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Published Nationally ®
Western Edition
January 19 2020 Vol. IX • No. 2
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded 1957.” 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215-885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com
Inside
Crystal Ball: 2020 Construction Predictions By Lucy Perry CEG CORRESPONDENT
Manitowoc to Provide Cranes to U.S. Army...20
Paving it Forward...31
to-date for the first 10 months of 2019 compared to January-October 2018,” he said. “The best-performing segments in 2020 are likely to include highway and street construction, transportation facilities — airports, transit, ports and railroads — and power and energy — solar and wind, possibly including offshore wind, and pipelines.” Simonson predicted the weakest construction category will be retail again in 2020, but the retail portion of mixed-use facilities, such as airport terminals and office The healthiest construction segments in 2020 will likely include high- buildings, will be the excepway and street construction, transportation facilities and power and tion. He believes lodging
The Associated General Contractors and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers also expect moderate growth in the construction market. Though not the rosiest picture, there are bright spots. In fact, equipment sales are actually on somewhat of an expansion track. Ken Simonson, AGC chief economist, forecasts growth in public, private nonresidential, and multifamily construction. “Total growth in nonresidential construction spending, as reported by the Census Bureau’s monthly ‘value put in place’ series, will be close to the 2.2 percent increase recorded year- energy, believes the Associated General Contractors of America.
see FORECAST page 30
Connect the DOT: Ramps Being Reworked on I-20/I-45 New CEO in Town...55
Table of Contents .........4 Paving Section ......31-43 Auction Profiles Section ................................56-64 Business Calendar......65 Advertisers Index .......66
By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT
Work continues on a bridge demo/deck repair project taking place at the I-20/I-45 interchange in Dallas. Three direct connector ramps are the focus of a rehabilitation project that’s been underway since last summer. “Because of the ongoing deterioration of the deck and the ongoing maintenance of the direct connector ramps at the I-45 and I-20 interchange, a special bridge condition survey was conducted,” said Laura Weaver, spokesperson of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). “The survey revealed that they needed an immediate deck replacement, and that more intense repair was needed on the deck panels of three of the four direct connects to prolong the life of the
bridges. “This meant closures for those direct connector ramps for approximately four weeks at a time each, along with additional main lane closures below the ramps during the demolition process to ensure the safety of the motorists,” said Weaver. “The time necessary to demolish and replace the deck was consolidated into four weeks, to prevent multiple closures over a much longer period of time.” The $8.25 million project has a direct impact on the cities of Dallas and Hutchins. The connector ramps include I-20 westbound to I-45 southbound, I-45 southbound to I-20 eastbound and I-45 northbound to I20 westbound. Based on current conditions, the work comes not a moment too soon. Gibson & Associates Inc. serves as the see DOT page 44
Bridge demo/deck repair work is expected to be complete by March 2020.