GREENSBORO, N.C.听鈥� 91视频, the authoritative source for business insights, data-driven marketing solutions, and events across more than 40 specialized business-to-business (B2B) brands, including the Daily Journal of Commerce, has hired Sandy Almendarez as vice president of content. As BridgeTower鈥檚 editorial leader, she will define and execute a modern, digital-first content strategy across all brands and markets, with responsibility for audience growth, editorial standards, AI-enabled workflows, and cross-functional collaboration.

Almendarez has nearly two decades of B2B leadership experience. Most recently, she served as a content leader for Informa Markets, spearheading the development of persona-driven audience strategies, conference expansion, and AI-powered efficiencies. Known for her audience-first approach, Almendarez has built a reputation for achieving business targets while preserving editorial integrity and cultivating winning team cultures.

鈥淪andy brings exactly the kind of strategic vision and editorial depth that will accelerate growth across all of our brands,鈥� 91视频 President and CEO Hal Cohen said. 鈥淗er track record of building audience-first content programs, paired with her experience scaling conference businesses and embracing emerging technologies, makes her the ideal leader to drive our content transformation. We鈥檙e thrilled to welcome Sandy to the team.鈥�

Almendarez鈥檚 work has garnered industry accolades including the Jessie H. Neal Awards, Folio: Eddie Awards, and the Tabbie Awards. Informa Markets recognized her for leadership excellence in 2025 and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in 2022. She has presented at The Business Information & Media Summit (BIMS) and at the MediaGrowth Executive Summit.

鈥�91视频 has built an impressive portfolio of trusted B2B brands, and I鈥檓 excited to join the team at such a dynamic moment,鈥� Almendarez said. 鈥淭here is a tremendous opportunity to deepen audience relationships, elevate content across the portfolio, and unlock new growth by combining editorial excellence with smart use of data and technology. I look forward to partnering with the talented teams across the organization to drive that vision forward.鈥�

Almendarez鈥檚 appointment reflects 91视频鈥檚 commitment to building a digitally fluent, audience-first content organization. She will focus on driving measurable growth in traffic, engagement, and newsletter audiences while elevating editorial quality and speed through data-driven workflows and responsible AI adoption across the company鈥檚 40+ brands.

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Bob Bumstead drives a willow branch deep into the mushy riverbed. Water flowing over submerged logs elicits a soft gargle, while the soppy quicksand swallows his boots up to his ankles. He beats the stake with a rubber mallet until only a couple of inches peek out of the sediment.

On a crisp Sunday morning, Bumstead, a retired teacher and a member of the McKenzie Flyfishers, along with 23 volunteers, met at Quartz Creek for a 鈥淲illow Tree Planting Party,鈥� part of a larger effort to restore the McKenzie River.

Since 2015, collaborations between the Eugene Water & Electric Board, the McKenzie Watershed Council and the McKenzie River Trust have focused on restoration to improve water quality, wildfire resiliency and fish and wildlife habitat.

In September, the most recent phase of this project was completed on Quartz Creek. A 1.8-mile stretch of the upper McKenzie looks like a magnitude 5 hurricane struck. Using excavators and dredges, Haley Construction Co., hired by EWEB, dumped dirt and gravel and placed about 6,000 logs. Now, only native plants like willow remain to be added, which help restore and support local animal species, like the beaver, Chinook salmon, Pacific lamprey and bull trout.

In some areas of the McKenzie, the river is 15 feet lower than it used to be, according to Vanessa Taylor, landscape designer for the McKenzie Watershed Council.

鈥淭hat’s a pretty dramatic change,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淚t changes the whole ecosystem in the area.鈥�

A century of change

The McKenzie River, one of the largest tributaries of the Willamette River, zigzags across 90 miles in the Willamette Valley. Shaped by volcanic activity, it carved roaring waterfalls, vibrant blue pools and choppy rapids. These geological features are vital for the organisms living in the biosphere.

However, a century of damming and channelization disconnected the McKenzie River from the ecosystems that sustain it, lowering water levels and weakening salmon runs.

From 1910 to 1969, five dams were built along the river for flood control and hydroelectric power. Although these dams reduce flooding risk for communities downstream, they damage natural habitats.

Chris Daughters has fished on the McKenzie River for over 40 years. A third-generation angler, he and his wife own and operate the Caddis Fly Angling Shop, running guided trips along the river. Although he hasn’t seen a significant transformation of the river in his lifetime, he says changes are clear across generations.

鈥淢y grandfather lived here and fished here,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey had salmon up to 20 inches long that were on their way out to the sea, and those fish came back way, way bigger.鈥�

These days, those salmon are much smaller, with juveniles reaching an average size of 6 inches, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Dams prevent salmon from returning to their natural spawning ground. Furthermore, the slowed pace of the reservoirs makes it easier for predators to target larger fish. Over time, dams exert selective pressures, favoring smaller fish.

To reinstitute healthier fish populations, among other efforts, organizations along the McKenzie have implemented large-scale renaturalization efforts on the river.

After six years of planning, the first major project commenced in 2021 and was completed two years later at Finn Rock Reach, between Nimrod and Blue River. The multi-year effort reshaped the land by carving side channels, replanting riparian vegetation and reestablishing aquatic habitats.

Since then, a more ambitious project has been completed at Quartz Creek. About 50 miles upstream, Quartz Creek branches off the mainstem. Slower currents, cooler water and riparian shade make the smaller stream a vital spawning ground for native fish.

At first glance, it looks like a flood flattened Quartz Creek, but each rock and log was strategically mapped using software before installation.

鈥淔ish, and salmon in particular, have evolved to thrive off ecological chaos,鈥� says Susan Fricke, a water resources supervisor at EWEB. Fricke, a fish biologist, has worked on similar river restorations along the West Coast. 鈥淲e used to think native fish preferred a stable environment with stationary debris, kind of like a fish tank.鈥�

During earlier restoration efforts, rocks and trees were secured with cables, Fricke said. Now, logs and rocks move naturally with the ebb and flow of the river. To catch any loose debris, they engineer log jams that work much like a beaver dam, catching larger logs while allowing the river to keep its current.

The added complexity and movement of sediment provide fish with ideal spawning grounds, shade, nutrients and protection from predators.

Although a project like this doesn’t remove the man-made dams, Fricke said it compensates for a lack of habitat by reconnecting side channels, repairing riparian habitat and adding woody debris.

With the construction phase of the restoration completed in September, Fricke and EWEB, along with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, monitor fish nesting and runs.

Although it’s too early to see the long-term impacts of the project, cameras at the site capture how the river is responding to floods.

On a rainy day, Adam Spencer, EWEB’s communications coordinator, flips between a photo from the summer and fall.

鈥淚t doesn’t look like it’s changed the flow from late August to today,鈥� he said, pointing at his phone. 鈥淭his is telling me that there are all those side channels and pockets that are soaking and spreading out the excess water.鈥�

Before the project, Quartz Creek was only 30 feet wide and funneled under a single bridge. Now, in some areas, the tributary spans up to 2,000 feet, allowing for any excess water to spread into side channels, according to McKenzie Watershed Council documents.

Additionally, Fricke points to improvements seen at similar restoration projects. For example, at the Finn Rock Reach site, red salmon nesting is roughly seven times higher compared to two years earlier, according to an EWEB report.

The collaborative effort between multiple groups is what is driving this project, Fricke said.

鈥淚t’s like a Venn diagram between organizations,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou find a nice big area in the middle where we all overlap interests. When you get to spread it over like five, six different organizations and entities, you’re going to have a lot of people gaining experience with these projects and learn how to do it right.鈥�

Fricke also believes the collaboration is making them more successful with grants. 鈥淚t’s a great story to tell,鈥� she said. In total, the groups have received around $9.5 million in funding.

While the restoration effort is making real strides in renaturalizing the McKenzie River, the project isn’t without its hurdles.

For one, residents along the river have to put up with long-term road and river closures. Furthermore, the added debris can be a hazard. 鈥淲e’re a river community,鈥� Fricke said. “We want to make sure that people can raft and recreate safely.鈥�

Many long-standing residents along the river have grown used to the river as it is. With the project completely revamping the way the river looks, some residents aren’t happy with the new design.

鈥淚 think there’s some kind of knee-jerk reaction,鈥� said Spencer, who manages EWEB’s Facebook discussions.

鈥淢y heart wrenches so much at the sudden and massive devastation of it all,鈥� one post reads. 鈥淚 can’t stop crying at the difference when I drive up and down QC [Quartz Creek].鈥�

Despite the challenges, the Quartz Creek restoration is a vital step toward repairing decades of ecological damage along the McKenzie. EWEB, along with its partners, is exploring future projects, such as one farther downstream at Gate Creek. They’ve already begun planning, according to Fricke.

Bumstead takes a deep breath, readjusts his footing and reaches for another willow branch. For local fishermen like Bumstead, these projects further their connection with the river. 鈥淚t’s great to see the growth you’ve helped create,鈥� said Bumstead. 鈥淚t makes you feel like you belong on the river.鈥�

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By Brian Johnson
91视频 Newswires

Mortenson is taking its research and development work to another level with help from a new space in Fridley, Minnesota.

The 鈥淏LUlabs鈥� facility, located within the Northern Stacks industrial park, offers 40,000 square feet of 鈥渃onfigurable industrial space designed to support real-world testing, prototyping and product development,鈥� Mortenson said.

Outfitted with 3D printers, CAD equipment and software, CNC machines, a plasma cutting table, and tools for carpentry, metal, concrete, and electrical work, the space is an 鈥渋ncubator for the ideas that will shape the future of construction,鈥� according to Gene Hodge, vice president of innovation at Mortenson.

鈥淲e needed a dedicated space where teams could test tools, technologies, and processes in a controlled environment. This new facility is a testament to our belief that innovation thrives when given space to grow,鈥� Hodge said.

Hodge said the new lab in Fridley opened about a week ago, but dedicated space for testing and innovation isn’t new to Mortenson.

In January 2020, Hodge said, Mortenson established an 鈥渋nnovation space鈥� within the company’s corporate headquarters. But that space had its limitations.

鈥淭he reality is, in a corporate office environment, you can’t be welding things. You could maybe be 3D printing, but that would be the extent鈥� of what you could probably do, Hodge said.

A couple of years ago, Mortenson leased 15,000 square feet of innovation and testing space, which the company quickly outgrew.

鈥淚t was very clear that there was demand, and a lot of different groups within our company were using it. So we let that run its course for a bit, and then decided that we needed a more robust, larger, more professional environment,鈥� Hodge said.

Mortenson identified the Fridley space as an ideal location for a larger facility. Mortenson Properties, which owns the property in partnership with Hyde Development, invested about $700,000 to build out the space and signed a five-year, market-rate lease, Hodge said.

The space is available for any team member within the company. About 15 people work at the lab every day, including the company’s solar industrialization team.

Among other projects, Hodge said, team members have created a replacement for project trailers that 鈥渕imics the corporate environment.鈥� Within the solar world, R&D team members are working on semi-autonomous robots for pulling cable, distributing piles and moving materials around.

鈥淲e’re also working on a semi-automated assembly line that assembles the solar panels onto a torque tube to make a full array and a centralized space on a project site. We developed that product and tested it out at the lab, and then shipped it out to the project site, where it’s in use in Colorado,鈥� Hodge said.

Derek Cunz, president and CEO of Mortenson, said in a press release that innovation is 鈥渆ngrained in how we work, think, and deliver projects for our customers.鈥�

鈥淔rom our early VDC efforts at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, to building manufacturing facilities, to advanced industrialization on energy and data center projects, we’ve always pushed what’s possible in design and construction. BLUlabs鈩� is another step in our journey,鈥� Cunz said.

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By Idaho Business Review staff

Three properties in McCall, Idaho, on Payette Lake near the Oregon border were put up for auction on July 18, however there were no bids on any of the properties.

The properties are held by the and the agency could not say why there was no interest in them at last week’s auction.

Land for the properties is held in trust by IDL for the benefit of State Hospital South, and, thus far, 161 cottage-site properties have been sold at auction at Payette Lake, the agency stated in a release. Thirteen sites remain, and all have houses on them. Though the land belongs to the trust, cabins and other improvements made to the land are owned by leaseholders as their personal property.

Bids were started at the reserve or 鈥渓ot only鈥� price of each lot with the property at 1903 Warren Wagon Road in McCall appraised at $451,000; the property at 2060 Warren Wagon Road at $495,000; and the property at 3800 Warren Wagon Road at $3.25 million.

鈥淲hile IDL has confidence in the appraised value of the properties for auction (July 18), each property is unique in location and design, and there is no way to determine why there was no interest at this particular time,鈥� a statement from the agency read.

Public auctions for the sale of state endowment trust lands are required by the Idaho Constitution and IDL cannot accept less than the appraised value of each property.

Along with the properties at Payette Lake, there are 337 lots at Priest Lake, 312 of which have been leased, and the total of the properties brought in at public auction is $277.1 million.

鈥淯pon the transactions closing, the funds from the land sales will be deposited in the 鈥楲and Bank’ and may be used to purchase new endowment land in Idaho or may go into a Permanent Fund to continue earning returns for the endowment beneficiaries,鈥� a release stated. 鈥淚n May 2016, the Land Board approved the Strategic Reinvestment Plan and will consider strategic land acquisitions with the proceeds from the sale of cottage sites and commercial properties.鈥�

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By Ethan Duran
91视频 Newswires

The Department of Defense has pulled for large-scale construction projects.

That’s according to a Feb. 7 within the office of the Secretary of Defense directed to branches including the Army, Navy and Air Force, ending the DOD’s rule for large defense projects requiring federal contractors to sign labor agreements with unions. The move follows a federal judge’s ruling that project labor agreements attached to large federal projects was illegal.

鈥淓ffective immediately, contracting officers shall not use project labor agreements for large-scale construction projects,鈥� wrote John M. Tenaglia, principal director of contracting at DOD. 鈥淐ontracting officers shall amend solicitations to remove project labor agreement requirements,鈥� he added.

In January, a judge in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims ruled in favor of construction companies who staged bid protests over an requiring project labor agreements worth more than $35 million. Former President Joe Biden signed the order in February 2022 after signing the trillion-dollar infrastructure law.

Both the and the supported revoking the executive order. Firms that belonged to both organizations staged bid protests resulting in the ruling. The rule is still in place for federal civilian agencies, however.

鈥淭he DOD’s new policy effectively eliminates President Joe Biden’s controversial rule requiring anti-competitive, inflationary, union-favoring project labor agreements on federal construction projects of $35 million or more 鈥� but only for DOD construction solicitations,鈥� said Ben Brubeck, ABC vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs, in a statement. 鈥淭he DoD’s policy remains in effect until it is rescinded,鈥� he added.

鈥淭he announcement that the U.S. Department of Defense will drop project labor agreement mandates from its military construction solicitations is a clear sign that our approach is working,鈥� said Jeffrey Shoaf, chief executive officer of AGC, in a statement. 鈥淲e expect all federal agencies involved in procuring construction services to follow suit and drop what is clearly an unlawful mandate from their construction solicitations,鈥� he added.

In 2024, at least 12 federal contractors protested the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command and the General Services Administration. Judge Ryan T. Holte ruled on the contractors’ side that the Federal Acquisition Regulatory rule that led to project labor mandates was illegal.

Government agencies had a deadline on Feb. 3 to correct solicitations and follow the judge’s decision.

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By Chuck Slothower and Ethan Duran
91视频

The incoming Trump administration will have the opportunity to loosen environmental regulations affecting construction and real estate development, including draft rules not finalized by President Joe Biden before leaving office.听

Environmental regulation receded to the background of the 2024 election, overshadowed by top voter concerns such as the economy and inflation, immigration and social issues. But industry insiders expect a looser regulatory environment in the second Trump administration, which will bring both positives and potential negatives, consultants said.听

Construction executives and superintendents are watching for action on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s proposed heat rule. In July, OSHA proposed a rule to protect 36 million workers at risk of heat injury, illness or death in the workplace. It has not gone into law.听

鈥淲orking in the heat is a big consideration for construction workers,鈥� said Christopher Ward, a construction risk management consultant for K2 Integrity in New York City. 鈥淚t’s hard for them to take breaks 鈥� they have schedules and deadlines.鈥�听

While business groups generally favor lighter regulation, Ward said whipsawing federal rules can prove to be a larger problem.听

鈥淧articularly in construction, a lot of these projects they take a long time to plan, a long time to design, a long time to engage with stake holders,鈥� Ward said.听

He pointed to the Gateway rail program linking New York and New Jersey, which soon will reach into its fourth presidential administration.听

Consistent standards help contractors price their bids, Ward added. 鈥淚 think it’s hard, then, when things change a lot,鈥� he said.听

The OSHA heat rule was devised in collaboration with industry stakeholders, Ward said. 鈥淪eeing that emerge was encouraging,鈥� he said.听

President-elect Trump is widely expected to roll back the heat rule.

鈥淕iven the anti-regulatory orientation of a second Trump administration OSHA, we anticipate OSHA bringing the heat illness rule-making process to a screeching halt,鈥� wrote Seyfarth Shaw LLP attorneys Matthew A. Sloan, Daniel R. Birnbaum and Adam R. Young in a December blog post.听

The proposed rule would require employers to develop an injury and illness prevention plan to mitigate excessive heat hazards. Employers would be required to evaluate heat risks and, when necessary, implement requirements for drinking water, breaks and control of indoor heat. It would also require a plan to protect new or returning workers unaccustomed to working in high heat.听

The rule would be triggered when employees are exposed to temperatures of 80 degrees or more for more than 15 minutes in any given 60-minute period.听

The proposed rule comes as summers grow hotter. Scientists expect 2024 will be the hottest year on record globally, and intense heat has come to more unlikely regions, including the 2021 heat dome in the Pacific Northwest that shattered records, caused at least two highways to buckle and shut down Portland’s TriMet MAX train system.听

The public comment period for the heat rule ended Dec. 30, and Biden may not have time to publish the rule before Trump takes office on Jan. 20, 2025, the Seyfarth Shaw attorneys wrote.听

More broadly, the construction industry is optimistic about accelerating pre-construction environmental reviews, including remediation projects, said Brian Turmail, the vice president of public affairs and workforce for the Associated General Contractors of America.听

鈥淭he Biden administration made some historic investments in infrastructure and construction projects,鈥� Turmail said. 鈥淭he irony is a lot of those projects won’t begin until the Trump administration, because the administration didn’t act on some of the environmental streamlining measures that Congress enacted during the Biden administration.鈥�听

The measures wouldn’t have changed the standard for what passed environmental reviews but would have moved plans along faster, Turmail noted.听

While the Biden administration made many funding announcements for highway and bridge projects, those jobs will likely be stuck in red tape for the next year or two, Turmail said. He pointed to the Brent Spence bridge between Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, still under the review process.听

鈥淲hen I worked at the Department of Transportation we were doing news conferences in front of the Brent Spence bridge in 2004 about the need to replace it,鈥� Turmail said recently. 鈥淗ere we are, it’s almost 2025.鈥�听

Energy efficiency programs, such as Energy Star, are likely to endure, said Chris Fisher, a managing principal at consultant Ducker Carlisle.听

鈥�(Programs) are multiyear in development,鈥� Fisher said. 鈥淚t would be very difficult for the new administration to come in and drastically change something. It wouldn’t create a more favorable environment. And the process of improving environmental outcomes in the construction industry often takes time, because you’re trying to create change of either buyer behavior, design behaviors, specification or installation behaviors. All of which takes significant amounts of education, testing and training.鈥�

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Greensboro, N.C. 鈥斕�, the parent company of 91视频 Oregon,听a sister publication of听Furniture Today, last month acquired industry trade publication Furniture Lighting & D茅cor听from Scranton Gillette Communications, a deal that unites two powerhouse home furnishings brands.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

鈥淲e are extremely excited about the combination of these two great brands, and look forward听to providing听even more value to both readers and advertisers in the months and years to come,鈥� said Hal Cohen, CEO of 91视频.

A reimagined and redesigned听Home Accents Today听debuts this month with dramatically expanded coverage of the lighting industry, providing long-time Furniture Lighting & D茅cor readers with all the coverage they鈥檝e come to expect.

In addition, they will find familiar features and columns, such as the Design Coaching Center and Technology Watch to help them grow and enhance their business.听Home Accents Today听also听will continue to deliver all the industry news, trends and feature reporting the industry has relied on for nearly 40 years.

Home Accents Today鈥檚 enhanced website will house historical coverage from听Furniture, Lighting & D茅cor听as well as complete access to its past monthly issues, ensuring continuity for long-time readers of both brands.

鈥淲e are so excited to start this next chapter of听Home Accents Today, which incorporates the best of both brands and will continue to deliver the top-notch home d茅cor industry coverage that we have always been known for,鈥� said Editor-in-Chief Allison Zisko.

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By Brian Johnson
91视频 Newswires

A new survey offers more proof that mental health should be a strong consideration in the design of community buildings such as schools, libraries and government facilities.

The 鈥淪tate of Community Facility Design,鈥� commissioned by St. Paul-based Wold Architects and Engineers, asked Americans 18 and older how they feel about design as it relates to mental health and a 鈥渟ense of safety and connection.鈥� Roughly 1,000 people 鈥� representing multiple generations 鈥� responded to the national survey, which was released earlier this month.

Wakefield Research conducted the survey on behalf of Wold. The survey period spanned from Oct. 23 to Nov. 2. In general, respondents agreed that mental health and well-being should be 鈥渃entral to the design鈥� of community buildings, and that wellness and functionality should go 鈥渉and-in-hand.鈥�

Amenities such as caf茅s, green spaces, public gathering areas, designated play areas, meditation spaces, and 鈥渟ensory respite鈥� areas lend themselves to well-being, according to the survey. Other mental-health-friendly design considerations, the survey said, include daylighting, soft colors, water features, and quiet areas.

As communities 鈥渋ncreasingly prioritize spaces that support mental and emotional needs,鈥� the survey notes, 鈥渢he demand for thoughtful, wellness-focused design will continue to grow.鈥�

Vaughn Dierks, CEO of Wold Architects and Engineers, said there鈥檚 a tendency to believe that functionality is the only thing that matters for 鈥渟ervice provider buildings,鈥� such license bureaus.

鈥淲e used to hear the argument quite a bit over, 鈥榃hy does that have to look so nice? If all I’m only going there to get this type of service, why does it matter what it looks like?鈥欌�� Dierks said.

It matters, in part, because wellness-oriented designs influence the way people experience services and their willingness to come back, he said. While functionality 鈥渃ertainly is a key driver in a lot of these types of facilities, the other aspects are very important 鈥� and especially important as we look at future generations and the types of people who are accessing those services now.鈥�

Among the survey鈥檚 key findings:

• 86 percent of respondents believe that mental health and wellness 鈥渟hould be prioritized鈥� in the design of community buildings. Among Gen Z and millennials, the number rises to 91 percent.
• 84 percent of city residents say building design 鈥減lays a critical role in whether they would revisit a community space,鈥� and 55 percent said they would be willing to extend their travel time by up to 20 minutes to visit a well-designed community space.
• Nine of 10 respondents said wellness should 鈥渂e central to community building design, not an afterthought.鈥�

Wellness is top of mind for Twin Cities-based St. David鈥檚 Center, a regional leader in child and family development. St. David鈥檚, which has existing facilities in Minnetonka and at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, recently purchased the 124,000-square-foot former YWCA building at 1130 Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis and is working on a multiphase plan to remodel the building.

鈥淲e often think of our treatment spaces as being kind of a co-partner for us in treatment,鈥� said Jane Perry, chief clinical officer at St. David鈥檚, which is working with Pope Design Group on its YWCA project.

Light-filled spaces, colors based in nature, and rooms set up to have a limited number of choices for children receiving treatment are key design elements.

鈥淲e know kids get really over-stimulated by too many choices, and so do we as adults. So we’re really thinking about the layout of the room, the light, the color. I think that we, as humans, are so disconnected from nature, and I don鈥檛 think that’s how we were wired or born to be. So the more we’re thinking about that in terms of our working and treatment spaces, the better I think our treatment outcomes can be.鈥�

But wellness-friendly design isn鈥檛 just for mental health treatment centers. Wold, for example, says it has worked with to bring 鈥減roject designs to life in the government, education and health care sectors,鈥� including the 28-bed Dakota County Jail Integrated Health Unit, a 911 communications center, and a law enforcement center.

鈥淚 think people thoroughly understand it with health care. You get it with senior living. And with schools, you can make that leap. But it’s not always obvious with government,鈥� Dierks said.

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By Ethan Duran
91视频 Newswires

Construction spending across the nation was $2.1 trillion in August, a 0.1 percent decline from July to August, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors.

AGC officials earlier this week said the slight decline was due to stalled federally funded construction projects and a slowed investment in housing during a glut in newly completed buildings.

鈥淎lthough the federal government has announced thousands of project awards in the past three years, most of the money has yet to turn into construction contracts, let alone work under way,鈥� said Ken Simonson, chief economist at AGC, in a statement.

鈥淭here is still great potential for infrastructure and power projects, but the timing remains uncertain. Meanwhile, single-family homebuilding should pick up as mortgage rates decline, but multifamily construction is likely to shrink until the current glut of apartments is absorbed,鈥� he added.

The construction spending figure in August was 0.1 percent below the rate in July, but 4.1 percent more than where it was in August 2023, officials noted.

Homebuilding down in August but still up year-over-year

Private residential spending fell 0.3 percent in August, but was up 2.7 percent compared to last year, according to the analysis. Single-family projects fell 1.5 percent that month but saw a slight rise of 0.8 percent year-over-year, the analysis showed.

Multifamily construction fell again for the eighth month in a row, down by 0.4 percent and falling 7.5 percent from August 2023 levels.

Nonresidential spending inching downward, commercial takes a plunge over the year

Private nonresidential spending inched down by 0.1 percent for the month, but gained 3.6 percent year-over-year, the analysis showed. Manufacturing construction saw a 0.2 percent increase for the month. Being the largest segment in nonresidential spending, manufacturing surged 18.1 percent year-over-year.

Commercial construction spending, which includes warehouse, retail and farm projects, fell by 0.4 percent for the month and dropped 14.8 percent compared to last year, the analysis showed.

Power construction had a 0.3 percent decline for the month but rose 7.6 percent year-over-year, officials said.

Public sector a mixed bag

Overall public construction spending was up 0.3 percent for the month, but its top three segments had mixed results, according to the analysis. Highway and street construction increased by 1.1 percent, education construction remained flat and transportation spending fell by 0.2 percent. However, total public construction spending increased 7.8 percent year-over-year.

AGC lobbies federal government on environmental permitting, Buy America measures

AGC officials said the federal government 鈥渉as done a good job in announcing projects that will receive construction funding.鈥� However, confusion over Buy America requirements and delays with environmental permitting were keeping projects on from starting, officials added. AGC urged the Biden Administration to speed up permit reviews and give federal agencies more flexibility issuing Buy America waivers.

鈥淐onstruction spending levels would likely be higher if the federal government could get out of its own way and allow projects to move forward,鈥� said Jeffrey D. Shoaf, the association’s chief executive officer, in a statement. 鈥淧romising money is good, allowing projects to move forward is even better.鈥�

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By Chris Regan
Environmental manager, Interstate Bridge Replacement program

For over a century, the Interstate Bridge between Oregon and Washington has been a vital travel and trade route for regional, national and international economies. With one span of the existing bridge now 107 years old, the current structures are vulnerable to earthquakes and no longer meet the needs of modern commerce and travel.

A pivotal milestone

In 2019, governors in both states directed the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Washington State Department of Transportation to launch the bi-state . The IBR program draws upon years of past work from a previous bi-state planning effort called the Columbia River Crossing that was suspended a decade ago. Since 2019, the program has been building on past work to identify what has changed since previous planning efforts. The urgency to replace the aging twin spans of the Interstate Bridge has only grown, and now, we approach a pivotal milestone with the upcoming publication of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS).

The Draft SEIS will analyze the potential benefits and impacts of completing the program in three key areas: transportation (river, road and air navigation), community (including cultural resources and neighborhoods) and environment (such as climate impacts, ecosystems and water quality). This document does not identify final design of program elements; rather, it examines the proposed IBR multimodal investments plus design options such as bridge configurations, the alignment of and connections to I-5 through downtown Vancouver, potential park and ride facility locations and auxiliary lanes.

The Draft SEIS addresses the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. NEPA was created to encourage community members to be a part of a federal agency’s decision-making. It is designed to: 1) ensure that the agencies involved in the project consider potential environmental impacts, 2) keep the public informed about key decisions being made and, 3) analyze the impacts and benefits of moving forward with an approach IBR is referring to as the 鈥渓ocally preferred alternative鈥� vs. doing nothing and making no program investments.

We want to hear from you

The Draft SEIS includes a 60-day public comment period that begins once it is published in the Federal Register in late September. It will be the most comprehensive opportunity for the public to review and provide comments on details about the IBR program, and we will be working to notify the public in many different ways once the public comment period begins.

There will be many topics in which you can provide your input (such as, 鈥淚 prefer the shared use path next to the light rail line since it is separated from high-speed traffic鈥�). If we’ve overlooked an important area of concern, we want to hear about it so that information can be included in the decision-making process.

听Including all voices

For the past several years, we have been collaborating with local, state and federal partners to align the program with regional priorities. We have hosted freight forums and are working alongside the Portland and Vancouver ports to ensure the needs of regional commerce are appropriately addressed in our program. Our community engagement efforts are specifically designed to capture a broad range of perspectives and priorities.

We are committed to minimizing barriers and ensuring the Draft SEIS is easily accessible to community members. This includes ADA-compliant documents, an online document search function, the executive summary translated into eight languages,听ASL interpretation and more. Our goal is to ensure that everyone, including equity priority community members, can contribute their input. This approach is vital to ensuring that the program’s outcomes reflect the priorities of the communities on both sides of the Columbia River.

When the public comment period is complete, the input we receive will be used to update the technical analysis, refine design options and inform future design work. These outcomes will be documented in the Final SEIS and Federal Record of Decision, which provides approval to move to construction, that are anticipated in mid to late 2025.

How to provide your feedback

The IBR program will host in-person and virtual public hearings in Portland and Vancouver, along with other community engagement activities during the 60-day comment period (all of which will be listed on our page). While you can comment at the public hearings, there are additional ways to participate. Once the comment period opens in late September, you can complete a , email to draftseis@interstatebridge.org, leave a voicemail at 888-503-6735, or send a letter to Interstate Bridge Replacement, 500 Broadway, Suite 200, Vancouver WA 98660. Language interpretation and ASL services can also be made available upon request. It is important to note that for a comment to be included as part of the formal record, it must be submitted in one of the official ways and cannot be accepted until the 60-day comment period begins.

Comments provided should be constructive and specific. Generally speaking, this means offering suggestions on what the program could do better, or what it should not do, and why. They should be as clear, concise and specific as possible (for instance, 鈥淭he bridge designers should consider including鈥︹�� instead of 听鈥淚 don’t think we should build a bridge鈥︹��). Comments that are solution-oriented and which provide suggestions and examples will be more effective than those that simply provide an opinion without identifying information from the document that informed the feedback.

听Join the process

In our work to ensure that the community understands how to make their voice heard, we are providing opportunities to learn more about what to expect in this document to help ensure people are prepared to participate.

To learn more about the upcoming public comment process and how community input can impact program outcomes, please join us for our next equity roundtable, 鈥�,鈥� on Tuesday, Sept. 10, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event will be live-streamed and available for replay on our YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook platforms.

Chris Regan is the environmental manager for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program. Contact him at 503-897-9218 (Oregon), 360-859-0494 (Washington) or info@interstatebridge.org.

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