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LOS ANGELES For years, Parsons Corp. has profited from a steady stream of U.S. government contracts for everything from the disposal of hazardous weapons material to rebuilding hospitals, highways and other big-ticket infrastructure. Led by a retired Army colonel, the low-profile engineering giant has remained under the radar of most public interest groups and oversight bodies to become a key player in the reconstruction of Iraq, with contracts worth about $2 billion. But shoddy work recently prompted the U.S. Corps of Engineers to cancel its $75 million contract to renovate a critical police training academy in Baghdad. Parsons also lost deals to build a prison and dozens of medical clinics in that country after the government cited missed deadlines and cost problems. Parsons said it has done the best work possible under the conditions in Iraq, where its reliance on subcontractors fearful of attacks has led to the delays and cost overruns.
(10-19) 13:48 PDT CASTRO VALLEY -- Construction starts Friday to widen Interstate 238, one of the East Bay's worst bottlenecks. The $123 million, four-year project will bring Interstate 238 to three lanes in each direction and will also add merging lanes at the Interstate 880 connection, said Tess Lengyel, a spokeswoman for the Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority. The highway is a major freight path for trucks traveling between the Central Valley and the Bay Area and a commuter route for tens of thousands of workers. The construction work, which includes repaving, is expected to last until summer of 2010. Its widening is one of the largest projects funded by Alameda County's Measure B, a voter-approved half-cent sales tax that pays for transportation projects.
CASTRO VALLEY - Construction began today on a four-year, $121 million freeway-widening project aimed at reducing one of the worst traffic bottlenecks in the East Bay. The project calls for widening Interstate Highway 238, the two-mile freeway that connects Interstate Highway 580 and Interstate Highway 880, from four to six lanes with auxiliary lanes between on- and off-ramps. I-238 is a major freight truck corridor from the state's agricultural heartland in San Joaquin County to the port of Oakland as well as an important commute and recreational route. Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority officials, who held a groundbreaking ceremony in the parking lot of Neighborhood Church in Castro Valley, said the improvements would provide additional capacity and enhancement safety by easing the movement of trucks crossing from I-580 to I-238.
Core Construction Florida won a contract to build 108 luxury condominiums at Clermont Yacht Club off Highway 27 on Masthead Boulevard overlooking Lake Minneola in Clermont. Edward A. Storey II, director of business development for the Orlando general contracting company, says construction is set to begin in November on the $26 million project. .
Kansas City-based Alternative Energy Sources Inc. said today it plans to construct a third ethanol plant, though it continues to seek construction financing for all of the facilities. Alternative Energy said it has taken an option on 100 acres at a business park in Greenville, Ill., which is 45 miles east of St. Louis. The site is served by the Illinois Western Railroad on tracks adjacent to the acreage. It also has easy access to the interstate highway system. Alternative Energy's announcement said construction on this third plant would begin within the next year, with the plant in operation in late 2008. Like two others the company announced, the Greenville plant would produce about 110 million gallons of ethanol a year. This is the third site on which Alternative Energy has acquired an option with plans to build an ethanol plant.
ASTANA. October 23, 2006. KAZINFORM. Construction and road rehabilitation were the uppermost subject of todays governmental sitting under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan Premier Daniyal Akhmetov. Transport and Communications Ministry reported on projects, envisaged by the republican road-transport industry for 2006-2012. It is planned to repair above 7 000 km of republican highways, renovate 412 bridges, and lay oblast roads up to 231 km for the period said. PM drew special attention to the road Astana-Shchuchinsk-Kokshetau under construction, defined as the countrys first autobahn, and Kazakhstan's section of the Western Europe-Russia-Kazakhstan-China transport corridors project. Thereat it is crucial adhering to international standards, PM stressed. Besides, PM raised an issue on providing large scale road constructions with high-grade human resources.
MARCO ISLAND: A Marco Island water main at the intersection of Collier Boulevard and Bald Eagle Drive has been damaged by contractor. A boil water notice is in effect for about 200 people on the island. Crews worked into the night trying to repair the break at the intersection. Part of Bald Eagle Drive was still shut down on Wednesday night, but the bigger issue was over the water quality on the island. Porky's, a restaurant on Marco Island, is normally packed. But on Wednesday it was empty. Porky's, like many other restaurants, had to shut down early because of the water main break. "We've already had quite a few people that we've had to turn away. You can't do anything without water," said Porky's manager Toni Ison. One of the city's main water lines was ruptured by crews working on a stop light project.
An interstate closing nearly shut down a small town for six months. I-35 is now open near Pattonsburg and business is up but not back to normal. They`re still doing some work on the interstate but as far as the lanes there all open now.
Antique owner Patsy Cox hopes open lanes mean business as usual in pattonsburg.
Cox said, "When the roads opened, oh I was elated." Just six months ago construction on I-35 made it hard for travelers to get to Pattonsburg or even see it from the interstate.
Businesses in the town of less than 300 rely on tourists and travelers. Cox said, "It`s going to take awhile to get back on my feet like I was but I`m going to keep trying." Cox says business has picked up since lanes opened up but 80% of her business suffered for six months.
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