Midwest Construction News Midwest Construction News provides Midwest-specific updates on the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry.//www.pjbjkak.com/rss/217-midwest-construction-news en-us Flint Water Suits Against Engineers Will Go to Trial, Judge Says Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam, its parent Leo A Day and Veolia North America face claims of professional negligence in the civil court case related to the Michigan city's crisis over lead in its water supply.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53579 Tue, 08 Feb 2022 16:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53579-flint-water-suits-against-three-engineers-will-go-to-trial-judge-says
Illinois Gov. Pritzker Proposes Automatic Gas Tax Hike Freeze Governor says proposed freeze this summer on tax that funds road, bridge and other infrastructure is way to give taxpayers inflation relief, but roadbuilders are crying foul with projects long underfunded.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53581 Tue, 08 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53581-illinois-gov-pritzker-proposes-freeze-on-automatic-gas-tax-increase
Castle Delivering Veterans Village in North St. Louis

Castle contracting delivers a village for homeless veterans in North St. Louis. The Wisconsin Center expansion breaks ground in Milwaukee and I-69 opens to traffic near Indianapolis.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53511 Thu, 27 Jan 2022 16:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53511-castle-delivering-veterans-village-in-north-st-louis Veterans housing Photo by Jeff Yoders for ENR
Curtain Wall Suppliers Claim Rival Duplicated Unique System

Chicago curtain wall manufacturers file lawsuit against a former executive and his new employer.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53490 Tue, 25 Jan 2022 22:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53490-curtain-wall-suppliers-file-federal-lawsuit-against-rival-contractors-for-using-similar-systems
Intel's $20B 'Mega-Site' Is Latest Effort to Boost US Chip-Making Company estimates a $100-billion full build-out of the 1,000-acre site near Columbus, Ohio. //www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53476 Mon, 24 Jan 2022 12:03:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53476-intels-20b-mega-site-is-latest-effort-to-boost-us-chip-making Illinois Bill Would Make Contractors Liable for Subcontractors' Unpaid Wages

The bill has some contractors concerned about added costs and complications.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53479 Mon, 24 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53479-illinois-bill-contractors-liable-subcontractors-unpaid-wages
Kansas Contractor Sentenced to Prison for Veteran, Minority Ownership Fraud Scheme

Matthew C. McPherson forfeited $5.5 million and was sentenced to more than two years in prison without parole.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53388 2022年1月11日星期二,14:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53388-kansas-contractor-sentenced-to-prison-for-veteran-minority-ownership-fraud-scheme
Plant Subcontractors Shorted Workers on Overtime, Illinois AG Says

Vehicle maker Rivian plant project subs from China, Spain and Mexico used complex arrangement to avoid paying overtime wages, state attorney general says.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53330 Wed, 22 Dec 2021 14:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53330-plant-subcontractors-shorted-workers-on-overtime-illinois-ag-says
Unusually Warm December Windstorm Wallops Midwest Infrastructure

Unusually warm air led to a rare December windstorm across a wide region on Dec. 15. Construction sites were closed and power was interrupted for hundreds of thousands.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53283 Thu, 16 Dec 2021 16:02:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53283-unusually-warm-december-windstorm-wallops-midwest-infrastructure
Two Large-Footprint Buildings Brought Down by Dec. 10 Tornadoes yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

Rescue operations end and recovery begins after twisters, uncommon for this month, swept through the Ohio River Valley, collapsing an Illinois Amazon distribution facility and a Kentucky candle factory. //www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53218 星期一,2021年12月13日01:17:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53218-two-large-footprint-buildings-brought-down-by-dec-10-tornadoes Georgia Judge Stays Federal Contractor Vaccine Mandate Nationwide yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

The participation of the Associated Builders and Contractors, which joined a seven-state lawsuit, is cited as a factor in the vaccine mandate injunction applying in all 50 states.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53161 Tue, 07 Dec 2021 18:56:00 -0500https://www.新利luckenr.com/articles/53161-georgia-judge-stays-federal-contractor-vaccine-mandate-nationwide
沃基肖公寓居民撤离后的迫在眉睫Collapse' Warning

65 residents were evacuated Dec. 2 from a six-story building in Waukesha, Wis., due to structural issues the city said had made it unsafe for occupancy.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53142 Mon, 06 Dec 2021 16:56:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53142-waukesha-condo-residents-evacuated-after-imminent-collapse-warning Horizon West Waukesha Police watch over the vacant Horizon West Condominium Building at 315 N. West Ave. on Friday morning, Dec. 3, 2021. The Waukesha Fire Department ordered the evacuation of the 48-unit building Dec. 2. Photo by the Associated Press
Iowa Landscaping Contractor K&L Construction Accused of Tax Evasion

An Iowa landscaping contractor, already barred from state and federal projects, now stands accused of dodging upwards of $1 million in taxes.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53112 Wed, 24 Nov 2021 17:40:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53112-iowa-landscaping-contractor-kl-construction-accused-of-tax-evasion
Benton Harbor, Mich., Sued Amid Project to Replace Lead Service Lines

Benton Harbor plans to seek bids in December for work to replace thousands of lead service lines.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53070 Fri, 19 Nov 2021 10:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53070-benton-harbor-mich-sued-amid-project-to-replace-lead-service-lines
Deere Workers Vote to Approve New Contract, Ending Monthlong Strike rubenstonej@enr.com (Jeff Rubenstone)

Thousands of Deere workers with the UAW voted on Nov. 17 to end the monthlong strike that had disrupted the equipment manufacturer's operations at over a dozen facilities.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53040 Wed, 17 Nov 2021 22:45:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/53040-deere-workers-vote-to-approve-new-contract-ending-monthlong-strike
Administration Won't Close Line 5 Pipeline as Canada, Tribes Write Letters

White House has clarified comment that it might consider partial shutdown of Enbridge oil and natural gas line under the straits of Mackinac.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52938 Tue, 09 Nov 2021 18:15:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52938-administration-wont-close-line-5-pipeline-as-canada-tribes-write-letters
Historic Old Cook County Hospital Renovation Relies on Exploratory Surgery yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

Design-build team of Walsh, SOM and Murphy Group persevered through curveballs to recreate Chicago's Ellis Island as two hotels.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52904 Mon, 08 Nov 2021 12:00:00 -0500//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52904-historic-old-cook-county-hospital-renovation-relies-on-exploratory-surgery Old Cook County Hospital The beaux arts facade of Old Cook County Hospital was restored to its original state as part of the renovation.Photo courtesy of Dave Burk/SOM
EPA Orders Repairs at Michigan Water Plant With High Lead Levels

Order to Benton Harbor comes as city already is in process of replacing thousands of lead pipe water service lines

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52879 Tue, 02 Nov 2021 19:00:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52879-epa-orders-repairs-at-michigan-water-plant-with-high-lead-levels
More Than 10,000 UAW Workers Strike at 14 Deere Equipment Plants rubenstonej@enr.com (Jeff Rubenstone)

With negotiations at impasse over raises and pension benefits in a new contract, employees at the construction equipment manufacturer's U.S. facilities went on strike at midnight on Oct. 14.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52726 Fri, 15 Oct 2021 16:38:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52726-more-than-10000-uaw-workers-strike-at-14-deere-equipment-plants DeereAgLift.jpg A John Deere compact loader performs a lift.Photo Courtesy Deere & Co.
Drill Rig Collapses at Chicago Transit Authority Red/Purple Line Site, No Injuries Reported yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

A 100-ton hydraulic drill rig tipped over onto the street at the site of the Chicago Transit Authority's $2.1-billion Red/Purple line project. No injuries were reported and the cause of the incident is being investigated.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52604 Thu, 07 Oct 2021 13:00:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52604-drill-rig-collapses-at-chicago-transit-authority-redpurple-line-site-no-injuries-reported Collapsed Drill Rig Walsh-Fluor personnel investigate a collapsed drill rig on the CTA Red/Purple line modernization site near the Bryn Mawr elevated train stop on Oct. 6, 2021. Image courtesy of the Chicago Fire Dept.
Ford Will Spend $11.4B on Tennessee, Kentucky EV Plant Projects

Automaker will build electric vehicle assembly and battery plant campus in Tennessee, plus a pair of battery factories in Kentucky.



//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52570 Fri, 01 Oct 2021 14:00:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52570-ford-will-spend-114b-on-tennessee-kentucky-ev-plant-projects
Carpenters Union Dissolves St. Louis-Kansas City Council, Merges Locals With Chicago

The merger follows a trend of reorganizing smaller districts into larger regional councils.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52555 Thu, 30 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52555-carpenters-union-dissolves-st-louis-kansas-city-council-merges-locals-with-chicago
Study: Union Construction Training Has Economic, Social Benefits on Par With College Degree yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

Union-backed analysis of federal data says apprenticeships deliver similar compensation and social outcomes as four-year college degrees. //www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52476 Thu, 23 Sep 2021 21:55:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52476-study-union-construction-training-has-economic-social-benefits-on-par-with-college-degree As Opponents Continue Line 3 Fight, Wild Rice and Tribal Sovereignty Take Center Stage Efforts to halt the nearly completed oil pipeline replacement project illustrates the impact of environmental justice movements around the U.S. //www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52442 Sun, 19 Sep 2021 13:17:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52442-as-opponents-continue-line-3-fight-wild-rice-and-tribal-sovereignty-take-center-stage Michigan Dam Failures Caused by Rapid Liquefaction of Downstream Sand Embankments yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

Heavy rains leading to a rather new phenomenon, static liquefaction of sand embankments, only previously observed in tailings dams led to property damage and flooding in central Michigan.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52406 Tue, 14 Sep 2021 18:27:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52406-michigan-dam-failures-caused-by-rapid-liquefaction-of-downstream-sand-embankments
ABC Construction Backlog Indicator Falls in August zevina@enr.com (Alisa Zevin)

The drop indicates a slowdown in the construction recovery, ABC reports.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52401 Tue, 14 Sep 2021 15:14:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52401-abc-construction-backlog-indicator-falls-in-august
Midwest on the Scene: Historic Vautrauvers Building Moved

Construction events from across the greater midwest.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52399 Tue, 14 Sep 2021 13:51:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52399-midwest-on-the-scene-historic-vetrauvers-building-moved Vetrauvers Building
Chicago Construction Tech Community Checks Out Latest Startups at BuiltWorlds Summit yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

Product demos by startups, networking and venture capital panels brought back a familiar, if masked, sense of collegiality Sept. 1, for demo day of the BuiltWorlds Summit 2021 at Chicago's Westin River North.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52362 Fri, 03 Sep 2021 00:22:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52362-chicago-construction-tech-community-checks-out-latest-startups-at-builtworlds-summit AGC 2020 Workforce Survey Oded Ran, CEO and co-founder of Clue Insights, presents at the BuiltWorlds Summit 2021 in Chicago. Photo by Jeff Yoders/ENR
Labor Shortages, Supply Chain Roadblocks, COVID-19 Still Hamper Contractors yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders)

Pandemic-related material delays continue to plague construction even as the labor shortage reaches pre-pandemic levels.

//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52359 Thu, 02 Sep 2021 16:14:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52359-labor-shortages-supply-chain-roadblocks-covid-19-still-hamper-contractors
Developer Plans to Transform Abandoned Kansas City Rail Bridge Into a 'Destination'

Locals hope the project will spur revitalization of communities on either side of the crossing.



//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52307 Thu, 26 Aug 2021 15:57:00 -0400//www.pjbjkak.com/articles/52307-developer-plans-to-transform-abandoned-kansas-city-rail-bridge-into-a-destination