The Georgia Contractor May-June 2013

Volume 9, Issue 3 May | June 2013

WORKING TO SECURE GEORGIA’S FREIGHT & LOGISTICS FUTURE

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Georgia Contractor

GEORGIA

CONTRACTOR

w w w. t h e g e o r g i a c o n t r a c t o r . c o m

COMMENTARY

Editor-in-Chief: Roland Petersen-Frey Managing Editor: Daniel Simmons | (770) 521-8877 Art Director: Pamela Petersen-Frey | (770) 521-8877

This issue is one of those responding to many subjects of interest to our readers. A discussion on the Affordable Care Act and its impact on contract labor, asphalt—its changes and applications, the BAUMA 2013 exposition in Germany showing the latest construction equipment, Georgia’s continued growth in transportation logistics, it’s potential cost, and so much more. It’s is one of those issues that you will want to read from cover to cover.

Scott Shelar gives us his thoughts on what to do about the skilled labor shortage in the construction industry. Be sure and read his article on page 10.

Please send us your comments. We want to hear from you. We are here to give you the information you want and need.

The Georgia Contractor is published bi-monthly on a calendar year basis. It is a magazine designed around the construction industry associations and their members. It is supported by associations and their members. Executive, editorial, circulation, and advertising offices: 1154 Lower Birmingham Road, Canton, Georgia 30115 • Phone: (770) 521-8877 • Fax: (770) 521-0406 e-mail: rfrey@a4inc.com. Send address changes to your association and/or to A4 Inc. Opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of any of the associations or publisher nor do they accept responsibility for errors of content or omission and, as a matter of policy, neither do they endorse products or advertisements appearing herein. Parts of this magazine may be reproduced with the written consent of the publisher.

R. Petersen-Frey Editor-in-Chief, Georgia Contractor

ADVERTISEMENTS Albany Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Ayres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 CLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Deemer, Dana & Froehle LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Engineered Restorations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Georgia 811 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover Georgia Power Company . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front Cover Go Build Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover Independent Electrical Contractors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 JAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 New South Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 RHD Utility Locating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

On The Cover ~ GA DOT Working to Secure State’s Freight & Logistics Future See the story on page 6.

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GA DOT Working to Secure State’s Freight & Logistics Future As Georgia’s economy surely and steadily regains its footing, business and government leaders increasingly are able to focus on economic growth. Looking forward, a key economic driver for the state, both in the immediate and the long term, will be its burgeoning freight and logistics industry.

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What to do about the Construction Industry’s Skilled Labor Shortage

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Passing the Toolbelt

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Meet Blake Ashbee, Interim Executive Director Governor’s Office of Workforce Development

Georgia’s Asphalt: Versatile Quality The Affordable Care Act Engineers & Techies: Their Work Speaks for Itself… Or Does It? Contractor News Transportation Enhancements

Georgia Contractor

Transportation Enhancements Enriching quality of life in Georgia’s communities The paved 61-mile offroad Silver Comet Trail runs from northwest Georgia through Cobb, Paulding, and Polk counties to the Alabama border. It is located on the abandoned Seaboard Coastline Railroad right-of-way, originally purchased by GDOT as a potential commuter rail corridor.

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NAWIC SUGARLOAF CHAPTER HOSTS BLOCK KIDS COMPETITION AT IEC First Place Girls- Chaley Hawkins

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What to do about the construction industry’s skilled labor shortage

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The discussion about how best to replace Baby Boomers retiring from the construction industry is getting loud and somewhat focused.

Georgia’s Asphalt: Versatile Quality

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Asphalt has been serving the people and state of Georgia as its premier pavement material for decades. In fact, some 95 percent of Georgia’s roads are paved with asphalt, and these roads serve Georgians very well.

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Feature GA DOT Working To Secure State’s Freight

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Logistics Future As Georgia’s economy surely and steadily regains its footing, business and government leaders increasingly are able to focus on economic growth. Looking forward, a key economic driver for the state, both in the immediate and the long term, will be its burgeoning freight and logistics industry.

By Todd Long | Deputy Commissioner | GDOT & Toby Carr | Planning Director | GDOT

An ongoing expansion of the Panama Canal is projected to create a significant increase in freight shipments entering the United States via east coast ports.

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Already, the business of moving goods among growers, suppliers, manufacturers, vendors, and consumers is staggeringly successful. That movement alone represents a $15-billion-a-year industry in Georgia. Just five freight and logistics components of our overall economy—manufacturing, construction, retail, utilities, and agriculture—generate more than $100 billion of output each year, a full quarter of our gross state product. Some economists give those sectors a growth potential of 75 to as much as 200 percent over the next 35 years. State ports in Savannah and Brunswick generate some $67 billion in sales and $2.5 billion in state and local tax revenues annually. The ports provide good jobs for more than 352,000 Georgians. An ongoing expansion of the Panama Canal is projected to create a significant increase in freight shipments entering

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the United States via East Coast ports. The Georgia Department of Transportation is working with public and private freight partners to understand, prepare for, and capture this incoming freight. A deepened ship channel serving Savannah and the planned new port in Jasper will lead to savings of approximately $213 million a year nationally in reduced shipping costs and ensure Georgia’s position as a pre-eminent focal point of international commerce.

A comprehensive Georgia DOT study of all modes of the state’s freight and logistics industry points to possible overall gains of $65 billion and thousands of new jobs during the next four decades.

As with all good things though, we will not be able to ‘wish’ ourselves to this reality. We must commit to it in policy and in practice; we must work toward it continuously. There is a proverb that says: “Some people make things happen; some watch things happen; others wonder what has happened.”

Georgia DOT will be among the former. Working with the Ports Authority, the Department of Economic and Community Development’s Center of Innovation for Logistics, major railroads and industry leaders, we have developed a comprehensive statewide Freight and Logistics Action Plan (www.dot.ga.gov/freight). It is a prioritized ‘to-do’ list—an expansive agenda to make Georgia The Global Gateway of Choice.

An across-the-spectrum investment of $15 billion is recommended; more than $9 billion just for highways. Among the plan’s most pressing highway recommendations are: • Additional long-haul capacity 8

on Interstate Highway 85 in each direction from Gwinnett County to South Carolina and from Meriwether County to Alabama, on Interstate Highway 75 between Atlanta and Macon, and on Interstate Highway 20 from Douglas County to Alabama; •

Improving Interstate Highway 285’s six metro Atlanta interchanges with I-85, I-75 and I-20;

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Rebuilding the I-75 interchange with Interstate Highway 16 in Macon;

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Improved Interstate Highway 95 interchanges with I-16 and State Route 21 in Savannah;

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Widening and improvements on other key freight corridors such as U.S. Highway 84 and State Route 133 in south Georgia and U.S. Highway 441 between I-85 and I-16; and

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Improvements to the critical ‘last mile’ routes near the port of Savannah and the numer-

ous warehouse and distribution facilities along State Route 6 on Atlanta’s west side.

These will be expensive and timeconsuming projects, particularly given the department’s limited resources and concurrent responsibility to maintain the 18,000 existing miles of Georgia roadways. Some already are underway, however, and we’re actively seeking innovative ways to deliver the others. Georgia will maintain and expand its role as a global hub for freight and logistics.

Together, we will set a good example for our children and grandchildren of people who make things happen.

Toby Carr is Planning Director and Todd Long Deputy Commissioner of the Georgia Department of

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By Scott Shelar, Executive Director, CEFGA

What to do about the construction industry’s skilled labor “I’d rather be an optimist and a fool than a pessimist and right.”

-Albert Einstein The discussion about how best to replace Baby Boomers retiring from the construction industry is getting loud and somewhat focused.

Construction executives, superintendents, and HR managers realize they have a problem: half of their workforce (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics) are Baby Boomers those born between 1946 and 1964. They’ve already started retiring at a rapid pace, which will continue for the next 15 years.

This, combined with tighter immigration laws (especially here in Georgia) and implementation of programs like E-Verify on most large projects are making it difficult, even in this slow-recovering economy, for many construction companies to find skilled workers.

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Students line up to operate heavy equipment at the 2013 CEFGA CareerExpo, which featured 347 employers and more than 4,000 students from across the state. The World of Heavy Equipment and Utility Contracting was sponsored and organized by GUCA. The 2014 event is March 1314 at the Georgia International Convention Center.

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o what to do? There seem be two schools of thought.

One says we need to address immigration laws and make it easier for people to move to the United States from other countries and work in the construction industry.

The other says we need to invest in our schools and young adults here in the United States and convince them that there are good careers in construction, and specifically the skilled trades.

The answer, most likely, is that we need to do both. However, I must admit a bias.

To me, the first option sounds dangerously pessimistic. When leaders in our industry say that the only way we are going to find skilled workers is to bring them in from other countries, it sounds to me like they’ve given up on our own young people.

Call me an optimist and a fool, but I believe there are thousands of young people across Georgia today who will one day soon work in the construction industry—as electricians, plumbers, heating and air technicians, heavy equipment operators, carpenters, and superintendents.

I know this to be true because right now there are more than 7,000 high school students learning basic construction skills in 70-plus NCCER-certified construction programs across Georgia.

The CEFGA CareerExpo and SkillsUSA State Championships, which our organization hosts each year, is further proof that young people are at least interested in our industry. On March 21-22, we hosted more than 6,200 attendees, including 4,600-plus high school and technical college students from across the state. We know through surveys of students and teachers that approximately 1,000 of these students will pursue a career in construction.

Industry volunteer judges from Bardi Heating and Air look on as a student competes in the 2013 SkillsUSA Heating and Air Competition.

The state-level competition was sponsored and organized by Bardi.

Our CEFGA Placement Program and our brand new partnership with CLP is proving that there are young people who want to work in the skilled trades.

If your company has a career opportunity for a young, motivated adult, contact our placement coordinator, Jamie Buck at buck@cefga.org.

I believe it is our responsibility as industry leaders and citizens of our state and communities to invest time, talent, and treasure in our young adults. It is cliche, but they are our future. They are the future of our country and more specifically, they are the future of your company.

I am encouraged by the record number of companies who participated in our CareerExpo this year 347! That tells me that many leaders in our industry are optimistic about our young people.

We must remain optimistic that Georgia students will one day soon fill some of the great careers in our industry, and that we can at least partially solve the skilled labor shortage by looking in our own communities.

When we continue to do this as an industry, I believe we will find ourselves being both optimistic and right! v Scott Shelar is in his fifteenth year as executive director of CEFGA - the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia. He lives with his wife of 18 years and two children (Martin, age 5 and Sophie, age 2) in Decatur, Georgia.

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Meet Blake Ashbee, Interim Executive Director Governor’s Office of Workforce Development he Governor’s Office of Workforce Development (GOWD) has a new leader rising in to continue the positive movement of Go Build Georgia, veteran’s employment programs, and workforce development across the state. Blake Ashbee, former General Counsel for the agency, has been named Interim Executive Director for GOWD. As General Counsel for Workforce Development, Ashbee worked alongside Former Executive Director Tricia Pridemore.

Over the past 20 months, GOWD successfully launched several programs designed to address Georgia’s skills gap, as well as improve veteran’s workforce development and employment across the state. GOWD, alongside Governor Nathan Deal began a skilled trade recruitment initiative, Go Build Georgia. Go Build Georgia aims to dispel the misconceptions about careers within the skilled trades and build the future workforce for Georgia’s growing industries.

Under the leadership of Director Pridemore, GOWD also helped create and launch Georgia’s veterans workforce development programs in November of 2012. These programs include the Operation: Workforce web portal, a one- stop resource for all things veterans’ employment in Georgia.

To date, Operation: Workforce hosts 75 job opportunities for Georgia’s veterans. The web portal also hosts the Hire a Georgia Hero Campaign for companies to

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commit to giving veterans enhanced hiring opportunities.

Lastly, GOWD, in partnership with the Department of Driver Services, lead the implementation of Troops to Trucks which expedites the Commercial Drivers Licensing process for Georgia’s veterans looking to get back to work quickly.

GOWD also oversaw the transfer of the Workforce Investment Act funding into the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development and helped to realign the state workforce investment activities.

GOWD strives to operate an efficient and effective agency to continue to help Georgians find meaningful employment.

Ashbee has a long and successful career in both public service and the private sector. He previously held senior roles for members of Congress, as an appointee in the administration of President George W. Bush, and for several Fortune 500 compa-

nies. Having a mixture of both public and private sector experience allows Ashbee to understand and nurture the partnerships necessary to make workforce development in Georgia successful.

Keeping Georgia competitive to attract new business and industry to our state is still a key goal within workforce development.

Unemployment in Georgia has dropped from ten percent in September 2011 to 8.4 percent but is still higher than the national average. With the leadership across Georgia, the state has managed to significantly move the needle on unemployment, and GOWD hopes to aid in continuing this trend.

Under Ashbee’s leadership, GOWD will continue to strive towards Governor Deal’s vision of addressing Georgia’s growing skills gap between education and training outcomes and designing and actuating a more efficient workforce development system.v

Georgia Contractor

Passing The Toolbelt

By The Go Build Georgia Team

ummer is just around the corner and graduating seniors from across the country are preparing to begin the next chapter of their lives. For some, this means starting a degree program at a local college or a fouryear university, but it’s important to remember that this is not the only path to prosperity. There are other options available that can give you control over your own future. Technical colleges, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training all have benefits that should not be overlooked when considering your advancement opportunities. The skilled trades are experiencing a boom in growth, and there are even positions going unfilled because there is a lack of skilled professionals to fill them. For every four tradesmen looking to retire, there is only one entering the skilled trades. This has created a large skills gap throughout the country, and workers with the proper training, skills, and experience are reaping the benefits. Learning a skilled trade often enables individuals to enter the workforce through an apprenticeship or journeyman program while attending courses towards full certification in their trade of choice. This is a win-win for many graduating seniors who are looking for an alternative to the traditional four-year route or who have plans to enter the work force and start collecting a decent paycheck right away.

High school juniors are also coming to a crossroads as they pre-

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pare for their last year as a high school student and begin planning for their future. While enjoying your senior year, you have a great opportunity to learn about possible career positions before you have to make any long-term decisions. Take this time to check out some courses that can expand your horizons and make you more attractive to future employers. Does your school offer any technical career classes? If so, this is a great way to find out what trades interest you, and you never know what avenues these courses could open up. Be sure to take advantage of any extracurricular networking activities that are available to you. Every year, events like the CEFGA Career Expo and SkillsUSA State Championships offer students the opportunity to learn more about jobs that make our everyday lives possible, while meeting with the men and women who make it happen. These individuals are happy to talk, listen, and give advice about entering the skilled trades. These are also the same people who are looking for qualified individuals to hire, so meeting them face-to-face can definitely give you a leg up on the competition. A commercial construction tradesman on average earns $300 a week more than the average American, making the

skilled trades a real option for high school juniors to consider when looking for a future career.

Job security is also an important aspect to consider when looking at a career in the skilled trades. While it seems that many of today’s jobs are being outsourced or downsized, the skilled trades are as strong and stable as ever. With more than 7.2 million employees nationwide, industrial and commercial construction has long been one of the nation’s largest industries. Positions like carpenters, welders, civil engineers, and others allow our modern society to function. Without these individuals our way of life would come to a screeching halt.

Georgia alone averages more than 83,000 skilled trades job openings annually. Technology plays an integral part in the workforce, but it will never take the place of those who build our homes, keep our water running, and inspect our roads and bridges. Learning a skilled trade is a solid investment in the future of your career stability.

Looking for more information on the skilled trades? Check out www.gobuildgeorgia.com for positions, salaries, and job availability. While you’re there, register your profile to upload a resume and allow employers to view your information. v 13

GeorGia’s asphalt: Versatile Quality

By Dr. Will Rogers | Technical Director | Georgia Asphalt Pavement Association General Asphalt has been serving the people and state of Georgia as its premier pavement material for decades. In fact, some 95 percent of Georgia’s roads are paved with asphalt, and these roads serve Georgians very well. Georgia’s asphalt roadways have received national recognition from the US Public Interest Group, the Reason Foundation, and the American Society of Civil Engineers for quality. But what is asphalt doing now?

RAP Environmental sustainability has become an important topic within the construction industry, state, and local governments. Some may be surprised to find asphalt already at the head of this line, but, in truth, asphalt is the most recycled product in the nation and has been since 1993! Currently, over 99 percent of milled asphalt is reused in new pavements.

Reclaimed asphalt pavement, or RAP, is a valuable commodity; not only does it save processing of virgin aggregate, it also saves on refining oil to produce liquid binder (21.2 million barrels of AC, or

$2.2 billion). When producing RAP mixes at quality greater than or equal to virgin mixes, contractors take great care to control RAP gradation and binder content, and to protect RAP binder from volatilization and oxidation during production.

In 2007, the national average for RAP use was about 12 percent. In 2011, that average hit 19 percent. Georgia seems to be out on the tip of the spear: contractors regularly use 25 and even 30 percent RAP in state projects, and pilot projects up to 40 and 45 percent RAP have been successfully placed on state routes.

WMA Warm mix asphalt is essentially the same as hot mix asphalt, simply produced at lower temperatures (around 250-270°F). WMA can be produced using chemical products or by a simple plant modification that sprays water into the binder. The binder then foams and expands, coating aggregate at lower temperatures. Initial interest in WMA came from its ability to lower the energy and greenhouse gas emissions associated with HMA. As the technology

Photo courtesy of Scot Schwandt. An example of a porous asphalt parking lot, where the pavement treats the stormwater runoff and recharges the local water table.

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Georgia Contractor

spread, contractors have noticed the ability to incorporate more RAP, improve compaction, increase haul distances, extend the paving season, and improve conditions for paving crews. They have also noticed longer life from bags in the plant baghouse, which prevents dust from discharging into the environment, and less wear-and-tear in the plant’s drum.

WMA processes also age asphalt binder less through reduced volatilization and oxidation during production.

While GDOT currently allows WMA only in the surface layer, they have taken steps toward expanding usage. In August through October of 2010, one GAPA contractor used the foaming method to place a combined 59,000 tons of 25mm base, 19mm intermediate, and 9.5mm surface courses on the Fall Lines Freeway in Wilkinson County, Georgia. With the final performance testing report in, the WMA has met or exceeded all HMA specifications for all layers. GDOT will continue to monitor the status of the pavement long-term and is considering changes to it’s specifications that would make them permissive, allowing the contractor to chose between using HMA or WMA for the surface layer on a given project. To date, this has been specified in the contract. With these changes opening the field, use of WMA in Georgia is expected to rise.

anywhere a tight, smooth surface is wanted.

4.75mm mixes are that tight, smooth, impermeable surface. They’ve been shown to improve ride quality and pavement condition, decrease road noise, correct minor rutting and surface distresses, minimize curb loss, eliminate dust and loose aggregate from the pavement surface, and have no cure time. They have a proven track record in Georgia of lasting ten years when placed on structurally sound pavements, and research is looking to extend that.

The National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) is working to prove and improve these mixtures. One 4.75mm pavement from Mississippi has been on the NCAT track since 2003 and has seen 32 million ESALs with minimal rutting and no failures.

When one of the 155,000 lbs tractor-trailers turned over on this section last January, the pavement was virtually unscathed, as durable as a plate of asphalt armor. Since this pavement was placed, NCAT has performed further research to refine mix design criteria on these pavements, making them even better.

A NAPA survey in 2008 gave the life expectancies for various pavement preservation techniques: a 4.75mm mix is expected to last 10.7 years; a microsurface, 4.7 years; a slurry seal, 3.2 years; and a chip seal, 4.1 years. The 4.75mm mix is also almost always the most cost-effective pavement preservation option.

4.75mm NMAS Pavements Governmental agencies are finding themselves with a problem: too many roads and not enough money to maintain them, much less build new ones. A multi-tool solution: the 4.75mm NMAS (nominal maximum aggregate size) mix. Also called “thin-lift overlays’ or ‘thinlays,’ 4.75mm mixes are a more engineered version of GDOT’s old G-Mix that have been seeing new life as pavement preservation tools across the country. They can be laid as thin as ¾”, and, as opposed to chip seals or microsurfacing, actually add structural strength and life to a pavement and provide a means of altering the profile of the roadway to improve drainage. They’ve been noted as a way to build local roads into perpetual pavements ‘one inch at a time.’

Many of the pavement preservation techniques receiving attention these days aren’t performed by any Georgia contractors (ie. microsurfacing, slurry seals, hot in-place recycling, cape seals, etc…).

While Georgia contractors perform single, double, and triple chip seals, these are limited by traffic and often not desired in neighborhoods, parking lots, or May | June 2013

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Photo Courtesy of Jim Huddleston. A 4.75mm NMAS pavement placed as thin as a quarter can provide a smooth ride and extend the life of a pavement an additional 10 years.

For the cost, value, and life extension offered, 4.75mm mixes are the best pavement preservation tool in any toolbox.

Porous Pavement As states, counties, and cities look for ways to improve and treat water runoff, asphalt has stepped up to the plate. In truth, asphalt has been doing this job in Georgia for years. All of Georgia’s asphalt interstates, and many high-volume state highways, are topped with an open-graded friction course (OGFC) that, in addition to making our roadways safer by removing water during a rain and improving tire friction, actually pretreat the water running off of the roads. A Texas study in 2007 showed OGFCs significantly decreased the suspended solids, total metals, and phosphorus contained in pavement runoff.

But porous asphalt pavements aren’t limited to a 1.5” surface course. Retention ponds, stormwater pipes, and inlets can be reduced or eliminated on low-volume roads and parking lots by placing porous asphalt on top of a clean, uniformly graded stone ‘recharge’ bed. From bottom up, the essential parts are: uncompacted subgrade soil, nonwoven geotextile fabric, stone recharge bed (No. 3 stone), choker course (No. 57, optional), and porous asphalt pavement (OGFC). Many of these pave-

ments have, thus far, lasted twenty years, and the Walden Pond Visitor Center in Massachusetts has lasted over 30. Dollar for dollar, many architects and engineers have found that porous pavements significantly cut site development costs by reducing earthwork and stormwater demands. And since Georgia contractors are already familiar with OGFCs, there’s no learning curve when it comes time to pave.

With the versatility and quality of Georgia’s asphalt roads, it’s no wonder our network is consistently ranked as one of the top in the nation. And asphalt deserves the credit. v

Photo courtesy of Brian Wood. A porous asphalt pavement soaks up rainwater, storing it in a stone recharge bed until it infiltrates into the soil, recharging the local water table.

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How the Employer Mandate May Result in Independent Contractor Classification Challenges and Employee Retaliation Claims

By Warren Kingsley | Arnall Golden Gregory | Employee Benefits Partner & Diane Lukin | Employee Benefits Associate Most employers are aware that the Affordable Care Act added a requirement for certain sized companies to offer employersponsored group health coverage to full-time employees and dependents. However, employers may not be aware that the employer mandate also may create new opportunities for federal and state governments to challenge the company’s classification of some workers as independent contractors. In addition, employers also may be unaware that the Affordable Care Act includes protected rights for employees that engage in certain activities, which rights recently have been fortified with a final interim rule enabling employees to file complaints against the employer if they suspect retaliation. A summary of the Affordable Care Act employer mandate, the relevance of independent contractor status in relationship to the employer Minimum value means the medical coverage must pay covered benefits at 60 percent or more of covered costs. Also, because it is unlikely that employers will know their employees’ household incomes, most employers will have to rely on one of three safe harbors provided under IRS regulations to determine whether coverage is affordable for the employee’s share of premiums for employee-only coverage. [The employee’s share of dependent premiums is not subject to affordability requirements under the employer mandate.]

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Warren Kingsley mandate, and an overview of employee-protected rights under the Affordable Care Act are summarized in the following article.

The Employer Mandate Overview Beginning January 1, 2014, companies that employ an average of 50 or more full-time employees and/or full-time employee equivalents in the preceding calendar year are subject to the employer mandate. Referred to as the ‘applicable large employer’ determination, controlled group and affiliated service group members are treated as a single employer for purposes of making the determination. Employees employed an average of 30 or more hours per week or 130 hours per month are considered full-time.

Companies that qualify as applicable large employers must offer full-time employees and their dependents (excluding spouses) employer-sponsored group health coverage that covers major med-

Diane Lukin ical benefits. In addition, the requisite coverage must also provide ‘minimum value’ and the employee’s share of premiums for employee-only coverage must be ‘affordable,’ i.e., no more than 9.5 percent of the employee’s household income.

Employers that fail to offer the required medical coverage run the risk of incurring one of two penalties.

The first penalty is incurred if a company fails to offer required medical coverage to at least 95 percent of its full-time employees, and as a result of that failure, an employee purchases health insurance through a state exchange and receives a premium tax credit or a cost sharing subsidy. The first penalty is based on the company’s number of full-time employees, minus 30, multiplied by $2,000 for the calendar year or $166.67 for each month coverage is not offered.

The second penalty applies if a company offers coverage with17

out affordable employee-only premiums or offers coverage that fails to provide minimum value, and the full-time employee purchases health insurance on the state exchange and receives a premium tax credit or cost sharing subsidy. If the second penalty applies, the employer pays the lesser of (1) the first penalty or (2) $3,000 per year ($250 per month for each month that the requisite coverage is not offered) multiplied by the number of full-time employees who obtain a premium tax credit or a cost sharing subsidy through the state exchange.

If employees or independent contractors attempt to purchase health insurance on a state exchange, they will be required to provide proof of income (e.g., Forms W-2 or 1099) to determine whether they are eligible for premium tax credits or cost sharing subsidies. It is through this means that government officials may challenge a company’s decision to classify some individuals as independent contractors. If this happens, companies that attempt to avoid applicable large employer status by classifying employees as independent contractors, or that fail to offer requisite coverage to independent contractors who are actually employees, may find they are subject to the employer mandate and assessed significant penalties.

benefit plans). To assist companies with making these determinations, the Internal Revenue Service (‘IRS’) compiled a series of factors and tests developed by the courts to distinguish whether workers should be classified as common law employees or independent contractors, with the most significant factor weighing in favor of employee status being the company’s control over the worker. See IRS Revenue Ruling 87-41.

Historically, a company defended its independent contractor classifications during IRS or state audit, which also provided the company the opportunity to negotiate lower payroll taxes and penalties if independent contractors had to be reclassified as employees. However, now companies also must consider the risks and expenses associated with misclassifying their workers under the employer mandate. If a company incorrectly relies on independent contractor classification either to avoid applicable large employer status under the Affordable Care Act or to avoid offering full-time employees and applicable dependents company-sponsored group health coverage, the company could find itself subject

to significant employer mandate penalties. In addition, due to employee protections provided under the Affordable Care Act, companies should carefully consider adverse decisions they make against their employees, including workers they may have misclassified as independent contractors.

Affordable Care Act Employee Protections Under the Affordable Care Act, employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees who engage in certain activities. The employee protected activities include: (1) purchasing health insurance on the state exchange and receiving a premium tax credit or cost sharing subsidy; (2) reporting what the employee reasonably believes to be Title I Affordable Care Act vioPenalty one will not be assessed if a company fails to offer the greater of five percent or five of its full-time employees coverage.

If the company is a member of a related group of companies, the company must prorate the 30 exception among the group’s members.

Independent Contractor Classification Before the employer mandate, a company may have been motivated to classify workers as independent contractors due to temporary staffing needs or the desire to save on expenses associated with hiring employees (e.g., payroll taxes and employee 18

Georgia Contractor

lations (e.g., reporting an employer-sponsored group health plan or health insurance issuer violating prohibitions on preexisting conditions, lifetime or annual limits, etc.); (3) testifying, assisting or participating in proceedings related to reported Title I violations; and 4) refusing to participate in activities the employee reasonably believes are Title I violations.

Under a final interim rule, employees may file complaints of employer retaliation with the As-

sistant Secretary of Occupational Health & Safety Administration.

For purposes of the interim final rule, an employee includes current and former employees and employee applicants. Arguably, the definition of employee is broad enough to encompass an independent contractor who should have been classified as a common law employee. In addition, employers should be very careful when taking adverse employment action against employees who engage in any of the above-listed protected actions. In order to bring a complaint, employees only need a subjective, reasonable good faith belief

based on an objective, adverse action taken by the employer that the employee is being discriminated against for engaging in a protected activity.

Summary The employer mandate requires companies to reevaluate their labor forces and evaluate decisions to classify some or all workers as independent contractors.

In addition, employers should cautiously monitor both planned and unintended adverse employment actions they take against employees who engage in any protected activities under the Affordable Care Act. v

CLP: Closing the Skills Gap One Job at a Time Closing the Skills Gap – what does that mean?

To CLP it means providing workforce solutions to our customers and creating opportunities to put people to work every day. We change lives of our customers and workers by doing one thing and doing it well: skilled trades staffing! We provide qualified workers to customers throughout Georgia and the entire United States. We partner with some of the largest and best construction companies to provide safe, reliable employment opportunities to thousands of workers each day.

CLP is proud to align with CEFGA as its placement program leader. We take certified students and work with our customers and CEFGA members to place these students as temporary workers or as temporary to permanent employees, affording you the cost benefit of testing a workers skills set and match for values prior to signing that person on permanently.

This model creates win-win for both the employer and the employee. We invest in the students training and meeting our customer’s priorities and objectives remains our clear directive.

The CEFGA System, a construction Workforce Development Plan for Georgia, is shown below:

AWARE NE SS WEBSITES, OUTREACH, MEDIA TRAINING/EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE LEVEL SKILLED TRADES PROGRAMS PLACEMENT/EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT THROUGH CLP, LABOR UNIONS, AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY TERRY DAUGHERTY | CLP RESOURCES 8975 Roswell Road Suite 207 Atlanta, GA 30350 678-710-0826 678-710-0829 fax 404-987-9325 cell tdaugherty@clp.com www.clp.com May | June 2013

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Engineers & Techies: Their Work Speaks for Itself…

Or Does It? Do communication skills really matter in engineering and technical organizations?

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t’s a new truth in today’s business world: “In spite of our technological advances, our competitive advantage lies in our ability to work effectively together.”

(Roger K. Allen, Ph. D.) Yet few professionals receive formal communication skills training, especially in engineering and technical professions, and many leaders do not know how to establish a culture that fosters and benefits from strong communication skills. Besides, technical people are hired for their technical skills, so it’s a fair question: do communication skills really matter?

In a word, yes. In any organization, two aspects contribute to success: the work and the people.

Once upon a time, traditional organizations could focus primarily on the work. People would stay with a company through thick and thin, often putting up with difficulties in silence. But today’s economic realities mean we’re often trying to get more done with fewer people. Organizations cannot afford to keep people they don’t need, and individuals change jobs often (by choice or necessity). Organizations today must transition into high performance in order to succeed. This requires a focus on people and their ability to communicate with each other.

When you compare traditional organizations to high per20

formance organizations, one startling fact reveals itself: organizations are perfectly designed to get the results they are getting.

Do you have a traditional or a high performance organization?

Traditional organizations— many of which are now struggling to survive—focus on tasks, embody a highly bureaucratic structure, cultivate departmental silos, and view employees as tools for getting work done. In a traditional organization, communication breakdowns lead to costly rework, expensive mistakes, employee frustration, and even critical information kept secret from those who need to know.

Often, engineers and technical professionals in these organizations spend too much time trying to get their facts right before sharing anything, communicate only within their departmental silos, and use the chain of command as a communication barrier.

But when you see organizations that consistently realize their goals and business objectives, you notice they follow the new ‘high performance’ paradigm.

High performance organizations focus on people, embody selfregulating teams, cultivate values across departmental boundaries, and view employees as partners.

In a high performance organization, effective communications lead to financial savings from informed business decisions, timesaving work ideas, and highly

engaged employees. And in the best of these, engineers and technical professionals are empowered to share information as it becomes available, communicate across departmental silos, and replace their chain of command concept with a collaborative team mindset.

Communication skills matter.

You can tell within minutes of walking into any organization whether the people operate in a culture of empowerment and open communication or a culture of permission-seeking and fear of visible mistakes. So what makes the difference?

It’s one of the main challenges engineering and technical organizations face: Most of their people never learned advanced communication skills. In order to create and sustain success, organizations must develop strong

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communication skills across all levels of the organization. This requires a fundamental shift at the level of organizational culture, a new paradigm that values and rewards effective communication skills. Leaders play the most crucial role—people look to them to set the tone and determine behavioral norms.

When it comes to organizational performance, “15 percent of our success comes from our technical skills, 85 percent from our ability to deal effectively with people.” ~ Brian Tracy, author and speaker When people do not deal effectively with each other, the organization fails. To survive in today’s professional landscape, engineering and technical organizations must develop their ability to communicate.

So what are the steps to create and sustain powerful communication skills in your organization?

Step One: Leadership support. A leader must learn and demonstrate effective communication skills before expecting effective communication from the organization. Leaders must also support their people as they grow into powerful communicators.

magic—it’s a teachable skillset following a specific formula. Poor communication comes not from a lack of ability, but rather a lack of knowledge and practice executing the fundamental principles.

Make sure to hire a firm that understands firsthand the complexities of working in a technical organization and specializes in training technical organizations.

What are your strategic priorities as an organization?

Effective communication doesn’t just happen—it has to be made a priority. High performance organizations first set their strategic priorities around communication skills and high performance. From there, they prioritize their actions to support success.

The number one way to determine an organization’s success: look at the way people in the organization communicate with each other.

On a scale of one-to-ten, would you rate communication effectiveness within your organization high (10) or low (1)? Why did you give your organization this rating? Are you happy with status

quo, or would you prefer a higher rating? What are you willing to do to help your engineers and technical teams make this happen?

About the Author LaShanya Aikerson Sullivan is the CEO and Founder of Aikerson Consulting Group, Inc. Her firm’s largest division, GeeksCanSpeak.com, provides high performance training to engineering and technical professionals. Her programs focus on leadership and communication skills as the foundation for creating sustainable high performance organizations. To get her monthly newsletter packed with actionable tips and techniques, visit www.GeeksCanSpeak.com. v

Step Two: Measure results. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. You must first assess your current level of communication effectiveness, then chart a path toward a specific goal.

Benchmark the performance you desire, so you have a way to measure how close you are to realizing success and to ensure that your communication goals support your organization’s vision, mission, and objectives.

Step Three: Get training. Learn the advanced communication principles practiced by high performance organizations. It isn’t May | June 2013

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Contractor News NAWIC SUGARLOAF CHAPTER HOSTS BLOCK KIDS COMPETITION AT IEC

Group Photo(left to right)- Top Row- Kathleen Torrence, Gwinnett Technical College, Residential Construction; Lana Frye, Independent Electrical Contractors; Rebecca Bailey LEED AP, CIT, Ajax Building Corporation; Renee Conner CIT, Precision Tapping Inc., Valencia McDaniel, IBG Construction Services; Julie Price, Rogers Construction Co., Melissa Dyer, Bowen & Watson, Inc.; Bottom Row- Tyrus Hyatt, Asaad Abd Al-Rahman, AJ Young, Jada Taylor, Micai Thornton, Chaley Hawkins The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), Sugarloaf Chapter, hosted its annual Block Kids Competition at the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) training office located in Atlanta.

March 9th from 9am to 12 noon, the to national. National winners are anFor more information about IEC and its programs, contact Niel Dawladies of NAWIC enlightened young nounced on April 30th. Good luck son, Executive Director at 770-242minds with the introduction of a fasciChaley!

9277 or niel.dawson@iecgeorgia.org nating career in construction, by as“The purpose of Block Kids is to v signing the task of constructing raise awareness to career opportunibuildings from their imaginations. ties in the construction industry; and Boys and girls convened from schools the reactions of the kids to this event as far south as Flat Shoals Elementary show a mission accomplished,” says in Decatur, to as far northeast as StarLana Frye, IEC Workforce Developer ling Elementary in Grayson. Kids arand President of NAWIC Sugarloaf rived excited and ready to build! chapter. IEC is proud to support the Newcomer Tyrus Hyatt of Flat NAWIC Sugarloaf chapter as it Shoals elementary won first place for reaches out to build tomorrow’s conboys by creating a commercial store struction industry.

First Place Boys, Tyrus Hyatt with a parking lot. Chaley Hawkins of IEC is a trade association for merit Lilburn Elementary won first place in shop electrical contractors and offers the girls division by creating a power a wide array of training programs for plant that converts dirty water from apprentices and experienced electrilakes to clean drinking water for the cians. In addition to the electrical apcommunity! This is Chaley’s third prenticeship training program, IEC competition, and her project goes on provides personnel referral including to be submitted to represent the Sugloan/borrow programs, and provides a arloaf chapter at the regional Block broad range of informational resources First Place Girls and PresenterKids competition. Well done! If Chafor electrical contractors in Atlanta Chaley Hawkins, Renee Conner of Precision Tapping Inc. ley wins regional, she will continue on and Georgia.

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SCC GOLF FUNDRAISER EXCEEDS GOAL On Monday, April 1st, the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) along with the Atlanta Electrical Contractors and Mechanical Contractors of Georgia hosted the Specialty Contractors Coalition’s (SCC) First Ryder Cup fundraiser and exceeded their $10,000 goal, raising nearly $12,000. This enjoyable and interacting event was organized by SCC to raise political action committee (PAC) funds to support pro-business legislature in the Georgia General Assembly. This is the third year the SCC has been in existence, and it is a tremendous benefit to the construction industry.

The SCC Ryder Cup fundraiser has major support from the construction industry, and it is evident by the participaIndividuals in photo left to right: tion of electrical contractors, meBrian Marbut of Excel Electrical Technologies, Bill Price of Gexpro, Steve chanical contractors to general Fowler of Excel Electrical Technologies and Tom Lemay of Lemay Electric. ,contractors throughout the industry. IEC members Legrand and S.M. Ellis Company each sponsored a hole with many IEC members, including Atlanta board members Steve Fowler and Tom Lemay who also played in the event. The very successful event far exceeded expectation with 92 golfers and 20 sponsors; the event was filled to capacity, so some golfers were waitlisted.

The SCC raised nearly $12,000 to power the fight for pro-business legislature, but they did not do it alone. Thank you to every organization that helped to make this event a success, including a special thanks to our lobbyist Lee Lemke. Through everyone’s efforts we will make a positive impact on the legislature and its effect on your business.

IEC is a trade association for merit shop electrical contractors and offers a wide array of training programs for apprentices and experienced electricians. In addition to the electrical apprenticeship training program, IEC provides personnel referral including loan/borrow programs, and provides a broad range of informational resources for electrical contractors in Atlanta and Georgia. v May | June 2013

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IEC GOERGIA STARTS FIRE ALARM AND APPRENTICESHIP CLASSES On March 5th, IEC began two courses, the Fire Alarm Systems Installers in Columbus, and an Online Apprenticeship program, which provides entry level training statewide.

The Fire Alarm course is being taught under the expert instruction of the President of ELVES and IEC partner, John Follett, who is a NICET level IV certified. The new Fire Alarm Installer and NICET I and II prep curriculum is the result of an IEC expanding education menu designed to meet its members’ needs. The course fills the requirements specified in NFPA’s National Fire Alarm Code- NFPA 72-2007. At the end of this eight week session, students will acquire the knowledge necessary to install fire alarms and prepare for NICET Levels I and II testing and certification.

The online apprenticeship program runs for 39 weeks, and provides the convenience our members require to continue business as usual. Projects stay on track, while members take advantage of the opportunity to provide their employees with the tools to be professional and skilled electrical contractors.

IEC continues to deliver education to the electrical industry. We do our part to create more opportunities for members’ success, by making sure members are ready to deliver quality work. Contact IEC for information on upcoming classes to prepare your workforce.

IEC is a trade association for merit shop electrical contractors and offers a wide array of training programs for apprentices and experienced electricians. In addition to the electrical apprenticeship training program, IEC provides personnel referral including loan/borrow programs, and provides a broad range of informational resources for electrical contractors in Atlanta and Georgia. For more information about IEC and its programs, contact Niel Dawson, Executive Director at 770-242-9277 or niel.dawson@iecgeorgia.org v

LUXURY APARTMENTS IN ATLANTA’S MIDTOWN CITY BLOCK UNDERWAY Post-modern development by Balfour Beatty Construction will pay homage to area’s rich history Residents and visitors of the Midtown city block in Atlanta, Georgia have seen dirt moving since early last December on 131 Ponce Midtown Apartments, a luxury apartment complex located adjacent to the historic Georgian Terrace Hotel and St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church. Balfour Beatty Construction, the general contractor for the $31.5 million project, celebrated the official groundbreaking this morning with project partners and guests.

The project is a four-story, wood-frame building with 280 luxury apartment units over two levels of concrete podium parking. A majority of the 280 units will be studios or one bedroom apartments. Amenities including three private, elevated courtyards connected by a series of stair towers will offer residents a tranquil retreat from urban life, while a rooftop pool will showcase stunning views of the city skyline.

131 Ponce Midtown Apartments is being developed by Faison, a Charlotte-based developer. This is Balfour Beatty Construction’s fourth project with Faison. Construction on mixed-use, multifamily housing developments in Nashville, Tennessee; Durham, North Carolina; and Charlotte, North Carolina will run concurrently with 131 Ponce Midtown Apartments.

“Today’s groundbreaking celebrates the beginning of a great asset to the city of Atlanta and the Midtown community,” said Christopher Herman, national multifamily housing project executive for Balfour Beatty Construction. “As we commemorate the groundbreaking for this inspiring and critically important new building, we recognize the many friends and partners whose leadership, vision, and careful planning have made this day possible.”

The project site once included the first office building designed by well-known, modernist architect, I.M. Pei, in 1949. Although the two24

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story glass, marbled brick building was demolished in February, Balfour Beatty Construction will maintain the area’s historical integrity by resurrecting a portion of the Pei building’s façade and incorporating it into the new development.

Balfour Beatty Construction is working in collaboration with Atlanta-based design firm, Davis Architects, to create a post-modern development that pays homage to Pei’s original, clean design. Engineering services are provided by the local Alpharetta firm, Southern Civil Engineers Inc. The development team also includes Sereo Group, M2 Structural, Bilson Landscaping and Design, and Phillips Gradick Engineering.

The first units at 131 Ponce Midtown Apartments will be turned over for tenant occupancy in May of 2014, and the project is expected to be complete three months later in August.

Balfour Beatty Construction’s national multifamily housing team specializes in the value-based delivery of wood-frame and high density projects for multifamily and student housing customers. They enable clients to develop more viable projects, test proformas, and accelerate time-to-market by applying a proprietary Trusted Advisor Process (TAP) to enhance project approach, validate feasibility, optimize schedules, and achieve financial goals. In 2012, Building Design + Construction ranked Balfour Beatty Construction as the nation’s third largest multifamily contractor. v

Pictured from left to right: Al Petrangeli (Balfour Beatty Construction), Bob Vance (Southern Civil Engineers), Matt Poindexter (Sereo Group), Eric Speckman (Sereo Group), Jim Taylor (Balfour Beatty Construction), Chris Fetter (Faison), Joe Herman (Davis Architects), Chris Herman (Balfour Beatty Construction) May | June 2013

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BAUMA HIGHLIGHTS 15 GROUNDBREAKING INNOVATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION

Out of a total of 156 entries from Germany and abroad, 15 groundbreaking new developments and solutions made it through to the final round. The winning innovations in the five categories are: ‘Pipe Express’ from Herrenknecht in the ‘Machinery’ category For the last five years, Herrenknecht has been working on the development of a new method of installing pipelines.

Fast, environmentally friendly, and economical—all these criteria are met by ‘Pipe Express.’ Like a tireless mole, the steel milling unit eats its way forward at almost one meter per minute underground.

Pipe Express is an innovation that will revolutionize the laying of pipes and cables in the ground.

Until now the job of laying pipes has involved leaving scars in the landscape of up to 50 meters wide. The new process minimizes the intervention to a width of nine meters and it even works well in ground with water-bearing strata.

In comparison to conventional open-construction methods, the Pipe Express considerably reduces the impact on the environment and at the same time minimizes the costs of the building site.

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‘AutoPilot Field Rover’ from Wirtgen in the ‘Machine Components’ category With its ‘AutoPilot Field Rover’ Wirtgen GmbH has succeeded in developing a component that, in comparison to the systems used so far, accelerates the processes in road construction, saves costs, and delivers higher quality.

Paving is much quicker because no digital terrain models are needed for the manufacture of monolithic profiles such as curbs or concrete safety barriers, and no stringlines need to be secured in the ground. The Wirtgen AutoPilot Field Rover can be operated by any machine operator, not just personnel trained in surveying. This saves time and costs.

The system bases its calculations on the actual job site measurements and does not rely on site drawings, the latter often leading to inaccuracies that then need to be corrected, which of course incurs further cost and man-hours.

As such, the AutoPilot Field Rover achieves greater precision in paving. In addition, the slipform paver can automatically negotiate obstacles, thereby enhancing safety on the site and reducing the risk of machine damage to a minimum.

‘Monopile foundation for a tidal engine turbine’ from Bauer Spezialtiefbau and ‘hybrid-energy wind towers constructed with revolving tower cranes’ from Max Bögl in the ‘Construction process/Construction work’ category Two winners were announced in this category, because the jury considered both entries were of equal merit.

Bauer Spezialtiefbau GmbH receives its award for its project for a ‘monopile foundation for a tidal engine turbine.’ A number of companies in the Bauer Group were involved in developing this brand new concept for underwater drilling. This new process makes it possible to securely drill monopiles for tidal turbines into the seabed, even into the hardest rock, in situations where jack-up platforms and drill ships cannot be used because of the depth of the water or strong currents. The technique was first successfully applied off the coast of Scotland. The company has thus demonstrated that it is economically viable to install monopile foundations with an undersea drill and at the same time created a basis for a further breakthrough in the use of tidal turbines, as part of the shift towards renewable energy.

The second award-winner in this category is Max Bögl Bauunternehmung for its project for hybrid-energy wind towers constructed with revolving tower cranes, which also makes a significant contribution to the further expansion in the use of renewable energy and to protecting the environment. With this process, which Bögl developed in cooperation with the building machinery Georgia Contractor

manufacturer Liebherr, wind towers with hub heights of up to 150 meters can not only be erected fast, they can also be dismantled fast—and all at wind speeds of up to 20 m/s and with a much minimized intervention into the environment. Heavy crawler cranes are no longer needed. The work is done by a self-climbing revolving tower crane. In comparison to conventional methods, the space needed is reduced by almost a third. The revolving tower crane can be transported by normal HGVs, so no special heavy transports are needed.

‘Online Grain Size Analyzer’ from the Technical University of Clausthal in ‘Research’ category The Mining Institute at the Technical University of Clausthal has succeeded in developing a robust and practical system for determining the distribution of particles in granular materials, for example sand and gravel. This obviates the need for time-consuming and costly sampling from the process cycle and laboratory analysis.

Once calibrated and integrated into the installation, the Online Grain Size Analyzer is capable of analyzing the grain size distribution in all bulk flows, in real time, whatever the grain size and the type of mixing. It even enables a full system analysis. That saves time and costs. It also identifies immediately any weaknesses in the manufacturing process, so that they can be corrected rapidly. In addition, the system ensures continuously optimum product quality. Also improved is safety at work. As it is no longer necessary to sample during ongoing operation, the risk of accidents is banished. This means no more health risks to operators, such as can easily arise in laboraMay | June 2013

tories through the formation of dust from sifting products with quartz content. Applications from the Online Grain Size Analyzer extend beyond the construction and mining industry, to also include the pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and food industries.

‘Walking Mobile Excavator 2013’ from Kaiser AG Fahrzeugwerk in the ‘Design’ category.

Kaiser AG’s new Walking Mobile Excavator 2013, developed in cooperation with the firm ‘Design Department’ of Linz, is a successful blend of optimum function and optimum design. And that’s not an easy thing to do with a machine that climbs spider-like up and down slopes on four legs. In a report published at the end of the 1960s in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, the walking mobile excavator was described as follows: “It’s a digging machine with spider’s legs and all the charm of an illuminated telephone box.” Well that image has now changed. The cab of Kaiser’s walking mobile excavator blends harmoniously with the superstructure. And, together with the base, these unite to form a successful overall design. The dynamics of the machine itself are underlined by the broad vents on the side of the superstructure.

The design of the operator’s cab is also exemplary. It offers the driver all that he needs for shifts that can last many hours: optimum safety, ergonomics, and user-friendliness.

According to the speakers at the presentation ceremony, these six winning innovations fulfill to an impressive degree the criteria upon which the high-caliber jury made their selections, namely: holding great promise for the future; practicality of application; contribution to environmental

protection and to humanization of the workplace; and energy- and cost-efficiency coupled with performance.

Dr. Thomas Lindner, President of the VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau e.V.), the German Engineering Federation, and a speaker at the awards ceremony, pointed out that these awards were also valuable proof of the innovations strength of German engineering. They reflected the performance capability of the entire sector. Holding the bauma Innovation Award and presenting the prizes to the winners was a way of recognizing and honoring the efforts of the bauma exhibitors and the building companies in the competitive international environment. The jury expressed its hope that these top-class technical developments would make a big impact on customers and potential users, and be publicized widely to a trade and general audience.

The bauma Innovation Award this year is being organized for the tenth time, each time being in conjunction with bauma, the world’s largest trade fair for construction machinery, building material machines, and mining machines, which in 2013 takes place from April 15 to 21, in Munich. The competition is a joint project between the VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau e.V.), the industry federation HDB (Hauptverband der Deutschen Bauindustrie e.V.), the industry associations ZDB (Zentralverband des deutschen Baugewerbes e.V.), and BBS (Bundesverband Baustoffe - Steine und Erden e.V.), and bauma. v 27

Transportation Enhancements Enriching quality of life in Georgia’s communities.

By Liz Rothman

hroughout its history, Georgia has been a state on the move: from Putnam County’s Rock Hawk Effigy to the Savannah River’s scenic Ebenezer community: from 19th century railroad depots and stagecoach houses that served as the nucleus of booming agricultural and industrial homesteads to the winding paths that were the earliest trails for pedestrians and bicycles. The history of Georgia is told along the roads, paths, and tracks that connect its towns and its people.

Central to these stories is the effect of transportation on an evolving Georgia. Transportation Enhancements (TE) bring Georgia’s history to life. They explore our past. They preserve our story.

T

Transportation enhancements (TEs) are non-motorized surface transportation system enhancements. They enrich the travel experience of motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians through community-oriented projects that showcase cultural, natural, and scenic elements in the statewide transportation network “TE projects support sustainability in communities, promote economic development and generally improve quality of life. They provide well-designed facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists, preserve historic transportation treasures, beautify travel corridors, and generate community pride,” says Elaine Armster, special projects chief with the Georgia DOT Program Delivery Division, which oversees the TE program at GDOT. “In fact, our favorite day in the life of a TE project is attending the ribbon cutting ceremony marking the completion of construction.”

Extrinsic benefits of the TE program include the revitalization of rural downtown corridors with completed TE projects and verifiable increases in 28

tourism, Armster explains. New sidewalks, street furniture, and well-lit pedestrian corridors create an inviting atmosphere to facilitate pedestrian movement and encourage central business district activity.

Additionally, municipalities with TE projects such as

the Silver Comet Trail have reported an increase in tourism and visitors with each completed segment.

For 21 years, the TE program has enriched communities throughout Georgia. Here are a few projects.

St. Simons Island Lighthouse, St. Simons Island, Georgia Built in 1872, the 104-foot tower, with a 129-step cast iron spiral staircase and an adjacent keeper's house, was designed by one of Georgia's most noted architects, Charles Cluskey. To ensure authenticity of molds used to craft the replacement parts, the original hand-drawn lighthouse plans were used. The project was completed in record time, from turn-off in October 2009 to turn-on in May 2010, in time for Memorial Day weekend.

Jeffersonville Streetscape, Jeffersonville, Georgia Originally called Rain’s Store, Jeffersonville earned city status in 1828, and boasted a population of Georgia Contractor

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) is the two-year federal transportation reauthorization bill signed into law in July 2012.

Under MAP-21, Transportation Enhancements now fall under the Transportation Alternatives (TA) umbrella. The federally-funded Transportation Enhancement program was established through the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). In 1998, it was further refined under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). While TE was a separately funded program, under MAP-21, it is now part of a new Transportation Alternatives program. TE activities now compete for funding alongside two other TA programs - Safe Routes to School (SRTS), administered

by GDOT, and Recreational Trails (RT), administered

by Department of Natural Resources.

“Although MAP-21 changed the funding,” notes GDOT Chief Engineer Russell McMurry, “GDOT is committed to delivering all the projects that have been selected based on readiness and the availability of funding."

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1,035 in the 2010 census. This town—like other small rural towns—needed to revitalize its town center. The streetscape design included a park and tree-lined streets to enhance the attractiveness of the downtown storefronts and encourage pedestrian movement. With the completion of the TE project, additional businesses moved to the district and façade transformations were made on existing storefronts. The project was completed in 2011.

Southeastern Railroad Museum, Duluth, Georgia The restored 1870s rail depot houses 90 items of rolling stock, including historic Pullman cars and classic steam locomotives. This living piece of railroad history was completed in 2011.

Silver Comet Trail, Cobb County, Georgia to Alabama The paved 61-mile off-road Silver Comet Trail runs from northwest Georgia through Cobb, Paulding, and Polk counties to the Alabama border. It is located on the abandoned Seaboard Coastline Railroad right-of-way, originally purchased by GDOT as a potential commuter rail corridor. The popular trail accommodates pedestrians, bicyclists, roller skaters, horse riding, dog walkers, and is wheelchair accessible. After crossing the state line, the Silver Comet Trail connects to the Chief Ladiga Trail, providing multi-state trail connectivity from Cobb County, Georgia to Aniston, Alabama. GDOT’s TE Program partnered with local municipalities and the PATH Foundation to build this TE project. The final segment of the trail was completed in 2008.

Pine Mountain Streetscape Phase I–IV, Pine Mountain, Georgia Pine Mountain, known as the ‘Gateway to Callaway Gardens,’ completed four phases of enhancements with the assistance of TE funding. The TE work includes pedestrian improvements such as new sidewalks, landscaping, pedestrian lighting, and concrete pavers. Phase I began in 1992 and Phase IV was completed in 2012.

History of the Transportation Enhancements Program Since 1991, federal funding has been available to build and support transportation enhancements that fall into an eligible category. Local and state public agencies and universities apply for federal funds to implement a project. Up to 80 percent of the funds 30

are provided by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), with the local agency providing the 20 percent match that is used for preliminary engineering.

“Many of these enhancements would not be possible if communities had to rely solely on local funds,” Armster notes.

Since the inception of the GDOT Transportation Enhancements program, approximately 1,100 projects, totaling over $700 million, were awarded to communities throughout Georgia. Eligible entities may apply for up to $1,000,000 in TE project funding during the TE Call for Projects. Since 2005, Georgia has had the distinction of being the only DOT in the United States to design a completely web-based application process. Initial application submissions, reviews, and project selections are all completed using this innovative process. The 30member TE Advisory Panel—comprised of subject matter experts from across the state—ranks the projects and the State Transportation Board makes final project selections and awards. During the last TE Project Call, GDOT rolled out 144 new projects, worth over $55 million. v For information about the Transportation Enhancements program, please visit www.dot.ga.gov/te.

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