John LattaRoadbuildingBoth Sides of the Unemployment Data CoinHere’s how the Bureau of Labor Statistics introduced the latest unemployment data today: Total nonfarm payroll employment grew by 431,000 in May, reflecting the hiring of 411,000 temporary employees to work on Census 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Private-sector em- ployment changed little (+41,000). Manufacturing, temporary help ser- vices, and mining […]June 4, 2010RoadbuildingThe road equation: pay more get more.More evidence of the obvious. This time from Michigan. A new report from the Anderson Economic Group of Lansing says the state will lose 12,000 jobs if it cannot find enough matching dollars for federal funds. But ……. …. Patrick Anderson, the group’s CEO, said the study shows the state would see a net gain of […]June 1, 2010RoadbuildingThe Low Bid ConundrumSomething about an ill wind, or silver linings in the worst of clouds. The prevalence of low bids that are everywhere and anywhere governments are asking for bids, continues to put its thumb on the scales. Inevitably, there are those who benefit. When and how will the market take care of this? This from Ken […]May 21, 2010RoadbuildingGood News Bad News. Again.Construction firms added 14,000 new jobs in April, the second consecutive month of employment gains for the industry, according to an analysis of new federal figures released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. After more than two years of dramatic job losses, the construction industry is once again adding jobs, thanks primarily […]May 7, 2010RoadbuildingTIGER II — more money for transportation (thank you stimulus)Whoa, is that more money being made available by Washington for transportation infrastructure work? Why, yes, it is. Seems the original TIGER program that came with the “stimulus” was such a hit the Feds decided there isn’t such a thing as too much of a good thing. Check this one out. The Bond Buyer newspaper […]May 3, 2010RoadbuildingThe Bond Buyer newspaper online is free this week.Here’s some good news if your agency is facing the same financial stresses and strains that virtually every agency across the country is facing these days. The Bond Buyer Online is free this week. The Bond Buyer is “the Daily Newspaper of Public Finance” so there’s no doubt there’s some big potential in the […]April 27, 2010RoadbuildingN.J.’s optimistic trust fund-saving planNew Jersey has a plan to fix its $895 million a year highway and rail funding programs, the state’s Transportation Trust Fund, without raising gas taxes or adding tolls. This is a fund staring ‘zero’ in the face next summer if something isn’t done. The plan, from Transportation Commissioner James Simpson, is thin on details at […]April 26, 2010RoadbuildingAASHTO Releases “Livability” ReportThe American Association of State HIghway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has just released a new report, The Road to Livability, and you can download it from the AASHTO website. It’s well worth a look. “Livability” is a concept the administration is high on and will be trying to weave into any reauthorizatin. AASHTO has seen state […]April 21, 2010RoadbuildingWatch here Wednesday 21st at 1 pm EDTNot right here but at the Transportation TV window below us on this screen. Why? Because you see this event live: AASHTO release of a report on “livability”, an increasingly important factor in future funding and construction work. In an effort to set the stage for sound policy decisions, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation […]April 20, 2010RoadbuildingToday the search goes on for new funding optionsThe Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit today heard testimony on innovative ways to stretch public transportation investments through the use of innovative financing methods. Jim Oberstar (Minn.), Chairman of the full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Subcommittee Chairman Peter DeFazio (Ore.) addressed the opening session. So did. John Duncan, Jr. (R-TN), […]April 14, 2010Previous PagePage 34 of 43Next PageTop StoriesTelehandlersBobcat Unveils Electric Telehandler PrototypeThe new zero-emissions machine is powered by liquid-cooled batteries and has a rated operating capacity of 5,511 pounds.Safety & ComplianceContractor Faces $394K in Fines After Worker Dies in TrenchWheel LoadersLiebherr Debuts World's First Large Wheel Loader with a Hydrogen EngineDozersHyundai Breaks into the Dozer Market with HD100The DirtTest Run & Review: The Market's First Electric Mini Excavator, JCB’s 19C-1E