultimately positioned in the opposite direction, in order to bring new energy to Vine Street. Located on the corner of Vine and Houston, the project will offer two stories of underground parking beneath the facility, adding 196,000 sq. ft. (18,208 sq
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.
see UTC page 90
see BUDGET page 87
The Water Campus to Rise on 35 Acres...8
UTC University Relations photo
Construction continues at a steady pace at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), with work under way on new living quarters that will house 600 students. Benchmark Tool & Supply Expands...18
Complex to Meet Demands of Tenn.’s Fastest Growing Campus By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT
Top Guns Come Out for James Ri ver Eve nt.. .24
Table of Contents ................4 Truck & Trailer Section ........ ......................................39-42 Attachment & Parts Section ......................................44-49
Construction continues at a steady pace at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), with work under way on new living quarters that will house 600 students. UTC officially broke ground on the $70 million West Campus Housing Complex in November 2015. “For the past decade, UTC has been the fastest growing campus in Tennessee,” said Yancy Freeman, assistant provost of enroll-
Session Sets Stage for Fight on Road Funding
Recycling Section ........53-71 By Andrew DeMillo ASSOCIATED PRESS
Business Calendar ............82 LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) No
Auction Section ............86-97 matter what happens when Advertisers Index ..............98
Arkansas lawmakers meet to take up the governor’s highway funding plan, one thing is clear: This won’t
be the end of the debate over how to pay for the state’s road needs. With time running out to build consensus and an election year climate that makes tax hikes a tough sell, the special session that begins May 19 will likely focus on a shortterm plan to tap into Arkansas’ sur-
plus and general revenue for roads. But it also will offer a preview of the challenges lawmakers face later in trying to come up with a longerterm solution to close the road funding gap. “I know the desire is there,’’ House Speaker Jeremy Gillam
said. “The biggest hurdle we face in the timeframe we’re in right now is there are a lot of ideas out there to reach those goals, but they’re all very complex.’’ Hutchinson hasn’t yet issued the formal proclamation calling lawsee ROADS page 92