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July 24 2010
Vol. XVII • No. 15
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded 1957.” 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215/885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • Fax 215/885-2910 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com
Inside
Workers remove the barriers to the Madison Avenue Bridge across I-70 in St. Louis. The bridge was completed early and under budget.
By Jill Schramm
T.J. Lambrecht Puts D7E to Test at O’Hare...12
MINOT DAILY NEWS
One Down, 30 to Go With MoDot RiverBridge Projects RJS Gets Boost From High-Speed Dozer...16
By Kathie Sutin
CEG CORRESPONDENT
The Missouri Dept. of Transportation cut the ribbon last month on the first milestone in the construction of a new $670 million Mississippi River Bridge at St. Louis. The Madison Avenue Bridge across I-70 came in ahead of schedule and under budget, officials said. Fred Weber Inc., of Maryland Heights, Mo., is the contractor. But while celebrating the completion of the first of 31 projects that make up the overall river bridge project, MoDOT officials expressed concern over delays caused by the see BRIDGE page 24
Ritchie Bros. Holds Chicago Sale...59
Table of Contents ............4 Crushing, Screening & Recycling Section ....27-34 Truck & Trailer Section .... ..................................49-53 Business Calendar ........57 Auction Section ......59-71 Advertisers Index ..........70
N.D. Fund Shifts More Resources to Infrastructure
Growth, Jobs Should Be Focus of Bill, Caterpillar Exec. Says Fostering long-term economic growth and creating American jobs should be the top priorities in the passage of a new, multiyear federal highway and transit investment bill, Caterpillar Inc., Worldwide Product Manager Larry Tate told attendees at a July 14 hearing called by U.S. Department of Transportation to discuss the overdue legislation. In a panel session “Transportation: Making the Case to the American Public,” the 2010 American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) chairman said it was time to level with the public about the scope of the transportation challenges facing the nation and how much time and money it will take to address
them. He outlined a series of transportation-related “truths” during his remarks. “First and foremost, the nation’s future economic growth, which makes possible our quality of life, is heavily dependent on the state of our transportation infrastructure network,” Tate said. ”If, in the future, we invest in making our network more efficient in moving people — and particularly goods — by adding capacity across all modes, we will be competitive internationally and able to create and sustain American job growth. If we make the wrong choices, we won’t.” Another truth, according to Tate, is that by 2050, the American population will see BILL page 22
MINOT, N.D. (AP) Initiated 20 years ago as a way to provide seed money to new or expanding companies, Minot’s MAGIC Fund has shifted more of its resources in recent years into creating an industrial complex. The fund has spent $8.2 million — about 27 percent of its distributions — in 20 years on land and business development in agricultural and energy parks and on the creation of an intermodal transportation facility, all in east Minot. The MAGIC Fund set aside another $500,000 for the 55th Street overpass in the area. About $1.1 million has come back to the fund through repayments on the projects. “Part of the mission of the MAGIC Fund, among other things, is infrastructure,” said Jim Maxson, chairman of Minot Area Development Corp (MADC). “I think the community of Minot can be very proud of the energy park. It’s not unsightly. It’s in an area which is properly zoned. It has access to rail.” The benefit of the energy park has been apparent with the first phase of the development, said Jerry Chavez, MADC president. The first company to move into the park, Pure Energy, invested $60 million in capital improvements, he said. Pumpco Energy Services and Magnum Transportation invested additional dollars in their new facilities. The MAGIC Fund awarded about $1.7 million to build out the second phase of the Great Plains Energy Park. The money will pay for sewer and water lines, pavement, curb, gutter and street lights. “It’s more a temporary loan with no interest,” said Chavez, who noted the money is to eventually be repaid. MADC invested $320,000 of its own money into buying the energy park land back before anyone was thinking about how oil development might someday affect Minot. Chavez said MADC was looking at the potential for advancing future development rather than gaining a return on its investment. Returning the MAGIC Fund’s money is more of a priority. The creation of the energy park promotes economic development by removing much of the risk for companies looking at locating in a new community, Chavez see FUND page 18