Traditionally, the local Main Street has been the heart of small towns across the country — the bustling center for commerce, shopping, dining, and special events. Though Main Streets generally declined and lost their significance over recent decades, by the end of the 20th century, extensive revitalization projects began to …

An old-school concrete supplier in the heart of the Midwest — that is how Liberty Ready Mix describes itself. Since 2004, the company has delivered ready mix concrete for construction projects through the Des Moines, Iowa, metro area, along with colored, crushed, and recycled concrete. It has four ready mix …

Work is well underway on the latest phase of the Wichita North Junction Project, an extensive Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) undertaking designed to vastly improve a heavily used interchange on the city’s north side. At this junction, four highways — Interstate 135, Interstate 235, K-254, and K-96 — meet …

A much-anticipated, years-long undertaking to replace an iconic but aging bridge in Kansas City, Missouri, is nearing completion, following the demolition of the last of the old bridge's three arches. The Buck O'Neil Bridge Project is on track to wrap up this fall, replacing the old triple-arch bridge with two …

As awareness of climate change and the need for renewable energy production grows, wind farm construction is thriving and repowering is revitalizing older sites.

Repowering wind turbines requires the replacement of aging equipment with newer, larger, and more efficient generators with greater capacity. One such operation recently took place in …

When executives at Burns & McDonnell signed on to handle construction for a pair of Alliant Energy solar projects in Iowa, they knew they would have to overcome some unique challenges.

The Kansas City, Missouri-based engineer-procure-construct contractor is self-performing construction for two Alliant Energy solar projects in the Hawkeye State: …

Businesses come and go. Some survive for several years, but few thrive and grow for 50-plus years. For Max Jantz Excavating (MJE) of Montezuma, Kansas, 2024 marks that golden milestone.

Max Jantz began MJE 50 years ago with a single tractor, a determination to succeed, and a love of the …

As the Midwest construction sector experiences a surge in job creation, its workforce has failed to grow alongside the demand. In other parts of the country, labor has become a scarce commodity. Since the pandemic, the region's labor force has fluctuated, recording just 7.3 million participants in 2024, which is …

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, …

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 …

About six years ago, Jake Brison and Kendall Brison were busy planning their wedding. They decided that if they were going to get hitched, they should try to make another dream come true as well.

“We knew we were getting married, and we had talked about being in business for …

Coralville, Iowa, is centrally located to various popular areas in the state, being 25 miles south of Cedar Rapids, just outside Iowa City, and close to the University of Iowa. The centrally located city is growing, and the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) along with Peterson Contractors Inc. (PCI), …

Experiencing population growth, the city of Omaha has undertaken the 168th Street Expansion Project to modernize the popular north-south route that faces delays during peak hours.

“There’s been growth in the area, both in Douglas and Sarpy counties, so there are a lot of commuters who use the corridor,” said …

The busiest four-lane highway in Kansas is U.S. Route 69, a major north-south route that runs through the eastern part of the state. A very large volume of truck, commercial, and commuter traffic passes through the city of Overland Park along the corridor, which stretches from 103rd Street to 179th …

States and communities — in their efforts to build strong 21st century transportation systems — are faced with new challenges, such as a growing population aged 65 and over; the varied needs of rural and urban communities; and leveraging increased funding and resources for multimodal transportation. Increasingly many government agencies …

Facing multiple bridges in need of repair or replacement along the Interstate 44 corridor, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) bundled 25 of them and awarded the work as a design-build contract.

“It’s a good way to go to get a lot of bridges done quickly,” said Laurel A. McKean …

On a crisp autumn morning, a dozer is hard at work, pushing dirt and grading for a new trail with the help of a state-of-the-art 3D grade control system. This modern technology represents just one of the many ways in which Dalton Rasch is contributing to the evolution and success …

Columbus, Nebraska, is in the eastern half of the state, about 85 miles west of Omaha and 75 miles northwest of Lincoln. The town of approximately 24,000 is located on the Loup River, a tributary of the Platte River. The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) is in the middle of …

Striving to perform more work, more accurately, Sporer Land Development quickly adopted new GPS-based technologies, resulting in it being able to compete with larger firms and deliver high-quality work.

“As a small, family-owned company that would embrace this technology, we could catch up with the larger construction companies that were …

An inventive infrastructure renewal project in Kansas City, Kansas, will transform the abandoned Rock Island Railroad bridge into America's first destination landmark bridge, with an entertainment district and public spaces to support people walking or biking on nearby trails.

“It can continue to be a way to get to the …

Aiming to reduce crashes and minimize delays on U.S. 73 (K-7) at Parallel Parkway, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is creating the state’s first Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) intersection in Wyandotte County.

“The goal of this project was to improve safety because there was a history of injuries and …

For more than half a century, Star Equipment has provided construction machinery to contractors throughout Iowa. While the past few years have thrown a few curve balls – including the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and supply-chain challenges – the company has thrived and grown.

“We’re still doing the same work we …

An Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) project won a regional award 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 state departments of transportation (DOTs) for making a difference …

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has been completing various bridge work as part of Governor Mike Parson’s $351 million Focus on Bridges program. The program aims to repair or replace 250 bridges across the state. A few bridges impacted by the recently completed I-29 Multiple Bridge Replacement project are …

As part of the 2nd Avenue Corridor Construction project in Des Moines, Iowa, the city is replacing one bridge over Birdland Drive and rehabilitating a second structure over the Des Moines River.

“This project will improve the city’s bridge infrastructure for decades to come,” says Ben M. Cole, Project …

A Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) project won a regional award 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 state departments of transportation (DOTs) for making a difference in …

McCarthy Building Companies has taken the Kansas City healthcare market by storm, constructing numerous projects using a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method since opening an office in the community about a decade ago.

“We are doing some significant projects,” says Seth Kelso, Market Leader for McCarthy in …

WSP USA, an engineering and professional services firm, is partnering with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) to implement the K-96 Improvements Project, which will enhance safety, increase capacity, and alleviate congestion on the heavily trafficked Kansas State Highway 96 (K-96) freeway in Wichita.

With a budget of $260 …

As the state of this post-pandemic employment market is proving, people are not afraid to make serious career changes. Gone is the apprehension and fear of the unknown – replaced instead by a boldness and sense of excitement in the new chapter unfolding before them. Although his actions predated the …

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is replacing the aging Rocheport Bridge on Interstate 70 over the Missouri River and Katy Trail and the first of the twin bridges is nearing completion.

“The bridge was reaching the end of its useful life,” says Mike Schupp, Construction and Materials Engineer …

A new $140 million federal courthouse nears completion in Des Moines, Iowa, replacing an aging building and a leased courthouse annex. The new building will address space constraints and security challenges.

“Many factors went into moving forward with building the new Des Moines U.S. Courthouse,” says Matthew Meeks, Lead …

Aiming to improve the air passenger experience at the Kansas City International Airport in Missouri, the Kansas City Aviation Department has embarked on a $1.5 billion terminal construction project to replace the existing facilities.

“It will give us more space in the right areas,” says Jade Liska, Deputy Director of …

Missouri drivers in Boone and Callaway counties on U.S. Route 63 are experiencing a smoother ride as the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) project to resurface the route and make pavement repairs to bridges concludes.

“A substantial part of the project involved milling off 1.75 inches of the existing asphalt …

Work progresses on the Kansas Department of Transportation’s $38 million second phase of the Wichita North Junction project to improve traffic flow at a bottleneck interchange of four highways that serves as a gateway to the north side of the city. Interstate 135, Interstate 235 and K-254 were constructed …

The $1.5 billion Council Bluffs Interstate System Improvement Program will modernize the transportation system while enhancing safety and mobility in the area.

“The Iowa Department of Transportation is more than two-thirds of the way through the process of reconstructing Interstate 80, Interstate 29, and Interstate 480 in the Council Bluffs/Omaha …

The $325 million Riverfront Revitalization project in Omaha, Nebraska, is transforming three under-utilized parks along the Missouri River into an active destination space that will improve connectivity and navigation of the city’s core.

Achieving that, however, requires coordination of a multitude of elements on a complicated site.

“Spanning 72 acres …

Faced with numerous bridges in need of replacement, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) launched the Fixing Access to Rural Missouri (FARM) Bridge Program and nearly one-fifth of the small bridges have been completed.

“Geographically, this is a huge job,” says Jeff Gander, FARM Project Director for the MoDOT, …

Two Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) projects 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 community, with …

Infrastructure is more than just asphalt, concrete, or steel. It’s the backbone of American life and continuing prosperity.

Roads and bridges connect us, dams and wastewater treatment plants protect us, and underground utilities serve our daily needs — all with little to no fanfare. Yet, Doug King understands infrastructure’s importance. …

A $334 million expansion and reconstruction of the Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility in Johnson County, Kansas, by McCarthy Building Companies can treat up to 172 million gallons per day during wet weather flows. The project represents the largest infrastructure job the county has ever undertaken.

“It was neat to …

The headquarters of Morrissey Engineering, the 4940 Building, has become one of only eight buildings across the nation to earn quadruple LEED Platinum certification. With its latest recertification, the 4940 Building became the first and only to certify at the Platinum level four times, not just in Nebraska, but …

More than six decades ago, U.S. Navy World War II veteran Bob Bergkamp purchased a used Caterpillar D7 Dozer from Foley Equipment of Wichita, Kansas, and formed Bob Bergkamp Construction Co., working primarily on soil conservation projects. He set off to become the best civil contractor in the area. …

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 …

Construction is under way and proceeding smoothly on the replacements for the John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil Memorial Bridge in Kansas City, Missouri.

“While safe, the bridge is nearing the end of its projected lifespan,” says Melissa Black, Communications Manager with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).

The existing dual-span, …

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 …

Synergy Contracting recently completed a new collection system and lift station replacement for the City of Mitchellville, Iowa, as the rural community continues to expand.

Mitchellville is 20 miles northeast of Des Moines and home to approximately 2,500 residents. As the Greater Des Moines community continues to grow, smaller communities …

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. …

After three decades of planning, a project now underway in Nebraska will significantly upgrade an important traffic corridor between Omaha and Nebraska City. The Nebraska Department of Transportation's Murray-Plattsmouth Project will reconstruct approximately 6.83 miles of U.S.34/U.S. 75 located in Cass County, widening the existing U.S. 75 into a …

Located in southwestern Missouri, Springfield has a population of nearly 170,000. The city, which is known for its big city attractions, draws people from the smaller towns in the area. The James River Freeway, or US Route 60, is located southwest of the city and is the main thoroughfare into …

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 …

A major thoroughfare in Des Moines, Iowa, connecting downtown with the airport, received a rapid upgrade, with the reconstruction of southbound Fleur Drive in one construction season, with the successful project attributed to collaboration among InRoads, its subcontractors, and the city.

“InRoads put together a good team, and we …

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 …

An Iowa abatement and demolition firm is tackling the cleanup of a Superfund site south of Des Moines, making way for a new soccer stadium, hotels, and an entertainment district, which will revitalize a neglected area south of downtown.

“The Dico site is an area that was assumed to be …

Faced with problems with its storm and sewer systems the city of Des Moines, Iowa, designed a project to reconstruct its sewer infrastructure in the River Bend and King Irving area. Rognes Corp. was the successful low bidder.

“It’s a project to revise the storm sewer outlet,” says Warren Rognes …

Route 171 is one of the main routes that runs through Jasper County, which is located in southwest Missouri. This is the site of a current project, known as the Route 171 intersection safety improvements, by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).

Dual needs – safety and traffic volumes – …

U.S. 69 is a major north-south highway that runs from Minnesota down to Texas. The route passes through eastern Kansas and skirts the border of Missouri. The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is currently working on two projects along U.S. 69 including one known as the Arma Connection.

The Arma …

With the completion of the final phase of the I-80/I-29 Dual, Divided Freeway (DDF) Project in southwestern Iowa, drivers are now experiencing the full safety and traffic capacity benefits of a major Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) undertaking. The multi-year project along the overlapping section of Interstate 80 and Interstate …

The largest construction project ever undertaken by the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT), the $350 million Lincoln South Beltway, will offer motorists a route around town, skipping multiple traffic lights.

“This project will put a beltway south of the city and get truck traffic off of Highway 2 through town,” …

Traffic has started flowing on the $66.5 million rebuilt westbound lanes of the Lewis & Clark Viaduct on Interstate 70, after more than two years of construction activity.

“The bridge was an older truss bridge, and maintenance on it was a factor in taking on the project,” says Joel Smith …

Regular back-ups and queues are a frustration for every commuter who experiences them. This was the experience for commuters traveling around southwest Missouri and the border of Arkansas. To alleviate the traffic, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is engaged in the I-49 Missouri/Arkansas Connector Project. The project does spill …

The Iowa Department of Transportation is in the midst of a comprehensive redesign known as the I-80/I-380 Systems Interchange Project. Located in Johnson County, which is in the eastern central part of the state, the project is at the junction of Interstate 80, Interstate 380 and United U.S. 218, one …

The new four-lane Fremont Southeast Beltway aims to improve safety and traffic flow by diverting through vehicles around the southeast side of the city.

“The four-lane project will decrease traffic congestion in the residential and downtown areas of Fremont and improve local access and mobility along with regional connectivity between …

U.S. 83 is one of the longest North-South routes in the country. One can drive it from North Dakota down to Texas. The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is reconstructing one 11-mile stretch of U.S. 83 that runs through Haskell and Finney County in the southwestern part of the state. …

Water and sewer contractor McCullough Excavation, in Wichita, Kansas, is working at Taliesin, a master-planned residential community in West Wichita.

Taliesin, about 15 miles from downtown Wichita, features nearly 200 home sites, a clubhouse, an indoor gym, soccer fields, a dog park, walking trails, a swimming pool, and other …

With the completion of its new 32,000-square-foot facility, the Johnson County Medical Examiner’s Office (MEO) in Kansas is ready to provide an expanded range of services locally. Located in Olathe, in the heart of the Johnson County Government campus, the new facility will help increase autopsy rates to meet national …

Most of the interstate highway system in the United States was built in the 1950s and 60s. Today, states are updating and replacing the aged infrastructure. As they do so, they have an opportunity to not only bring roadways up to date, but to also apply innovations. The I-435 and …

Potain cranes from RMS Rentals in Savage, Minnesota, have made a difference in the success of completing two assisted living facilities in Iowa.

“These cranes are a lot faster than traditional cranes, because you do not need a signal person,” says Jeremy Fager, Owner of Fager Framing in Cedar …

Although it’s a significant project in its own right, the I-235 Green Project in Wichita, Kansas, is the first phase of a much larger rebuilding of an interchange known locally as the North Junction.

The North Junction is a four-direction gateway to and from Wichita and many smaller communities that …

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is extending the north end of the Interstate 35 bridges in Olathe, Kansas, to accommodate a city street being expanded below to better serve an international company’s expansion. The larger headquarters will result in increased traffic to an already heavily congested area.

“The main …

Construction of 9.5 miles of two additional lanes to U.S. 61 near Mediapolis, Iowa, changing an existing two-lane highway into a four-lane interstate, has progressed faster and more accurately with Streb Construction in Iowa City, Iowa, using equipment with Topcon LPS robotic technology.

“The Topcon Millimeter GPS has helped us …

As part of an overreaching goal to improve a section of the Interstate 74 corridor in the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois, the states have launched a $1.2 billion reconstruction of the bridge over the Mississippi River and its approach roads.

“Those improvements are based on the lack of …