Today's Construction Pulse
Poland pushes ahead with $50B nuclear plant EPC talks
Poland is working to secure an engineering, procurement and construction contract with Westinghouse and Bechtel for its first nuclear power plant, a $50 billion, 3.6 GW project. Negotiations have slipped past the original mid‑2025 target as parties discuss construction‑risk allocation.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Dalmia Bharat acquires JAL cement assets for $350M
AGC's Data DIGest: March 30-April 3, 2026
Construction employment in March 2026 reached 8.33 million, up 0.7 % year‑over‑year, driven by a 1.7 % rise in non‑residential jobs while residential employment fell 0.9 %. Average hourly earnings for production workers jumped 5 % to $38.62, outpacing the broader private sector. Job openings slipped to 202,000, the lowest February level since 2017, and the hires rate fell to a 26‑year low despite low layoff and quit rates. New tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper finished products could further pressure contractor margins.
East River Tunnel Revamp Shows U.S. Still Builds Wonders
I had the privilege of touring the newly rehabilitated East River Tunnel 1, which took 13 months, on time and on budget, to go from a 115-year-old tunnel to one that’s state of the art. Our country still has the...
Housing Node Rises up Along Avondale Estates' Main Thoroughfare
Atlanta developer TBG Residential is building The Overlook at Avondale Estates, the city’s first new senior housing project, featuring 66 affordable units for residents 55 and older. The 2741 E. College Ave. site, formerly an auto‑service lot, is about 40% complete...
Granite Scoops up $114M Job Segment on California’s Highway 101
Granite Construction secured a $114 million contract to rebuild Segment 4E North of California’s Highway 101 between Hermosillo Road and Salinas Street. The scope adds a new peak‑period carpool lane in each direction, replaces left‑hand ramps with right‑hand ramps, and installs a teardrop roundabout...
Corps Awards $1.8B in Southern California Dam Safety Contracts to Barnard Construction
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded Barnard Construction $1.86 billion for dam‑safety upgrades at Prado and Whittier Narrows in Southern California. The Prado Dam spillway modification costs $1.13 billion and adds a labyrinth‑style design, while the Whittier Narrows project is a $735 million...
Scoop: This GOP Lawmaker Is Aiming to Stop an Arizona Wind Farm
Republican Rep. Eli Crane is lobbying the FAA, Fish and Wildlife Service, and FCC to halt the Lava Run wind farm in Arizona’s White Mountains, arguing federal permits could block the project. In Oregon, Amazon agreed to a $20 million settlement...
Images: New Beltline Interstate Bridge, Eastside Pathway Coming Soon
Atlanta Beltline officials announced a permanent upgrade for Segment 6 on the east‑side trail, slated to begin after the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The half‑mile stretch along Bill Kennedy Way will replace the interim narrow path and temporary I‑20 bridge with...
South Texas Demolition of Corpus Christi’s Old Harbor Bridge Triggers Months-Long North Beach Closure
Demolition of Corpus Christi’s 1959 Harbor Bridge continues, forcing a partial closure of Bridgeport Avenue on North Beach through May. The old bridge was decommissioned in September 2025 after the new cable‑stayed Harbor Bridge opened in June 2025. Crews have...
No Time to Read 36 Resources on State Permitting Reform? We Built an Easy-to-Use Tool That Will Do It for...
RMI released the State Permitting Power Tool, a web‑based platform that distills nearly 40 recent reports—over 1,000 pages—into a searchable matrix of permitting challenges and policy solutions. The tool lets states pinpoint specific barriers such as fragmented authority or unclear...
'Playing Catch-Up': Rising Backlash Forces Data Center Developers To Rethink Community Strategy
Community opposition to data‑center projects surged in 2025, with cancellations nearly tripling from the prior year. Heatmap reports 25 projects were halted, 21 in the second half, and roughly 40% of the 99 contested sites are now scrapped. The U.S....
Route 66 Turns 100—And Oklahoma Is Marking the Moment on the Road
Oklahoma’s Department of Transportation is rolling out 100 new Route 66 pavement markings at 50 sites to celebrate the highway’s 100th anniversary. The $341,000 project, with $91,000 funded by ODOT, aims to improve road visibility ahead of a projected tourism surge....
Hitachi ZW120-7 & ZW140-7 Wheel Loaders Debut
Hitachi unveiled its midsized ZW120‑7 and ZW140‑7 wheel loaders at ConExpo 2026, expanding the Dash‑7 family that emphasizes efficiency, safety and advanced telematics. The ZW120‑7 is powered by a 97‑hp Deutz engine, carries a 2‑cubic‑yard bucket and reaches 21 mph, while the...
Steel Cooling: Steel Costs Steadily Decline After Pandemic Price Shock
Steel prices have continued a steady decline, with the national average for structural steel falling to roughly $2,344 per ton in January 2026. That represents a 5.38% drop from the previous quarter and a 7.18% decrease year‑over‑year, extending a correction...
Builders’ Rate Cuts Mask Deeper Housing Supply Misalignment
If it weren't the builders paying down rates, housing permits would be worse today. We will never build housing the way people want because we aren't a supply-first economy; the demand curve needs to align with it, and rental vacancies...
Construction Employment Rebounds by 26,000 in March
The U.S. construction sector added 26,000 jobs in March, lifting year‑over‑year employment by 57,000 positions, a 0.7% increase. Nonresidential construction drove the bulk of the gain, contributing 12,200 jobs across building, specialty trade, and heavy civil categories. The industry’s unemployment...
Amrize Wins Dual Honours for Low-Carbon Concrete Innovation
Amrize captured two top honors in the Lower Carbon Concrete category at the Slag Cement Association’s April awards ceremony in Chicago. The first award recognized a collaboration with Meta and the University of Illinois that used Meta’s open‑source AI models...
Punch List: Turner Files $7M Lien, NYC Skyscrapers Are World’s Most Expensive
Turner Construction filed a $7 million lien on the $180 million Fairmont Heritage Place The Cedars condo project in Hendersonville, North Carolina, after stopping work and removing its crane. The lien reflects rising payment pressures in the multifamily sector, where delinquencies have...
Amrize Projects Honored by SCA
The Slag Cement Association honored Amrize Projects with two top awards in its Lower Carbon Concrete category, recognizing breakthroughs in mix design and material optimization. One award celebrated an AI‑optimized concrete blend created for Meta’s Rosemount data center, delivering high...
Carbon Upcycling Secures $10M Financing
Carbon Upcycling Technologies has secured up to $10 million in asset‑secured financing from ATEL Ventures. The capital will fund its flagship project at the Ash Grove Mississauga cement plant, where captured CO₂ will be converted into low‑carbon supplementary cementitious materials. Once...
Construction Goes Vertical for Mixed-Use Project at 6052 W. Olympic Blvd.
A new tower crane signals the start of Jacmar Cos.'s mixed‑use development at 6052 W. Olympic Boulevard in Mid‑Wilshire. The six‑story building will house 120 studio, one‑ and two‑bedroom apartments above 5,135 sq ft of ground‑floor retail and a two‑level, 132‑car underground garage....
89-Unit Affordable Housing Development on the Rise at 910 N. Wetherly Dr. In West Hollywood
West Hollywood Community Housing Corp. is constructing a seven‑story, 89‑unit affordable housing complex at 910 N. Wetherly Drive, slated for completion in 2027. The development will offer studio, one‑, two‑ and three‑bedroom units with 66 parking spaces, reserved for households...
TBMs Prepare for Deployment on Fortezza Railway Tunnel
Two single‑shield tunnel boring machines built by China Railway Construction Heavy Industry have been completed and are slated for deployment on Italy’s Fortezza railway tunnel. The 175‑metre, 2,600‑tonne TBMs, each with a 9.68 m excavation diameter, will excavate parallel 12.75 km drives...
Power, People, Parts: Supply and Demand on Data Center Jobsites
Data center construction is hitting a perfect storm of delays, with more than half of 2025 projects slipping three months or longer. The primary culprits are power availability, skilled‑labor shortages, and procurement bottlenecks for critical components. Developers are moving to...
Not Quite Waterworld
A recent study maps New York City’s “Blue Zones,” revealing that roughly one‑fifth of the metropolis sits in areas vulnerable to past, present, and future flooding. Natural low‑lying regions such as the Rockaway peninsula, Staten Island swamps, and Jamaica Bay...
Extension Cost Analysis — A Real £85,000 UK Extension Priced Line by Line
A detailed cost analysis of a typical 25 m² single‑storey rear extension in the UK shows a total spend of roughly £85,000. The breakdown covers groundwork, structural work, roofing, windows, internal finishes and services, each with specific price ranges. The article...
Proven in Canada: Komatsu Launches Its Largest Hydraulic Mining Excavator
Komatsu Germany Mining Division has globally launched the PC9000‑12, the largest hydraulic mining excavator in its lineup, after a successful rollout in Canada. The machine can handle 46‑m³ front‑shovel or 49‑m³ backhoe buckets and load 240‑400‑ton trucks in three to...
Kyrgyz Republic Signs US$137.6m Cement Plant Agreement
Kyrgyzstan’s Cabinet of Ministers signed a $137.6 million investment agreement with China’s Shenfeng Zet Cement to build a new cement plant in the Chui region. The project will install a clinker line capable of producing 3,200 tonnes per day in the Kemin district’s...
New Plans for Bronx Site Where Earlier Project Led to Bankruptcy Filings
Dynamic Star has submitted a new plan to erect a 34‑story, 368,469‑square‑foot mixed‑use tower at 360 West Fordham Road in the Bronx. The site, previously part of the ambitious Fordham Landing affordable‑housing project that aimed for 927 low‑income units, is...
Visit Japan to Experience the Latest Construction Industry Innovations
Japan's 8th International Construction & Survey Productivity Improvement Expo (CSPI‑EXPO 2026) will take place in Tokyo from June 17‑20, inviting global construction and surveying professionals. The event, aligned with the government’s i‑Construction initiative, will showcase ICT‑enabled machinery, automation, robotics, AI,...
Denver Downtown Development Authority To Spend $5.2M Upgrading The Pavilions
The Denver Downtown Development Authority (DDDA) will invest $5.2 million to repair the Denver Pavilions’ parking garage and install a fixed roof, with construction slated to begin within 30 days and run 18 months. The garage overhaul, costing $3.8 million, includes a...
UK Build-to-Rent Sector Records Strongest Start Since 2022
The UK build‑to‑rent (BTR) market posted its strongest first‑quarter performance since 2022, with Savills reporting roughly £1.2 billion (about $1.55 billion) in transaction volume. Investor appetite surged, driving a 30% year‑over‑year increase in deals and pushing average yields to 5.5% on fully‑let...
Mobile Impact Crushers: Equipment Insight and Trends
Mobile impact crushers are increasingly equipped with digital control and connectivity platforms that streamline operation and maintenance. OEMs such as Kleemann, SBM, Rubble Master, and Keestrack now offer remote‑monitoring apps, automated setup advisors, and real‑time performance dashboards. These tools let...
What the Hyundai and DEVELON Merger Means for Both Brands
HD Hyundai has merged its Hyundai and DEVELON construction equipment brands under the HD Construction Equipment subsidiary, while preserving each brand's market identity. The integration aims to streamline management, accelerate R&D, and leverage shared engine production for better performance and...
DEVELON Debuts -9 Series Excavators
DEVELON unveiled its –9 Series heavy excavators at CONEXPO‑CON/AGG 2026, launching four models ranging from 26 to 48 tons. The line replaces traditional pilot controls with electro‑hydraulic (EH) systems, delivering up to 8 percent better fuel efficiency. Integrated smart features include Advanced...
Highlights From CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026
CONEXPO‑CON/AGG 2026 drew over 140,000 attendees and showcased a wave of connected construction tech, AI voice assistants, and autonomous retrofit kits. OEMs such as Komatsu, Caterpillar, Bobcat, and Hitachi demonstrated platforms that turn machine data into real‑time insights and conversational...
Gravis Robotics' Gravis Rack Turns Conventional Machines Into Robotic Systems
Gravis Robotics’ Gravis Rack won the Contractors’ Choice award at CONEXPO‑CON/AGG 2026 and promises to turn standard earth‑moving machines into intelligent robotic equipment. The retrofit kit bundles LiDAR, cameras, GNSS and on‑board computing, delivering real‑time site mapping and augmented‑reality guidance....
Is Equipment as a Service the Future of Your Fleet?
Equipment as a Service (EaaS) lets firms pay for heavy‑equipment usage rather than owning the machines. Under an EaaS contract, the OEM or dealer retains ownership, provides a block of operating hours, and handles all maintenance and repairs. This model...
Southeast Texas’ Towering Rainbow Bridge Poised to Reopen After Lengthy Repairs
The Texas Department of Transportation announced that construction on the Rainbow Bridge in Southeast Texas is finished after a year-long closure for extensive maintenance. Final inspections, employing bridge‑snooper vehicles and rope‑access crews, began on March 13. Officials expect the bridge...
Terabase Energy Invests in Automation and Engineering to Streamline Solar Construction
Terabase Energy’s upgraded Terafab V2 system has completed field testing and is now ready for commercial deployment, using AI‑assisted robotics to assemble and place solar panel‑tracker modules on‑site. The automated line can process assemblies in two‑minute cycles, potentially delivering 20 MW...
Georgia Power Breaks Ground on 1 GWh BESS Near Existing Solar Site
Georgia Power has broken ground on a 260 MW battery energy storage system with just over 1 GWh capacity adjacent to its existing solar farm near Wadley, Georgia. Burns & McDonnell will build the BESS, targeting completion in 2027. The storage will capture...
Wacker Neuson Unveils New ET40 Mini Excavator
Wacker Neuson unveiled the 4‑metric‑ton ET40 mini excavator at ConExpo 2026, featuring a 39.6 hp Yanmar engine, 7,980 lb breakout force and an 11.2‑ft digging depth. The machine sports a redesigned cab with a 7‑inch touchscreen, keyless start, four‑position door and integrated rear camera...
Fatalities Edge Down: New Data Reveals a Promising Decline
Construction fatalities in the United States slipped to just over 1,000 in 2024, marking a modest decline from the previous year but remaining one of the highest industry totals. Falls continued to account for roughly one‑third of deaths, while transportation...
DP World Issuing £36M Contract to Construct London Gateway Automated System
DP World has launched a £36 million (≈$46 million) tender to build Boxbay, a high‑bay automated storage system for empty containers at its London Gateway terminal. The 55‑metre‑tall structure will cover roughly 323 m × 159 m, requiring over 5,000 precast piles, 15,000 tonnes of steel and...
Stop Rework in Its Tracks
Rework imposes a hidden financial burden on UK construction, costing roughly £5 bn (~$6.3 bn) annually and representing 5‑12% of contract values, sometimes rising to 30%. The majority of rework—up to 70%—originates from design‑related errors, amplified by poor communication and manual, paper‑based...
Network Rail Engineers Prepare for £75.5M of Easter Weekend Renewals Work
Network Rail is allocating roughly $96 million to conduct extensive renewal work over the Easter bank holiday, keeping most of the UK rail network open while targeting reliability improvements. The centerpiece is a $508 million resilience programme on the West Coast Main...
Ireland Must Accelerate Offshore Energy Production
Ireland aims for up to 37 GW of offshore renewable capacity by 2050, relying heavily on floating wind in its deep Atlantic waters. The government’s climate and industrial strategies earmark billions of euros—roughly $327 billion—in the National Development Plan, but current port...
Smart Track Strategies for London Underground: Video | PWI
The Railway Engineering Institution (formerly PWI) showcased innovative track‑renewal methods for the London Underground that aim to extend mileage while cutting costs. Strategies highlighted include longer welded rail panels, mechanised track‑laying equipment, predictive‑maintenance analytics, and recycled ballast. Case studies from...
Brussels Metro Project to Be Scaled Back as Key Station Shell Completed
The shell for the new Toots Thielemans station on Brussels' Line 3 has been finished, but the region announced a major scale‑back to curb spiralling costs. The line’s total budget has been halved from €2 billion (≈$2.18 bn) to €1 billion (≈$1.09 bn), with the...
Fehmarnbelt | Special Vessel for Immersing Elements on Denmark-Germany Tunnel Approved
The Danish Maritime Authority has approved the immersion vessel IVY, clearing the way for the first Fehmarnbelt tunnel elements to be submerged off Lolland this spring. The 18‑km Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link will consist of 89 precast concrete sections—79 standard (73,000 t...
Wave 4 & 5 - ECR Health Care Complex / FAAB
Wave 4 and 5 of the ECR Health Care Complex in Sopot, Poland, are slated for completion in 2025, adding an analytical laboratory, outpatient clinic, day‑surgery hospital, and specialist hospital to the campus. The development reclaims five hectares of flood‑prone brownfield land...