On June 5^th, GCA Executive Director, Denise Richardson joined a prestigious group of New Yorkers at a symposium sponsored by the Center for an Urban Future (CUF) to discuss how New York infrastructure investment helps create solid middle class jobs.

The panel, moderated by NY 1 News’ Reporter Errol Louis, included representatives from the Brookings Institute, RBC Capital Markets, AECOM, and the MTA Board.

While the need for increased federal, state, and local infrastructure investment was topic number one, panelists agreed that equally important was how we prepare the workforce to be able to efficiently address the region’s need to upgrade aging subway signals, century-old water mains, and bring more of its bridges, schools, libraries, and public housing buildings into a state of good repair.

Workforce training, such as that provided by the GCA through mentoring, apprenticeship programs, scholarships and internships, is essential, but more needs to be done at more basic levels to provide potential employees with fundamental math, reading and writing skills so they can excel in the industry,” said Richardson.  “Our schools must do a better job from pre-school on up, so that by the time we hire new employees, they are better prepared to compete in the workplace.”

Less <<

The GCA co-hosted the New York Road and Infrastructure Coalition’s Annual 2018 Congressional Delegation Reception in the Mansfield Room of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on April 17th.  This year’s event was dedicated to the late Dr. James Melius who served as NYRIC’s President and who was a fixture at the event, having emceed it for more than the last 10 years.  Dr. Melius was the Administrator of the NY State Laborer’s Health and Safety Trust Fund and Administrator and Treasurer of the NY State Laborers’ Political Action Committee.

GCA Officers Art Corwin (Moretrench) and Jesse Ottesen (Weeks Marine) joined GCA Executive Director Denise Richardson and colleagues from the Associated General Contractors of New York, Long Island Contractors Association, Construction Industry Council of Westchester & the Hudson Valley, American Council of Engineering Companies of New York, the NYS Laborers, the Empire State District Council of Carpenters, the Operating Engineers, the Teamsters and other industry colleagues in welcoming over half of the 27 members of the New York Delegation.  Every corner of the State was represented by those Members of Congress in attendance who shared their perspectives on the status of federal transportation and infrastructure policy and funding.

The event is always a highlight of the GCA’s ongoing legislative advocacy efforts in Washington, and the good news from the Delegation this year was that federal transportation and water resource dollars included in the recently passed Omnibus Appropriation bill were at record highs.

Photo: 

NYRIC hosts a reception for members and lawmakers in the Mansfield Room of the Capitol Building, on Tuesday, April 17, 2018, in Washington, DC. (Photos by Leslie E. Kossoff/LK Photos)

Less <<

Some groups have recently criticized the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s suggested 25-cent hike in the federal gas tax.  However, these groups ignore the fact that without it, our roads and infrastructure will continue to crumble, and undermine our nation’s economic competitiveness.

The federal gas tax serves as the federal government’s main funding source for the Highway Trust Fund, which provides aid for repairs to interstates and transit systems throughout the United States.  The Highway Trust Fund has operated at a deficit for the last six years due to more fuel efficient vehicles and the lack of increase to the gas tax for the last 25 years, despite rising inflation rates. Without any additional funding, the Congressional Budget Office has projected that the Highway Trust Fund will run dry by 2021. In order to fix deteriorating roads, bridges, and airports – and ensure the future economic success of our country – the gas tax must be increased.

Less <<

New York Times, December 29, 2017

The New York Times’ exhaustive story on the city’s subway construction (12/29/2017) reveals an enormously complex issue where critical facts can be lost in the drive to find villains, heroes, and reform.  Building and repairing our subways remains highly disciplined work taking place in a dangerous environment and where any construction disruption of a NY neighborhood brings immediate political fallout.

Typical of the obstacles facing those building and restoring these tunnels is the MTA’s barrage of change orders that are issued long after the long after bids have been received and a contractor’s work is underway. These changes not only significantly impact budgets but construction timelines, the vendor supply chain needed to support those changes, and the need to redo work that has already been completed.

While finger pointing offers a catharsis for the frustrated, understanding how conflicting work rules, obsolete government practices and the inherent danger of building these capital projects will reveal a pathway to improving how to build and maintain a mass transit system that moves New York.

Less <<

As Rockefeller Center holds its annual Christmas Tree lighting tonight, we are proud to highlight GCA member Bay Crane which helped to secure this massive 75-foot-tall Norway Spruce into the heart of New York City for all to enjoy!  The Tree will remain lit through January 7 and then will be taken down and donated, for the eleventh consecutive year, to Habitat for Humanity.

Bay Crane’s involvement in constructing this holiday landmark highlights just one of the many ways that GCA members are involved in building and supporting every aspect of New York City.  From New York City’s Water Tunnels to the 2^nd Avenue Subway to the Kosciuszko bridge and everything in between, GCA’s 250+ members have continued to build and rebuild New York for more than 100 years.

We would like to wish everyone a happy holidays, and we look forward to what 2018 will bring!

Less <<

Starting in January, Toronto Transit Commission CEO Andy Byford will become President of MTA New York City Transit.  Byford began his transit career at the London Underground where, over 14 years, he rose to the position of General Manager of the Central, Bakerloo and Victoria Lines, three of its busiest subway lines. He also served as Chief Operating Officer of Australia’s largest transit system in Sydney. Byford will take over from Phil Eng who has been serving as acting head of Transit while the MTA engaged in a search of a new president.  Eng will remain MTA Chief Operating Officer.

Byford has more than passing familiarity with the MTA and the challenges that lie ahead, having served on the 2014 MTA Reinvention Commission along with Denise Richardson.  “I think this is a terrific appointment, said Richardson. “Andy is a solid choice and has an open mind about how to get things done better at NYCT.  We very much look forward to working with him.”

Less <<

As the debate over tax reform heated up last week in Congress, the GCA wrote to and contacted all the members of the New York Congressional Delegation about the concerns the industry had with elements of H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.  A number of provisions could impact the ability of our state and local governments to finance and construct road, bridge, transit and other infrastructure projects going forward.  While the bill maintains the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds, which are fundamental to state and local government capital programs, there are four related issues that give us great concern:

1. Repealing the Use of Private Activity Bonds (PABs)– Such an action seems counterintuitive to the type of private investment often identified as the cornerstone of the administration’s anticipated “Infrastructure Initiative” that would leverage $800 billion of private investments in road, bridge, water and airport improvements.  Eliminating the private sector’s ability to use PABs for such projects would likely discourage the use of thoughtful public-private partnerships.  It would likely impact heavy civil construction and, in turn, the region’s ability to support a growing economy by addressing its aging and inadequate infrastructure.

2. Advance Refunding Bonds– Also proposed for elimination are advance refunding bonds, which issuers in the U.S. municipal bond market use to take advantage of lower interest rates before outstanding bonds can be called. These bonds are used by both the NYSDOT and the MTA, among other City and State governmental bonding entities, saving them millions of dollars that ultimately help fund their capital programs.

3. Eliminating or Limiting the Deductibility of State and Local Taxes– While others may comment on how the elimination or limitation of the deductibility of State and Local taxes will impact individual New York tax payers, our issue is more global, and one not discussed in the current tax bill debate.  Such an action will dramatically hurt the ability of New York State and its hundreds of local governments to raise money to either build infrastructure projects directly, match federal dollars, or leverage private dollars.

4. Highway Trust Fund (HTF) Solvency– while tax treatments such as the three aforementioned items indirectly impact the ability to fund key infrastructure projects, direct federal funding for such projects is also at risk.  Multi-billion dollar shortfalls in the HTF have been patched on a piecemeal basis through annual appropriations and budget gimmicks and the prospects for the HTF beyond 2020 are dire.  Tax reform has long been heralded as a proper forum to solve this lingering problem. Ignoring this one-time opportunity to provide a predictable and reliable revenue stream for the HTF as part of H.R. 1 will only further hamper needed infrastructure investments.

The GCA will continue to press these issues with our elected officials as markup in the House Ways & Means Committee advances this week and as the matter is further discussed in the Senate.

Less <<

On Wednesday, October 18^th, the GCA sponsored another in its “Speaker Series” that brings together decision makers and thought leaders from disciplines that are of importance to our industry.

Richard Kauffmann, Chairman of the Governor’s Energy and Finance and Chair of the NYSERDA Board, Kenneth Daly, President of National Grid New York and Stuart Nachmias, V.P. Energy Policy & Regulatory Affairs at Con Ed, joined GCA Executive Director, Denise Richardson for a lively discussion of the energy issues and challenges that face the State over the next few years as power generation sources diversify with the closure of Indian Point and as demand increases across the board.

The nearly 100 attendees included GCA members who wrestle with major utility relocation and upgrades, got an insiders perspective on what may lie ahead in an industry that literally powers our regional economy.

Less <<

City & State Magazine, October 16, 2017

Every primer on effective management cautions against corporate silos.

They lead to project miscues, unrealistic budgets, impair collegial communication, create “turf” battles, and ultimately delay the implementation of solutions.

So when the question is asked, how can we build New York City’s infrastructure smarter, cheaper and faster, we also need to ask the question, how do we break down the silos that keep various disciplines from collaborating on a shared project.

For example: When a capital project is planned, is MTA Operations asked to provide practical advice and guidance to MTA Engineering about what is needed before the project specifications are handed over to the construction industry for review and a proposal?  How can a project be “delayed and over budget” when the original specifications were nothing more than a target concept?  Have the inevitable change orders been reviewed by all parties to determine need, operational compliance, and its impact on project completion and budget?

Silos will ensure that the answer is no.

Thanks to the role of computers and the arrival of the Digital Age, managing a construction project has undergone a literal revolution, yet public infrastructure projects seem to remain captive of another era.  To begin the demolition of cost-inducing silos requires a reinvention of corporate culture which can only be dictated by top-down directives.

Corporate CEO’s have long understood this. Even before the Digital Age arrived, they knew they needed to work differently. They embraced shorter decision cycles, expanded employee engagement, and meaningful collaboration. There were strategies to destroy silos using what managers called “boundaryless organization,” which created and facilitated internal conferences, bringing people together across various functions and disciplines to make decisions that addressed the challenge of efficient project completion.

Ironically, our 21^st Century email connected world that rides atop a cloud filled with social media apps hasn’t eliminated the need for traditional silo-busting strategy. It is clear that pursuing public infrastructure projects remains a complex and fragmented process resilient to reform and innovation. It can change, however, because the MTA now has an executive suite of smart, results driven professionals who recognize that silos are the biggest threat to creating and maintaining the mass transit system that daily powers New York City.

The construction industries who are ultimately handed the responsibility to build our mass transit infrastructure welcome new managerial innovations that would demolish the silos and strengthen what is arguably among the most important public functions in New York: getting us to work and home, safely and reliably. We are at an historic moment when capital projects efficiencies will not only achieve results on the tracks but will leave a legacy that will benefit straphangers for generations to come.

By Denise M. Richardson

Less <<

Less <<