News
State Economic Stimulus Passed; Projects Already Advertised
The Washington State Legislature has approved transportation funding and supplemental transportation appropriations for the 07-09 transportation budget. The first projects funded by these appropriations have already been advertised.
ESSB 1978 provides authority to the Washington State Departmen...
Posted on 03/10/2009
Senate Approves Deep Bore Tunnel to Replace Viaduct
On a vote of 43-6 the Washington State Senate has passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5768 which identifies that the final design for the replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct will be a deep bore hybrid tunnel. The bill expedites the environmental review and design processes to replace the v...
Posted on 03/10/2009
Card Check Bill Mandates Binding Arbitration after 120 Days
With the election of President Barak Obama and the House and Senate moving to the control of the Democrats many of the legislative initiatives of organized labor will come to the forefront in 2009. Of President Obamas first actions two were issues pushed by the Unions - the Fair Pay Act (Lilly L...
Posted on 03/10/2009
AGC Urges Congressional Support for Columbia River Crossing Project
AGC has contacted the Washington State Congressional delegation requesting support for the Columbia River Crossing Project. The new Crossing will not only solve a wide range of transportation issues it will ensure the vitality of our northwest economy AGC Executive Vice President David DHondt sa...
Posted on 03/10/2009
Manson, Advanced American, Natt McDougall Win Aon Awards
A new bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis that replaced the collapsed I-35W Bridge was named today as the most significant construction project of 2008. The bridge which was completed by Longmont Colo.-based Flatiron Construction and Seattle Wash.-based Manson Construction was on bu...
Posted on 03/10/2009
BNBuilders, PCL, Kiewit Pacific Among Safety Excellence Winners
Several AGC of WA members were recognized for the strength of their safety programs and overall safety performance during 2008. Congratulations to these firms that received Construction Safety Excellence Awards from AGC of America: PCL Construction Inc.; BNBuilders Inc.; and Kiewit Pacific Co.
...
Posted on 03/10/2009
CWU Students Win National Construction Championship
A team of students from Central Washington University were selected by a panel of national construction professionals as among the most skilled future construction managers and builders in the country. The team which traveled to the San Diego-based national convention of the Associated Gene...
Posted on 03/10/2009
Retro Bill Passed by Senate Committee
AGC and a broad business coalition are working to oppose legislation that would affect the workers compensation retrospective rating programs offered by AGC and several other organizations.
SB 6035 has been passed by the Senate Committee on Labor Commerce and Consumer Protection. Among other th...
Posted on 03/03/2009
Stimulus Seminars Set
AGC has joined with the law firm of Stanislaw Ashbaugh to produce a two hour seminar that will provide a comprehensive rundown of the newly enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and its affect on the Washington contracting community.
Hear what is planned for federal state and local gove...
Posted on 03/03/2009
FLF Inaugural Celebration Photos
Photos from the Future Leadership Forum Inaugural Celebration!Check out more photos by Clicking Here.
Posted on 03/03/2009
Unemployment Insurance Bill Protects Tax Credit, Cuts Taxes
AGC is helping to lead a broad based business coalition to support legislation to improve the unemployment insurance system.
SB 5963 addresses the fact that the state system does not currently conform to federal rules. Plus the measure right sizes the unemployment insurance fund by slightly red...
Posted on 03/03/2009
Apprentice Bill Improved but Still Problematic
Legislation regarding apprentices has been improved but is still being opposed by AGC.
The original Bill SB 5873 would have required that apprentices be used for at least 15 percent of the labor hours of each trade or craft on public works projects with apprentice utilization requirements instea...
Posted on 03/03/2009
Bills Dramatically Expand Universities' Use of Alternative Procurement
AGC opposes legislation that would give the University of Washington and Washington State University the authority to craft their own alternative bidding processes. AGC supports an alternative bill that affirms that changes to the alternative bidding statures must first be considered by the Capi...
Posted on 03/03/2009
False Claims Legislation Could Put Contractors in Catch-22
Senate Bill 5144 known as the False Claims Act is vigourlusly opposed by AGC. The legislation says that a person who knowingly presents or assists in the presentation of a false or fraudulent claim that results in losses to a state or local government entity of at least $1000 is liable for a civ...
Posted on 03/03/2009
Transit Oriented Development Bill Significantly Alters GMA
House Bill 1490 is an environmental bill that has become well known for its emphasis on fostering transit oriented development. AGC opposes the measure because of the prescriptive burdens and costs that will be placed on businesses families and local governments and corresponding land use litiga...
Posted on 03/03/2009
Sound Transit to Reinstate Mandatory PLA Requirement on U Link Project
As reported previously in AGC Works (see article here) President Obama rescinded the Bush Administration Executive order prohibiting mandatory Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) on projects with federal funds. Last Thursday Sound Transit announced its intention to require a PLA on the U-Link projec...
Posted on 03/03/2009
Granite Northwest and Other AGC Volunteers Create Trout Stream Exhibit
A resident population of cutthroat trout will have a new home thanks to Granite Northwest Inc. and several other AGC members who worked with the Adopt A Stream Foundation (AASF) to create a Trout Stream Exhibit at the Northwest Stream Center (NWSC) located in Snohomish Countys McCollum Park.
Dur...
Posted on 03/03/2009
Stimulus Package Seminars - All You Ever Wanted To Know!
The much-anticipated stimulus plan is here-so what does this mean for Washington contractors? A special presentation by Stanislaw Ashbaugh and AGC of Washington is in the works.
With the Presidents signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 the federal government has made $48 ...
Posted on 02/24/2009
Covered Loads Bill to Be Heard in Senate Committee
Tomorrow (Wed Feb. 25) the Senate Transportation Committee is expected to hold a hearing on recently-introduced legislation regarding covered loads and AGC seeks the input of members.
The elements of the bill (SB 5846) are:
• Retains the 6 freeboard exemption until January 1 2014. After that d...
Posted on 02/24/2009
Record Attendance at AGC Lobby Day
James Hawley (Matia Contractors Inc.) Frank Imhof (IMCO Construction) Rep. Doug Ericksen Sharon and Steve Isenhart (Tiger Construction).Sen. Curtis King of AGC member firm King Brothers Woodworking briefs Lobby Day participants.Kurt Trester (Absher Construction) Brad Kilcup and Garrick Hughes (GL...
Posted on 02/24/2009
Whatcom County Construction Academy Students Win Regional Competition
Five Whatcom County high school students are heading to Nationals! The team from the Whatcom County Construction Academy which is supported in part by AGC and several of its Northern District members recently won the regional Construction Challenge competition and will compete in the national co...
Posted on 02/24/2009
AGC Education Foundation Class Asks, What is the Key to Your Success?
Register for these and many other excellent courses by clicking AGC Education Foundation.
The Basics of Commercial HVAC SystemsThis class is designed to teach GC estimators PMs and superintendents important aspects of commercial HVAC systems.Mar 12 2009 8 a.m. to noon AGC Building Conference Cen...
Posted on 02/24/2009
agcXML Allows Contractor's Softare to Communicate, Boosting Efficiency
By Gary C. Leaf Director of Information Technology Lease Crutcher Lewis and member of the AGC of Americas EIS Committee
AGC is a great help to contractors in many ways. The staff and volunteer committees at the local state and national levels work diligently to solve the many issues that confron...
Posted on 02/20/2009
Safety Kudos for AGC Members
AGC of Washington congratulates BNBuilders Inc. General Construction Co. PCL Construction Inc. and Kiewit Pacific Co. for being named finalists in the AGC of America Construction Safety Excellence Awards. Winners will be announced at the AGC/WILLIS Safety Awards Breakfast during the AGC of Ameri...
Posted on 02/19/2009
Woerman Named to AGC of America Post; Lydig Wins Award
Sean Woerman Project Manager for Lydig Construction Inc. and a member of the AGC of WAs Future Leadership Forum Steering Committee has been named to National AGCs Construction Leadership Council (CLC). In other Lydig news the firm recently won a Build Northwest Award from the Inland Northwest AG...