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Western Edition
September 26 2009 Vol. V • No. 20
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded 1957.” 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215/885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • Fax 215/885-2910 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com
Inside
WYDOT Widens Cody-Powell Corridor By Rebecca Ragain CEG CORRESPONDENT
Vermeer Equipment TexasLouisiana Demos Iron…10
Preventive Maintenance Key to B&R’s Success…14
For the crews that work for High Country Construction in Lander, Wyo., there’s no doubt that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has made an impact. In mid-July, High Country Construction started work on a $10.2 million contract for the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) to widen 4 mi. (6.4 km) of U.S. 14A, between the towns of Cody and Powell, from two lanes to five. “We were about out of work with one crew and I put that crew to work by being able to get this job,” said Chad Connell, vice president of High Country Construction. In addition, High Country has brought in five subcontractors for the job. According to WYDOT spokesperson Cody Beers, the department has spent about $40 million in ARRA funding in northwest Wyoming alone. “We feel really good about the amount of work that we’ve been able to spread around to contractors,” said Beers. Competition for ARRA-funded projects has been fierce. Contractors based in neighboring states bid on many Wyoming projects; 34 percent of ARRA projects in Wyoming have gone to in-state contractors. Beers’ district put 2010 completion dates on its 15 ARRA-funded projects to encourage small contractors to bid. “A lot of contractors, like High Country, can only handle one or two projects like this a year… [the 2010 completion date] allowed these people to bid on them, knowing that they have a couple of years to get them done,” see WYDOT page 36
Vaughan Auction Holds Sale in Wills Point…60
Table of Contents ........4 Mini & Compact Equipment Section…25-32 Business Calendar......36 Paving Section ......45-52 Parts Section..............53 Auction Section ....57-65 Advertisers Index ......66
Photo Courtesy/WYDOT
The improved highway is intended to better serve the many commuters who travel the 24 mi. between Cody and Powell — populations 8,000 and 6,000, respectively — for work, as well as summer traffic coming from Yellowstone National Park, 50 mi. west of Cody.
Face Lift Set to Begin UTAStarts Construction on I-40 in Kingman Work on New TRAX Line KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) A $5.7 million repaving project along Kingman’s portion of Interstate 40 is set to begin later this month. Phoenix-based FNF Construction anticipates the repaving work along a 10-mi. (16 km) stretch of I-40 will be started in September. Arizona Department of Transportation spokeswoman Michele Beggs said the work will take place between midnight and 6 p.m. each weekday on both sides of the highway, though crews will cease at 2 p.m. each Friday and resume at 1 a.m. the following Monday. The work also includes installing new traffic sensors and upgraded guard rails, replacing pavement markers and installing new rumble strips on the highway’s shoulders. ADOT said it wants to get the work done before winter sets in.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The Utah Transit Authority has started major work on a new TRAX line to the airport. UTA on Sept. 2 announced that heavy construction work started on the western end of the new line. Dump trucks are currently laying a rocky foundation on the dirt and construction work will move from west to east. The $300 million light-rail extension will be completed in 2012 or 2013. It will run 6 mi. (9.6 km) from downtown Salt Lake City west to the airport. There will be five stops along North Temple before it reaches the airport. Estimated travel time will be 20 minutes. UTA is working on two other TRAX extensions in Draper and in West Valley City. A line traveling through Murray, Midvale, West Jordan and South Jordan also is planned. (This story also can be found on Construction Equipment Guide’s Web site at www.constructionequipmentguide.com.)