Pacific Builder and Engineer articles from July 2006

Pacific Builder and Engineer archives from July 2006

Contract Awards Summary.
July 3, 2006... Staff How To Use the Contract Awards Summary: 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...

Mayor Seeks Big Transportation Package.
July 3, 2006... Staff Seattle, Wash.- Mayor Greg Nickels has proposed a 20-year, $1.8-billion package of new and increased taxes that he said would fix the city's deteriorated transportation system and keep it in good shape indefinitely. This is the...

Briefs.
July 3, 2006... Staff Seattle - George Bacon , who will begin his senior year as a mechanical engineering major at Seattle University in the fall, has been awarded a $3,000 scholarship by the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association. Bacon also won...

Industry Watch.
July 3, 2006... Staff Eugene, Ore. - Pape Machinery Inc. has acquired the assets of East County Machine, a complete machine shop and heavy equipment repair facility located at 426 South Fleet St. in Montesano, Wash. The acquisition became effective June...

More Columbia Funding Sought.
July 3, 2006... Compiled by Carl Molesworth The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2007 Energy and Water Appropriations bill in late May by a vote of 404-20, including $15 million for the Columbia River Channel Improvement Project. ...

Insurance Bill Comes Up Short.
July 3, 2006... Compiled by Carl Molesworth In an effort to focus on the plight of healthcare for Americans, the Senate dedicated a full week in May to consideration of health care legislation. High on the agenda was Health Education, Labor and Pensions...

Estate Tax Targeted Again.
July 3, 2006... Compiled by Carl Molesworth Repeal of federal Estate Tax has again fallen victim to the Senate's changing agenda. Although a vote on full repeal was anticipated for May 17, other issues, including immigration and healthcare, took center...

ASA Chapter Formed in Washington.(American Subcontractors Association)(Brief article)
July 3, 2006... Staff Renton, Wash.- A new organization, the American Subcontractors Association of Washington Inc., held its first annual meeting and an educational seminar on lien and bond law on May 18 in Renton. The new group, associated with the...

Courthouse Design Wins Top Honor.
July 3, 2006... Staff Washington, D.C.- The gleaming new 23-story U.S. Courthouse complex in downtown Seattle was named the year's most impressive engineering achievement at the 40th Annual Engineering Excellence Awards, sponsored by the American Council...

Programs Address Managing Design.(Design-Build Institute of America)(Brief article)
July 3, 2006... Staff Seattle- The Northwest Chapter of the Design-Build Institute is hosting two programs this month covering one of the most difficult aspects of design-build project delivery: managing the design process. "We all know that once the...

Six Military Projects Win Awards.
July 3, 2006... Staff Seattle- The Society of American Military Engineers, Seattle Post, honored six projects at its 10th annual Design Excellence Awards competition. Two silver awards and one gold award were bestowed in both the Small Business and Large...

Forefront Users Gather In Seattle.(Dexter + Chaney's annual conference)(Conference news)(Brief article)
July 3, 2006... Staff Seattle- Dexter + Chaney's 10th annual users' conference attracted nearly 500 customers to Seattle recently for a three-day forum on its Forefront Construction Suite construction management and accounting software. A total of...

New State Facilities Achieve LEED Gold.
July 3, 2006... Staff Olympia- The Seattle office of architecture firm NBBJ has achieved LEED Gold Certification from the United States Green Building Council for two newly completed state facilities it designed: the Washington State Veterans' Home,...

County Combines Green Building Programs.
July 3, 2006... Staff Seattle- The King County Green Building Program has chosen an Otak-led team to assist the county's residential and commercial green-building practices. Otak's contract with King County marks the first time the Green Building Program...

Civil Engineering Practice Opens in Seattle.(Belt Collins and Associates Ltd.)(Brief article)
July 3, 2006... Staff Seattle- Belt Collins, a multi-disciplinary planning, civil engineering and landscape architecture practice with headquarters in Hawaii, has opened a civil engineering office in Seattle. This is the company's first civil...

Trojan Implosion.
July 3, 2006... Story by Carl Molesworth Careful Planning Brings Down Nuclear Cooling Tower Safely For three decades, the 499-foot-tall cooling tower of the Trojan Nuclear Plant loomed over the south bank of the Columbia River at Rainier, Ore. Though...

Safety First.
July 3, 2006... Story by Carl Molesworth Accident Avoidance Takes Top Priority at Oregon Power Plant Project At a job site on the banks of the Columbia River a few miles from Clatskanie, Ore., about 350 workers are constructing Portland General...

Dozer Day.
July 3, 2006... Story by Carl Molesworth Event for Kids in Vancouver Raises Big Money for Parks Anyone who questions the fact that there is a special connection between children and heavy construction equipment should have attended Dozer Day on May 20...

Forget about Flats.
July 3, 2006... Editing by Carl Molesworth New Technology Repairs Tire Punctures When They Occur Contractors and other operators of heavy trucks in the Seattle area got a look in May at a new commercial tire technology that repairs tire punctures when...

Editor's Report.
July 17, 2006... By Carl Molesworth Charles Lockwood, an environmental and real estate consultant based in southern California and New York City, raises some interesting points about Green Building in his article "Building the Green Way," published in the...

Portland's Aerial Tram.
July 17, 2006... Story by Carl Molesworth Project To Provide a Quick Link Between OHSU and South Waterfront Promoters of the Portland Aerial Tram say the 3,300-foot tramway connecting the city's South Waterfront area with Oregon Health & Science...

AGC Honors Excellence.
July 17, 2006... Editing by Carl Molesworth Ten Members Win Safety and Construction Excellence Awards Associated General Contractors of Washington recognized 10 member companies when it presented its Safety and Construction Excellence Awards, presented...

Apprentices Lend a Hand for Community.(Construction Industry Training Council)(Brief article)
July 17, 2006... Staff Bellevue, Wash.- Fifty-five apprenticeship students from the Construction Industry Training Council augmented the work of more than 700 community volunteers during this year's Spring Rebuilding Together. "The CITC apprentices...

People.
July 17, 2006... Staff Kent, Wash. - Modern Machinery, a Komatsu distributor, recently announced two personnel changes. Michael Egnew has been promoted to parts and service sales representative. In his new position, Egnew will be responsible for...

Industry Watch.
July 17, 2006... Staff Vancouver, Wash. - Western Power & Equipment Corp. reported total revenues of $29.9 million for its third quarter ended April 30, 2006, a 15.5-percent increase from $25.9 million for the prior year's third quarter. The company...

Study Targets Erosion in Alaska.(Brief article)
July 17, 2006... Staff Anchorage- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District, has released a study examining erosion issues in seven small Alaska communities. The report answers specific questions directed by Congressional legislation: What are...

Firms Recognized for Erosion Prevention.(Spectrum Development LLC and GVS Contracting Inc)
July 17, 2006... Staff Portland- The 2006 Regional Erosion Prevention Awards were presented recently to recognize businesses and individuals for outstanding erosion prevention and sediment control achievements in Clackamas, Multnomah, Linn, Washington,...

Condo Project Completed.
July 17, 2006... Staff Lake Oswego, Ore.- Gray Purcell Inc. recently completed construction of the $3.2-million Thurman Street Lofts, located at 2538 NW Thurman Street in Portland. Work on the 25,910-square-foot condo/retail project began in February...

Firm Honored for Image Campaign.(Bruce Pozzi Public Relations Inc.)(Brief article)
July 17, 2006... Staff Anchorage- Bruce Pozzi Public Relations Inc. has received the 2006 Silver Anvil Award of Excellence for its "Improving the Image of Construction Work in Alaska" campaign in the Brand/Reputation Management category. Pozzi...

Drug Testing Aired at Conference.
July 17, 2006... Staff Seattle- Avitar Inc. and Perini Building Company co-presented an educational session at the American Society of Safety Engineers Annual Safety Conference & Exposition last month in Seattle. Roger Bruce, corporate safety director...

Schools Compete in Concrete Canoes.
July 17, 2006... Staff Stillwater, Okla.- A team from the University of Washington placed 12th in the 2006 National Concrete Canoe Competition. Teams from 23 schools competed in the 19th annual event, sponsored by the American Society of Civil...

Future City Program Wins Award.
July 17, 2006... Staff Seattle- The National Engineers Week Future City Competition, an educational program designed to inspire future engineers, was named recipient of Connect America Partner of the Year at the National Conference on Volunteering and...

Briefs.(Associated Builders and Contractors hires Val Towler as member services coordinator.)(Chief operating officer Terry Edgar of Perlo McCormack Pacific is retiring.)(Weston Solutions Inc. has hired Judd Peterson as a senior project manager.)
July 17, 2006... Staff Bellevue, Wash. - Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington has hired Val Towler as member services coordinator and Della Dawn Fallah as program coordinator. As member services coordinator, Towler supports the...