Tag Archives: construction

Construction Begins on BART Extension

California’s Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) began construction on the second phase of its Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) extension, a $4.7 billion dollar project.

According to reports, this phase of the project will include building five miles of subway tunnel, a ground level station, three underground stations, a maintenance facility and storage yard and two ventilation facilities. The overall project calls for the building of 16 miles of track and will connect north San Jose to downtown Santa Clara. Phase II will run through 2020, with the entirety of the project estimated to be complete by 2026.

The project will be paid for through a combination of grants and local taxes. Once completed, the system will be maintained and operated by BART.

Chamber of Commerce Construction Report Shows Confidence, Concern

The latest U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index (CCI) report shows contractors are still confident that they will find new business opportunities over the next 12 months, despite increasing concern over a lack of skilled workers.

According to the quarterly report, which is released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with USG, 51 percent of contractors are very confident they will receive new business in the next 12 months, with 47 percent saying they are moderately confident. About half predict their revenue will stay flat, while another 47 percent believe they will see revenue increase. Of the respondents that predicted an increase, 70 percent were from companies with revenue over $100 million.

While there seems to be little concern over new business, many respondents believe that finding skilled employees will be a struggle. 55 percent of respondents say they are “highly concerned” about the skill level of the workforce with 34 percent saying they are moderately concerned. More than half of the respondents, 58 percent, consider the lack of skill the top safety risk factor in the industry.

Three Killed, 37 Injured in Construction Site Fire

A construction site fire in the central South Korean town of Sejong has left three dead and 37 injured according to several news sources.

The fire began at 1:16 p.m. local time after an explosion was heard at an underground parking lot beneath the site. Officials said the underground lot had been painted and coated with epoxy earlier in the day and that there was a large amount of flammable material on site. Authorities have said they believe “oil mist” left in the air led to the explosion.

Because the building is under construction, it has no working sprinkler system. This has made it difficult for firefighters combating the blaze. Sources estimate there were as many as 169 workers at the site at the time of the explosion and subsequent fire.