$3.00
Published Nationally ®
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded 1957.”
Western Edition
www.constructionequipmentguide.com
May 16, 2015 • Vol. IX • No. 10 • 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215/885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • Fax 215/885-2910
Inside
Slashed I-25 Costs Allow for Immediate Relief By Dorinda Anderson CEG CORRESPONDENT
AZAGC Hosts Annual Golf Tournament...10
More Than 4,000 A ttend Ritchie Sale...76
An original $350 million project cost was reduced to $93 million when the New Mexico Department of Transportation decided to focus on only immediate traffic needs in Albuquerque by increasing capacity to serve the next 20 years, according to Michael Smelker, project engineer of the New Mexico Department of Transportation. The project began in the fall of 2013 and was completed ahead of schedule in December 2014. Some bridge coatings and final paving will be completed in the spring of 2015. The goal is to improve traffic flow and safety at the interchange of Paseo del Norte and Interstate 25 and at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Paseo del Norte Boulevard in Albuquerque, N.M. Each see INTERCHANGE page 44
Ad space available!
See Page 15
Table of Contents ............4 California Section ....15-23 Paving Section ..........29-37 Attachment Section 49-67 Auction Section ........70-79 Business Calendar ........71 Advertisers Index ..........78
An original $350 million project cost was reduced to $93 million when the New Mexico Department of Transportation decided to focus on only immediate traffic needs in Albuquerque by increasing capacity to serve the next 20 years, according to Michael Smelker, project engineer of the New Mexico Department of Transportation.
Confidence Eases in April Confined Spaces 2015 From Four-Year High Rule to Increase The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (the Foundation) released the April 2015 Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry (MCI-EFI). Designed to collect leadership data, the index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $903 billion equipment finance sector. Overall, confidence in the equipment finance market is 70.7, easing from the four-year high of 72.1 in March. When asked about the outlook for the future, MCI-EFI survey respondent Valerie Hayes Jester, president, Brandywine Capital Associates Inc., said, “We have seen an increase in requests for equipment financing this month. We attribute this demand to increased confi-
dence in the economy and potential concern that interest rates may begin to rise in the fourth quarter. Our economy has shown tremendous resilience in these last years and that has influenced the mindset of those that need to purchase equipment for businesses. Capital and credit windows are at historic points; business owners know that this time is a good one to invest.” April 2015 Survey Results The overall MCI-EFI is 70.7, an easing from the March index of 72.1. • When asked to assess their business conditions over the next four months, 44.4 percent of executives responding said they believe business conditions will improve over the next four months, down see RESULTS page 71
Worker Protection The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a final rule to increase protections for construction workers in confined spaces. Manholes, crawl spaces, tanks and other confined spaces are not intended for continuous occupancy. They also are difficult to exit in an emergency. People working in confined spaces face life-threatening hazards including toxic substances, electrocutions, explosions and asphyxiation. Last year, two workers were asphyxiated while repairing leaks in a manhole, the second when he went down to save the first — which is not uncommon in cases of asphyxiation in confined spaces. “In the construction industry, entering confined spaces is often necessary, but fatalities like these don’t see RULE page 74