The East-West Gateway Council of Governments recently approved the 2025 Priority Projects List featuring the top freight infrastructure funding needs for the St. Louis region in eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois.

The 2025 list includes 27 projects that represent a total investment of more than $8 billion. As of May …

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) recently presented the 2024 Glass Hammer Award to Superior Construction, which operates throughout the Midwest and Southeast.

The award recognizes transportation construction companies with innovative programs aimed at promoting women leaders within their organizations. Superior Construction’s commitment to advancing female talent …

A major phase of Ohio’s Mill Creek Expressway (MCE) projects is months ahead of schedule. The general contractor for this phase — The Great Lakes Construction Co. — plans to complete the self-perform work and put traffic in its final configuration at the end of 2024 — a full five …

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is on a cross-country mission to celebrate the unsung heroes of American manufacturing. Their Manufacturing Express bus tour, a 15,000-mile journey spanning 22 states and 85 communities, made a recent stop at Trimble in Dayton, Ohio, highlighting the vital role of the industry.

Located in central Illinois, Champaign is home to the University of Illinois campus, which has over 55,000 students (combined undergraduate and graduate). A mile from the university, the Interstate 57/Interstate 74 interchange is being reconstructed by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the general contractor, William Charles Construction. …

In Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Ohio, the construction sector continues to benefit from an unexpected surge in job creation, outpacing the general economic expansion. At the same time, the broader picture reveals a labor market stretched uncomfortably thin.

Over the past year, employment growth in the construction industry (up …

Ohio’s multi-phase Thru-the-Valley Megaproject is seven years in. Widening and reconstructing I-75 from SR 126/Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway to just south of I-275 in Cincinnati will improve the interstate’s safety while easing problematic congestion.

According to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Buckeye State annually supports the sixth …

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is nearing the end of a project along a section of Interstate 44 (I-44) that crosses through Crawford County and Phelps County in Central Missouri. I-44 originates in St. Louis in Northeast Missouri and runs to the Southwest part of the state before continuing …

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) will hit the road this summer and fall for a new initiative designed to tell the story of the U.S. equipment manufacturing industry and celebrate the men and women who help build, power, and feed the world.

Stops include a tour of production facilities, …

Aiming to reduce congestion and improve safety at an Indianapolis-area intersection, the Indiana Department of Transportation and Hamilton County have undertaken a $44 million project to create a grade-separated interchange at 146th Street and Allisonville Road in Noblesville Township.

“This was identified by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization as one …

The eastbound McClugage Bridge has carried ever-increasing traffic over the Illinois River in the Peoria metropolitan area for more than 70 years. The bridge, which opened to traffic in 1948, has become structurally deficient and functionally obsolete. Weather, vehicle use, age, and salt used in snow removal have caused it …

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is in the middle of the long-anticipated I-475 Widening and New U.S. 20A Interchange project. The project is taking place around Maumee, Ohio, which is outside of Toledo in northwest Ohio. Once completed, the project will offer area residents and the driving public multiple …

Indiana's Clear Path 465 Project is a multi-year, two-phase construction project that is transforming one of the state's most heavily-traveled interchanges, I-465 and I-69 on the northeast side of Indianapolis. The project is designed to improve traffic flow and safety, and includes added travel lanes, new ramp lanes, 14 new …

Nestled 70 miles southeast of Lexington, Kentucky, Wolfe County is at the center of a significant infrastructure project to expand and widen a portion of the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway from two lanes to four. Spanning 78 miles through Wolfe County and Eastern Kentucky, the 1960s-era Mountain Parkway has …

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is working on a multi-phase project in the southeastern part of the state, focusing on U.S. Route 67 in Butler County. Upon the successful completion of this project, alongside others spanning from Sikeston, Missouri, to Little Rock, Arkansas, the route will be known as …

A recent $15.2 million expansion of the runway at Indianapolis Executive Airport enables more airplanes to take off and land at the general aviation facility.

“The airport has been on a steady growth pattern for the last 30 or 40 years,” said Bill Frye, President of the Hamilton County Airport …

Midwest lifting company Stevenson Crane, Rigging, and Heavy Haul continues to rebuild Chicago, Illinois’ industrial areas with their expansive fleet and specialized support equipment. Utilizing a Liebherr’s LTM 1300-6.3 Mobile Crane, Stevenson supported the rebuild of the Server Farm Data Center based out of Chicago.

This project required a …

Canton, Ohio, in the northeastern part of the state, is famous for being the home of the National Football League Hall of Fame. However, the city of 70,000 has much more than the hallowed hall. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is in the middle of the U.S. 62 Relocation …

Interstate 69 continues to expand through Indiana and Kentucky. Indiana already completed 116 miles from Evansville to Martinsville, with the final connection from Martinsville to Indianapolis underway. In Kentucky, 128 miles are in place from Henderson to Mayfield, and an additional 19 miles south to Fulton are expected to open …

The largest solar project in Illinois, Swift Current’s 800-megawatt, $535 million Double Black Diamond job, remains under construction in Sangamon and Morgan counties.

“The project will produce enough power annually for the equivalent of more than 100,000 homes,” says Grant St. George, Vice President Project Executive with McCarthy Building …

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is making steady progress on upgrading the aging Akron Beltway and Central Interchange, involving Interstate 77, Interstate 76 and State Route 8, as part of a $160 million pavement replacement project.

“This project will dramatically improve pavement and safety for many years to come,” …

Three state department of transportation (DOT) projects in Illinois and Kentucky won regional awards in the 2023 America’s Transportation Awards competition, created by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The competition recognizes DOTs for making a difference in their …

With many mainline bridges on Interstate 55 in the St. Louis area in need of major rehabilitation, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) bundled 14 of them into one $63 million contract.

“By bidding this work together, we can improve coordination, reduce length of impacts to the travelling public and …

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) announces its 2023 Award of Excellence winners, honoring more than 100 projects in sustainable vertical urbanism from around the world. The awards recognize achievements in over 20 categories and subcategories, including Best Tall Building; Best Tall Non-Building; Innovation; Urban Habitat; Repositioning; …

As Kay & Kay Contracting, LLC, of London, Kentucky, replaces four sets of overpass bridges along Interstate 64 East and West in Franklin County, Kentucky, they face extra logistical challenges with crews, equipment, materials, and traffic control.

“This project is unique in that it’s all one project, but we …

Work progresses on the I-69 Finish Line project, converting State Route 37 into a limited-access interstate highway, between Martinsville, Indiana, and Interstate 465 in Indianapolis.

“This is the newest interstate in the nation and the only new interstate under construction at this time,” says Tim Miller, Senior Project Manager …

The American Council of Engineering Companies Kentucky Chapter (ACEC-KY) recently honored engineering firms from across the state at the organization’s annual Engineering Excellence Awards competition. The highest honor, the Grand Conceptor Award, was presented to Stantec for the Bridging Kentucky program, a bridge rehabilitation and replacement initiative launched by the …

The Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) $352 million, multi-year dual improvement projects on Interstate 75 in Wood and Lucas counties include the replacement of the DiSalle Bridge over the Maumee River.

“The goals of this project along with the entire corridor, from Findlay up to Michigan, are to improve …

The Association of General Contractors (AGC) and Construction Risk Partners recently honored this year’s best new and renovation construction projects with Build America Awards at the AGC Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. Build America Merit Awards were also presented to construction companies at the convention.

“These awards are designed …

The Missouri Department of Transportation’s $278 million Interstate 270 North Design Build Project will add lanes, replace bridges, update aging infrastructure and reconfigure interchanges to reduce crashes and increase reliability in the busy freight corridor.

“Our primary goal is to improve safety by improving how vehicles move throughout the …

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded nearly $1.2 billion to nine projects across the country through the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) discretionary grant program, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Mega grant program funds projects that are too large or complex for …

Widening and improving sections of three interstates during the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s $180 million I-Move Kentucky, the state’s largest single construction project, aims to reduce congestion on the busy freight corridors in Louisville.

“This is a capacity and safety project,” says Chris Slone, Project Manager for the Kentucky …

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded a $144 million Large Bridge Grant to a project that will rehabilitate four bascule bridges over the Calumet River on the south side of Chicago. The grant is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Bridge Investment Program, which …

The Indiana Department of Transportation’s $435 million Clear Path 465 project will improve safety and traffic operations by increasing the capacity of Interstate 465 and Interstate 69 and is expected to open to traffic by the end of 2025.

“The I-465 and I-69 interchange has not kept pace with …

Western Specialty Contractors recently received the 2022 Trimble Viewpoint Construction Award for Best Use of Trimble Construction One Technology by creating a custom human resources information system (HRIS). Trimble’s annual awards honor the technological achievements of North American contractors as exhibited through the growth and improvements of their projects, people, …

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded a $1.385 billion Large Bridge Grant to a project that will rehabilitate and reconfigure the Brent Spence Bridge, which spans across the Ohio River to connect communities in Kentucky and Ohio. The grant is part of the Bipartisan …

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has embarked on a $20 million, eight-mile reconstruction project on State Road 60 between Duncan Falls and Muskingum, with completion scheduled for August of next year.

“SR 60 is the main corridor for residents of Morgan County to access Interstate 70 and the City …

The $32.7 million rehabilitation of two Interstate 74 bridges over a local street and rail tracks in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, is nearing completion.

“The project was undertaken to repair deteriorated bridge decks and failed expansion joints,” says Jason Smith, Supervising Construction Field Engineer, Project Implementation/Construction, Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) …

With recent market analysis showing that the design-build project delivery method will account for as much as 47 percent of construction spending by 2025, the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) is seeing significant growth and success in design-build projects across the country. One such design-build project, the Ireland Army Health …

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has embarked on a $50 million project to rebuild portions of the Interstate 255 Mississippi River Bridge, also referred to as the Jefferson Barracks Bridge in St. Louis County.

“This job is to rehabilitate the existing I-255 bridges over the Mississippi River,” says Christopher …

Aiming to improve safety while resurfacing U.S. 31W – also known as Dixie Highway – the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has added Reduced Conflict U-Turn (RCUTs) intersections to the busy roadway.

“The RCUTs force drivers to only turn right off the side roads,” says Bow Warren, Branch Manager with the …

Three state department of transportation projects in Illinois and Ohio won regional awards in the 2022 America’s Transportation Awards competition, sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The competition recognizes state DOTs for making a difference in their …

The Columbus, Ohio, region is experiencing significant population growth. Last year’s census found that Columbus was the fastest-growing metropolitan in the Midwest. When areas experience population growth, infrastructure must keep up to enable safe and reliable travel. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is working on a massive project – …

Construction of one of the most complex projects to improve railroad infrastructure in the Chicago region is about to ramp up. But for the past several years, partners in the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) program have already been working to impact communities in the corridor.

CREATE is …

Maintenance might not be your favorite thing to do, but this minor inconvenience can help you avoid major headaches in the future. Good maintenance practices not only keep the machine running at peak performance, but they also minimize downtime from repairs that come from ignoring key maintenance requirements. Here are …

WINNIPEG, MB — Evolution Wheel is a manufacturer of heavy-duty skid steer tires. The EWRS-HS series solid skid steer tire is the hard surface version of the EWRS-AT series all-terrain tire. The solid EWRS-HS skid steer tire is ideal for surfaces like concrete or asphalt.

Evolution Wheel spends a lot …

The $350 million reconstruction and redesign of the North Split – the interchange between Interstate 65 and Interstate 70 – in downtown Indianapolis aims to improve capacity and safety and reduce congestion.

“Public safety was the number one driver for this project,” says Mallory Duncan, Strategic Communications Director for …

It doesn’t matter how much aggregate is produced in a day if it is contaminated or not sized correctly. Though screen media is a minor cost when compared to larger equipment in a quarry or mine, it is a crucial part of any operation’s profit machine. One unexpected break and …

The global upheaval of the last few years has undoubtedly rocked the construction industry – and stories of labor shortages driven by COVID-19 abound. Add to that an aging workforce further stressed by current conditions, combined with a lack of skilled replacements, and the current struggle makes sense.

But beneath …

The needs of the project owner have always defined the parameters of a construction job, but all signs are pointing to owners playing a bigger role in the use of technology on their projects in the future, especially as we begin to see federal funds put to work on transportation …

While America’s transportation infrastructure continues to be one of the country’s greatest historical accomplishments, as well as the lifeblood of the American economy, the system itself continues to have serious challenges during the last two decades.

This is mainly due to the rise in traffic congestion which has ensnarled hundreds …

Most people in the construction industry will say that on any given work site, there is always an amount of waste that could have been avoided. Whether it be poorly handled materials, re-work, weather damage, or working from out of date documents, there are plenty of ways that humans can …

Noting a deterioration of the pavement and bridges on Interstate 675, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) undertook the nearly completed $26 million, 17-mile-long I-675 rehabilitation project in Fairborn.

“The pavement over a 10-mile stretch was in pretty dire need of repair, and within the I-675 corridor, every bridge in …

Faced with many bridges in need of rehabilitation, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) bundled a number of them in the Bootheel region of the state into a single $25.5 million design-build contract with the Robertson Contractors Team.

“These bridges were all in poor condition,” says Benji Philpot, Project …

As droughts and growing population affect water security around the globe, desalination becomes an increasingly important option. In communities searching for sustainable, long-term solutions, new technology can increase the efficiency of water treatment efforts.

Initially developed in the late 1950s, reverse osmosis (RO) desalination evolved into the leading desalination process. …

For the $62 million U.S. 30 major rehabilitation project through the City of Mansfield, Ohio, “The biggest challenge we deal with is the schedule, just because of the sheer amount of work that needs to occur in a very short amount of time,” said Jeff Labaki, Project Engineer for …

Many of the most famous structures of ancient times were constructed from a material we often think of us as modern. The workers who built them needed a material that could be shaped into blocks and other forms more easily than carving from stone. Finally, someone concocted a mixture of …

With 50 years under its belt, Raimonde Drilling Corporation (RDC) has been providing drilling and subsurface sampling services since 1971. RDC’s services include vertical and angle drilling into soil and bedrock formations for a variety of purposes, from mineral exploration and environmental investigations to geotechnical engineering and offshore drilling. The …

Infrastructure projects can have many benefits, from improved safety to enhanced economic opportunities and beyond. The multi-year, multi-segment Mountain Parkway Expansion in Kentucky is an infrastructure project with a few significant aims.

Originally opened to traffic in 1963, the Mountain Parkway is a 78-mile route that links Eastern Kentucky or …

Building twin bridges across the Mississippi River with 164-foot-tall, iconic arches required plenty of heavy lifting, innovation, and adaptation to deal with record flooding and construction challenges.

The $1 billion Interstate 74 Mississippi River Bridge project in the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois also reconstructed approach roads and ramps …

The future is looking bright for the construction industry, with project pipelines full and the promise of infrastructure spending infusing the industry with confidence and optimism. But as we face another year of supply chain issues and crippling workforce shortages, it’s possible that our industry’s biggest challenge could be too …

Within the 1-mile length of the Interstate 64 at Jefferson Interchange project in St. Louis, Missouri, widely varying depths of bedrock complicate construction that includes two new roads, three rebuilt bridges, and one new bridge.

“The top layers of rock are very weathered and often come with voids or soil …

Urban projects often come with issues like tight spaces or an abundance of utilities – but for the Interstate 64 at Jefferson Interchange project in St. Louis, Missouri, the challenges seemed to multiply.

First, “This project is only about a mile long running down I-64, but the work is very …

When the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) set out to build a new boulevard in the area known as the “Forgotten Triangle” on Cleveland’s southeast side, they not only created a project to boost economic activity and mobility, but also included contract requirements that will help local residents and future …

Many people are drawn to big cities for the many benefits they have to offer. The growth of a city often means the growth of the suburban areas in the vicinity. This scenario has played out in Illinois and is the prime reason for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) …

The traditional infrastructure project focuses on roads, bridges, and tunnels. These types of projects are dedicated to vehicular transportation. Pedestrians and their mobility needs are often overlooked or are an afterthought. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is in the midst of the St. Charles Rock Road (Route 180) Pavement …

Aiming to improve traffic flow and reduce potential conflict points, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has embarked on a $14.9 million reconfiguration of the heavily congested U.S. 35 in Beavercreek into a “superstreet.”

“This was a safety initiative,” says Kathleen Fuller, Spokesperson for the Ohio DOT. “Within the …

In northern Kentucky’s Boone County, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is working with a tri-venture of contractors on a $120 million project to convert two interchanges to a double crossover diamond (DCD), a new configuration that increases safety and efficiency.

But that’s not the only unique aspect of the project. …

How do you rebuild and improve one of the busiest interchanges in downtown Chicago – while working around the Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line, Cermak pumping station, and poor soil conditions – without enlarging the footprint or disrupting traffic?

For the Jane Bryne Interchange – which links the Dan Ryan …

When the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) awarded the $33 million contract for rehabilitation of the eastbound Interstate 70 Blanchette Missouri River Bridge, they planned on full seasons of work in both 2020 and 2021.

General Contractor KCI Construction Company of St. Louis, Missouri, decided on a different plan: “They …

Before the international Solheim Cup golf tournament comes to Toledo, Ohio, at the end of August 2021, Miller Bros. Const., Inc. (MBC), of Archbold, Ohio, needs to expand 2.2 miles of Interstate 475 (including four bridges) from four to six lanes, add a new interchange, widen over a mile of …

From dragsters to directional drilling, Darrell Alderman, President of G & W Construction, continues to lead an exciting life.

“Darrell is a three-time world champion in NHRA (National Hot Rod Association),” says Matt Di Iorio, President of Ditch Witch Mid-States in Columbus, Ohio. “He brings that competitive …

Last October, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) achieved substantial completion on a vital roadway expansion that will serve to improve traffic flow and safety in southern Cuyahoga County. This long-awaited project pertains to a 6-mile stretch of I-271 that runs through the cities of Oakwood, Bedford, Bedford Heights, and …

After over two years of construction, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has completed its I-65 Southeast Indiana Project. The completion of the project means the heavily-used section of Interstate 65 between U.S. 50 in Seymour and State Road 58 in Walesboro now has three lanes of travel in each …

As Chicago O’Hare International Airport undertakes the $8.5 billion O’Hare 21 project, the biggest expansion effort in the airport’s 60-year history, they’ve included ambitious goals for participation by small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses, as well as a diverse workforce.

Bowa Construction of Chicago, an MBE and DBE firm, plays a …

Four projects on three busy interstates in a 20-mile area of Louisville, Kentucky, ranked among the top construction priorities for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). To maximize efficiency and funding, KYTC incorporated the projects into one design-build mega-project.

“By combining the projects, KYTC got the value of design-build, but most …

One of the first projects of the ambitious, historic Rebuild Illinois program is well underway in the St. Louis Metro East area. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) reconstruction of Interstate 255 will overhaul a seriously deteriorated section of interstate, which is widely considered one of the worst roads in …

In 2010, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) awarded its first contract for the Interstate 75 Mill Creek Expressway (MCE) project north of Cincinnati. This summer, Walsh Construction of Crown Point, Indiana, is working on the eighth of 10 phases, part of a total estimated investment of more than $618 …

A common refrain is that American infrastructure is crumbling and needs to be rebuilt. In 2017, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave the United States a D+ on its Infrastructure Report Card. It noted how investment, in terms of percentage of GDP, is just 2.5 percent. They estimate, …

Twenty-four hour delivery is the new standard. In order for companies to meet this customer expectation, they need to have warehouses and distribution centers around the country. One such area that major companies have descended on is Boone County in Northern Kentucky. The area, which is also just a few …