Pacific Builder and Engineer articles from August 2004

Pacific Builder and Engineer archives from August 2004

How to use the contract awards summary:.
August 2, 2004... Staff All numbers and charts are in real dollars. The chart immediately below tracks cumulative awards for all categories of construction in PB&E' s five-state area. The last two years are shown in their entirety for comparison. The five...

Great Falls Hospital Expanding.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Staff Great Falls, Mont.- Benefis hospital recently announced plans for a $105-million construction program over the next six years, adding space for dozens of additional beds plus a heart institute. The plans include $20 million for a...

ABC Backs Health Care Bills.(Associated Builders and Contractors)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Staff Associated Builders and Contractors has voiced strong support for three health care bills introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives as a part of the House's Careers for a 21st Century America Health Care Security initiative....

Fire Sprinkler Bill Supported.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Staff The Society of Fire Protection Engineers has announced its support for the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act of 2003. The bill is assigned to the House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee (H.R. 1824). Currently, there are more...

Jurisdiction Problem Aired.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Staff It's time for Congress to pass legislation that provides clear guidance and clarifies the jurisdiction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to regulate isolated wetlands under the federal Clean...

Software Usage.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Staff Seattle-based Dexter + Chaney's Forefront Construction Management Software placed first overall in the Job Costing/Accounting/Payroll Applications category in the 2004 Information Technology Survey for the Construction Industry,...

Laser Sensor.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Staff Leica Geosystems has introduced the Rod-Eye Classic hand-held laser sensor for general construction applications. "The mid-range Rod-Eye Classic delivers consistent, reliable results in harsh construction environments," said Doug...

Stormwater Screening System.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Staff Portland-based Stormwater Management Inc. recently announced its new Detention Management System, a screening system that prevents clogging of a detention pond or vault's flow control orifice and reduces the risk of potential system...

CAD Software.(Computer-Aided Design)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Staff QuickPen International has released PipeDesigner 3D 3.0, the latest update to its 32-bit Windows-based three-dimensional CAD software for piping and mechanical contractors. Version 3.0 of PipeDesigner 3D offers increased support...

Document Imaging.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Staff DocuLex, creator of document imaging software, recently announced the release of DocuLex Goby 2.1, incorporating wide format support for the architectural, construction, engineering, and building maintenance industries, as well as...

Project Sets LEED Milestone.
August 2, 2004... Staff Portland- With the help of Green Building Services, the Bonneville Power Administration's Ampere Annex recently achieved a LEED Silver award and became the 100th project in the nation to receive certification. The Ampere Annex...

WWU Project Wins Top Concrete Award.(Western Washington University)
August 2, 2004... Staff Des Moines, Wash.- The Washington Aggregates and Concrete Association recently announced the winners of its 2004 concrete construction awards. The Grand Award winner was the Wade King Student Recreation Center project at Western...

ARTBA Seeks Work-Zone Entrants.
August 2, 2004... Staff Washington, D.C.- If you know of outstanding efforts to reduce roadway work-zone accidents, fatalities and injuries through public awareness campaigns, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association wants to hear about them....

Briefs.
August 2, 2004... Staff Anchorage -Al Swalling , founder of Swalling Construction Co. Inc., died July 3 at the age of 93. Swalling dedicated most of his life to building and developing Alaska. He formed Swalling Construction in 1945 and was one of the...

Industry Watch.
August 2, 2004... Staff Anchorage - Craig Taylor Equipment Co. celebrated its 50th birthday in June with golden anniversary parties at its facilities in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Soldotna, and Wasilla, Alaska. Craig and Thelma Taylor opened for business in...

New Products.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Staff Kirkland, Wash.- Truckers and fleets can now order the Caterpillar C15 engine in 625-horsepower and 600-horsepower ratings in Kenworth's W900L long-nose conventional truck. Caterpillar's 625-horsepower C15 provides 2,050...

Progress Made on Highway Bill.
August 2, 2004... Staff Congress voted on June 23 to again temporarily extend a roads program that should have expired nine months ago. The Senate voice vote and 418-0 House vote extended the six-year highway and mass transit act to the end of July. ...

AGC: Lift Cement Tariff.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Staff The Associated General Contractors of America has called on Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans to temporarily lift tariffs imposed upon Mexican cement products. The request came in light of domestic price increases and reported...

Portland Attends To Its Bridges.
August 2, 2004... Story by Carl Molesworth Three Current Projects Demonstrate Efforts Required To Keep Structures Functional When a large river or a major railroad line cuts through the middle of a city, it's a virtual certainty that the community is...

2004 Demo Days.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Story by Carl Molesworth Volvo Machines Get A Workout In A Clearing At Pacific Raceways Normally, the sounds you hear at Pacific Raceways are the roars of racing engines, as dragsters sprint down the quarter-mile or sports cars circle...

Editor's Report.
August 16, 2004... By Carl Molesworth Memories of my short career as a construction laborer 30 years ago jumped to mind recently when I received a press release reporting the results of a survey of construction industry ethics. The results weren't good....

A Tasty Project For Safeway.
August 16, 2004... Story By Carl Molesworth Native Dirt Program Re-Uses Material For Building Pads During Site Work Considering its cost, the $95-million Safeway Distribution Center project in Auburn, Wash., isn't particularly complex from a technical...

Rainouts, Rainouts Go Away.
August 16, 2004... Story courtesy of the Plastics Pipe Institute. HDPE Pipe Drainage System in Everett, Wash., Helps Little Leaguers Play Ball In the big leagues, the Seattle Mariners can close the retractable roof at Safeco Field when the rains threaten...

PB&E Wins International Award.(Pacific Builder & Engineer )(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Staff Kirkland, Wash.-- "Editor's Report," the monthly commentary by Pacific Builder & Engineer editor Carl Molesworth, won a Gold Medal for regular columns in the inaugural awards competition of Trade, Association and Business...

Work Begins on Exhibit Hall.(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Staff Spokane-- Construction activity started this month at the site of the new Spokane Convention Center Exhibit Hall project. Located on the south bank of the Spokane River just east of the DoubleTree Hotel, the elliptically shaped,...

Construction Employment Up in Northwest.(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Staff Washington, D.C.-- Oregon and Idaho were among the top states in overall employment growth and construction employment growth during the first half of 2004, according to statistics released recently by the federal government. A...

Canstruction Event Helps The Hungry.(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Staff Seattle-- Architecture, engineering and construction firms from the Puget sound region helped feed Washington's hungry last month by building sculptures out of canned and boxed food. The annual CANSTRUCTION event, held July 17-18...

ODOT Contracts Office Moves.(Oregon Department of Transportation )(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Staff Salem-- The Construction Contracts office of the Oregon Department of Transportation moved to a new location last month. The new office is located at 455 Airport Road SE, Building K, Salem, OR 97301, and the new phone number is...

Creosote Pilings Removed From Beach.(Tacoma Narrows Constructors)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Staff Tacoma-- Crews working for design-builder Tacoma Narrows Constructors removed 16 creosote pilings from the Titlow Beach area in Tacoma on July 28 and 29. Removing the pilings was a requirement of a Hydraulic Project Approval...

Contractor Begins Lovejoy Seismic Upgrade.(Gray Purcell Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Staff Portland-- Gray Purcell Inc. a commercial general contractor based in Tigard, Ore., has started work on a seismic upgrade for the historic Lovejoy Office Building on 1624 NW Lovejoy Street in downtown Portland. The project is...

Tilt-Up Competition Set.
August 16, 2004... Staff Mount Vernon, Iowa-- The Tilt-Up Concrete Association has announced the call for entries for the 2005 Tilt-Up Achievement Awards Competition. According to TCA, the purpose of the Awards Program is to recognize outstanding site...

Briefs.
August 16, 2004... Staff Seattle -- John J. "Jack" McFarland of McFarland Wrecking Corp. recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Demolition Contractors. McFarland's 55-year career in demolition has included such...