Category: Construction Management

Three construction industry groups have joined in the landslide of legal challenges to the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for businesses with 100 or more employees.

They filed a petition for review November 15 with the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, saying the mandate risks causing workers at larger construction companies to quit to work for smaller firms.

“Encouraging vaccine-hesitant workers to shift to smaller employers won’t improve health and safety,” said Stephen Sandherr, CEO of the Associated General Contractors. “It will just put firms that employ 100 or more workers at grave risk of losing the workers they need to complete projects.” The AGC is joined in the legal challenge with the American Road and Transportation Builders Association and the Signatory Wall & Ceiling Contractors Alliance.

The mandate is currently blocked from being enforced by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which extended a stay of the emergency temporary standard issued by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA’s standard would require employees of companies with 100 or more workers to get vaccinated by January 4 or undergo weekly Covid testing. Unvaccinated workers would also have to wear masks at work starting December 5.

The 5th Circuit opined November 12 that OSHA overstepped its authority, and that “the mandate has contributed to untold economic upheaval in recent months.”

The construction industry groups reiterated that position in their legal challenge. They also note that 64 percent of construction jobs are with smaller companies, and with the current labor shortage, employees at larger firms have plenty of options to move to smaller ones.

“The Biden Administration and Congress are in the process of launching a historic federal infrastructure investment initiative,” ARTBA President Dave Bauer said. “Unfortunately, OSHA’s proposal would disproportionally impact the same transportation construction industry employers and workers who proved they could safely deliver essential mobility improvements during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

OSHA’s response to the 5th Circuit petition says the emergency standard “is necessary to address a grave danger” and that the “legal objections lack merit.”

OSHA has argued that the emergency standard is not a mandate because employees have a choice on whether to get vaccinated or get tested.

The standard does not require employers to pay for weekly Covid testing, and Covid vaccines are free. However, employers would be required to pay for time off for workers to get tested and vaccinated, as well as time off for any side effects from the vaccine.

The construction groups say they are supporting successful promotion efforts to get workers vaccinated, but the mandate would have the opposite effect.

“This industry supports the coronavirus vaccine and is working to get as many workers vaccinated as possible,” said Scott Casabona, spresident of SWACCA. “But crafting an unworkable rule that will do little to get construction workers vaccinated is an approach that is not only wrong, but likely counterproductive.”

A random drawing is expected to be held this week to determine which appeals court will hear the case, according to NPR. The cases will be consolidated into one.

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The chimney is one of the most important parts of a fireplace. It is used to take the smoke and gases that come from a fire up and out of the house. When there’s a leaky chimney, many issues can arise that put the safety of your home and family at risk. If the leak is minor enough, you may not notice it for a while as smoke billows from the chimney into your home, but it’s vital that you don’t ignore the issue. If there is a significant leak in your chimney, it is best to have a professional inspect the issue. They will be able to tell you how much work needs to be done, if any at all.  Because there are several things that may go wrong with your chimney that have severe implications if they do, you should not put off getting it repaired for the following reasons:

The expense

Leaking chimneys can lead to more expensive repairs in the future. If you have an older home, there is a good chance that some parts of your chimney are made from clay and other materials. When moisture gets into these parts, they expand and begin to crack. This leads to the need for more extensive repairs in the future.

The negative health implications

The adverse effects on your health from breathing in all the smoke and soot can be severe and fill the house with danger for you and your family. If you have a leaky chimney, it is possible that soot and smoke will come into your home through the fireplace or any other area where the chimney is cracked or damaged. This can cause severe respiratory issues and even illness in some cases when inhaled. Also, if the fire in your chimney is not burning well, it could cause a carbon monoxide leak, which can be fatal.

More smoke than needed

The more smoke is leaking from the top of your chimney, the less it will be able to draw up the bottom of your chimney and out through the flue, which could mean that your chimney makes more smoke than it used to. This could be a sign that it is time to have your chimney inspected and repaired.

Internal home destruction

A leaky chimney can create soot and debris that will turn into black streaks on your ceilings and walls. This can be very frustrating, time-consuming to clean and reduces the value of your home for future resale. The best thing to do is have the leaky chimney inspected and repaired as soon as possible in order to avoid this destruction to your home’s infrastructure and decor.

Contact Mr. Roof

As you can see, there are several good reasons to have a leaky chimney repaired as soon as possible. Fortunately, it’s not complicated or overly costly to do so. Connect with Mr. Roof today for more information and start living in a healthy, smoke-free environment right away.

The post Top 4 Reasons You Shouldn’t Wait to Fix a Leaky Chimney appeared first on Mr Roof.

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Bill Panunzio was employed by a construction firm and looking for his chance.

“I was running their jobs and thought, ‘If these guys can do it, why can’t I?’” Panunzio says. “So at 49 years old, I started all over again.”

Industry veterans Curtis Collard and Ryan Greenwood were also looking for new opportunities. Collard had been running FP Asphalt & Crack Sealing and Greenwood was running his sealcoating division. The three got together and formed Preferred Paving in 1997.

Wes Turner, project manager and estimator for the company, had joined Collard’s business before Preferred was formed. “At that time, we did primarily crack sealing and small patching,” Turner says. “When Bill came, we bought the paver and got after it.”

Combined they have more than 100 years of construction experience, and that showed in their results. The first year, the company had $1.7 million in revenues doing a combination of commercial and residential asphalt work.

“We all just worked our guts out,” Panunzio says bluntly.

Between them, Ryan Greenwood, Bill Panunzio and Curtis Collard (l. to r.) offer more than 100 years of construction experience.Preferred PavingPreferred Paving now has revenues between $10 million and $13 million, around 40 employees and specializes in commercial grading, site excavation, asphalt paving and maintenance.

“We have the luxury to choose to do the jobs we want to do and do them right,” Panunzio says. In fact, the company motto is “don’t just do it – do it the best.”

Preferred Paving at the High West Distillery.Equipment WorldAll three take a hands-on approach to the business. They have served various roles throughout their time together – basically whatever needs to be done.

Collard now serves as an estimator, project manager and oversees safety. Safety is an integral part of the tight weave that makes Preferred Paving’s jobs run smoothly.

Click here to enter this year’s Contractor of the Year contest. Hurry! The deadline for nominations is Nov. 19th.

Suzanna Allen, who has been with Preferred for more than 20 years, runs the company’s sealcoating division, which provides a variety of repair services. “She’s awesome,” Oredson says. “And at their core, the whole team is about doing things right. They’ve got a good transition team to perpetuate the company going forward.”

In the early days, the company created an accounting system that serves them today. After a general contractor required them to go through complicated invoicing hoops that delayed payment, Preferred Paving developed a work order system that included the job and invoice numbers that the GC signed on the spot.

“The way we do business is really simple,” Collard says. “Our work order is also our invoice number. We have a low percentage of uncollected invoices.”

Core and a spare

Preferred has a fleet of pavers, graders, excavators and rollers.

“The Cat 555-size pavers work out perfect for us because you do both big and small custom jobs,” Greenwood says. The company has four pavers, which usually translates to three out on jobs and one spare. “That spare has really helped us,” Panunzio says.

The Cat 120 grader is also a good fit. “It’s just versatile,” Greenwood says. “You can do both a subdivision with it and a custom driveway.” Same with utility rollers that can be pulled with a pickup and transported anywhere. 

“Very rarely is our equipment in our yard,” Panunzio says.

Heated driveways

Residential and commercial customers are now starting to request heated driveways. “They get so much snow up in areas like Park City, and they don’t want to shovel their driveways,” Turner says. “We’re paving asphalt over heat tubeing, and we’re one of the few companies in Utah that will do that.”

This work requires digging down around 10 inches and putting down the road base. Preferred then hires a firm to place the heat tubing that runs a mixture of heated water and antifreeze in a closed-loop system. The sub then connects it to a boiler located in a house or building and pressurizes the system.

Preferred Paving then comes back in, places sand around and above the piping, a job that requires hand placement. “You rake it out by hand, then you can water it and roll it,” Turner says. “At that point, you can put a paver and truck on it, but you can’t turn. You really have to pick your angle and then go straight out and pick another angle.”

Utah homeowners like that, even in a snowstorm, they’ll have a wet driveway with no accumulation.

dvice for those getting into construction

Equipment World

Collard warns contractors not to get too excited about their first big profit on a job. “Don’t make $10,000 and then buy a boat, jet skis and four wheelers,” he says. “If the next two jobs are losers, you’re trying to figure out how to pay for materials. Wait to buy the toys and make sure you have a good accounting system.”

“And don’t do it unless you have access to good people because people are everything,” Collard emphasizes. “You can buy all the equipment in the world, but if you don’t have good people, you won’t go far. If you don’t have experience, you must have people who have experience.”

“They are outstanding professionals,” says client Andrew Carlino with CR England. “They treat people like people and not like numbers, and they’re quick to get a job done. Everybody works hard and everyone works together as a team. In fact, I wish I could load them up and take them with me to the other states I cover.”

“We have plenty of options in the valley with paving contractors, and the fact that we use them almost exclusively speaks volumes,” says Tony Treasure with Noland & Son. “They do excellent work. They know it’s about more than being a contractor; it’s about being a craftsman and truly being bought in to the quality of work you’re putting out.”

Hydrogen-fueled equipment to come in 2022

JCB is investing $138 million on a project to produce carbon-free hydrogen engines, the company announced last month. The first hydrogen-fueled machines will be ready for customers by the end of 2022.

According to JCB Chairman Lord Bamford, the company is investing in hydrogen because electric power has limits and is not an all-around solution, especially when it comes to larger machines. “We will carry on making engines, but they will be super-efficient, affordable, high-tech hydrogen motors with zero CO2 emissions, which can be brought to market quickly using our existing supply base,” says Bamford.

The company has already shown a prototype hydrogen-powered JCB backhoe loader. A second JCB machine – a Loadall telescopic handler – was unveiled October 19 at an event in London attended by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.        

Firmatek acquired Kespry’s drone-based aerial intelligence platform.BuildwittDrone maker Kespry bought by Firmatek

Two leaders in the world of drone applications for the construction, mining and aggregate industries have joined forces. The combination of Firmatek’s drone-data processing and engineering services with Kespry’s drone-based mapping intelligence platforms will create new opportunities to deliver a vertical SaaS platform for drone-based analytics.

The acquisition will accelerate the use of artificial intelligence technologies and deep-learning frameworks to analyze and process topographic analysis of mining and aggregate worksites, increase data accuracy, improve site safety and eliminate potential risks.

“By combining Firmatek’s resources with Kespry’s expertise and leadership in AI-driven, SaaS software, we can provide better outcomes for our customers,” says Lauren Elmore, Firmatek’s chief executive officer.

Equipment World has reported on Kespry’s offerings several times in the last few years. To learn more about its technology, check out the links below.

With three big updates, Kespry gives construction customers little reason to take their drone data elsewhere

John Deere dealers to offer Kespry’s automated construction drone service in exclusive deal

Kespry Drone 2s brings centimeter-level survey accuracy, single base station setup to automated drone platform

Tag tools and attachments with the Kin asset tracking system and you’ll always know where they are.TrackunitIf you can’t find a tool, try checking your Kin

Everybody knows that workers waste significant amounts of time searching for lost equipment. And according to Trackunit, only one out of five lost tools are ever found. One solution, announced at the ARA show in Las Vegas, is Trackunit’s new Kin Asset Utilization, which collects movement data from tagged assets and shows you in real time if the equipment is being used.

The Kin ecosystem resides within a platform to greatly increase the scope of data available to users and organizations and continues to enhance solutions in an ever more data-led construction market.  

The Kin tags leverage the company’s mesh network and connect to the company’s Raw (TU600) installed network of devices via the Trackunit Manager and the Trackunit Go app. Each connected tag links to the TU600 network installed on machines around the globe, connecting the user and expanding the data available for business insights.

Couplers and work tools bearing this logo can work with any excavator from OEMs that are members of the Open-S Alliance.Open-S AllianceVolvo joins Open-S Alliance

Recently Volvo announced it has joined the Open-S Alliance. The alliance is a group of manufacturers that have agreed to design hydraulic attachments in such a way that their quick couplers and adaptors will work with any excavator regardless of the brand of the machine. This makes it easier for contractors to use different couplers, tiltrotators and work tool brands without being locked into a proprietary solution from one manufacturer.

The Open-S Alliance is a manufacturer-independent organization. There are three levels of membership: full, associate and supporting, depending on if Open-S products are developed, produced in-house or sourced. Since early 2021, Volvo CE has delivered quick couplers and adaptors directly from the factory and is now joining the Open-S Alliance as a supporting member.

Survey says data driving AEC transformation

More bricks than bytes, construction has been slow to adopt digital technology. But that is changing, according to a new report from Dodge Data & Analytics and Autodesk. The study finds the most frequently used BIM (building information modeling) technologies by architecture, engineering and construction firms are cloud computing (42%), model-based simulation (33%), virtual/augmented/mixed reality (28%), 3D printing (25%) and reality capture (25%).

The technologies best poised for growth, with a relatively high percentage of respondents who expect to adopt them in the next two to three years, include generative/outcome-based design (20%), 3D printing (19%), model-driven prefabrication (18%), model-driven simulation (18%), robotics/automated equipment (18%), reality capture (17%) and AI/machine learning (17%).

More details the free report can be accessed at www.construction.com

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If you didn’t move fast enough on Ford’s new e-crate motor, you’re out of luck.

The all-electric powertrain featured in Ford’s F-100 Eluminator at SEMA sold out just four days following its debut at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The 480-horsepower electric pickup truck based on a 1978 F-100 cranks out an impressive 634 pound-feet of torque, thanks to Ford Performance Parts’ very first e-crate motor.

“Ford owners have personalized, customized and enhanced their vehicles since the beginning – from changing looks to bringing the power,” said Eric Cin, global director of Ford’s vehicle personalization, accessories and licensing. “Our F-100 Eluminator concept is a preview of how we’re supporting customers as they go all-electric and embrace zero-tailpipe emissions performance, even for our heritage vehicles.”

Don’t be fooled by the e-crate motor’s small size. It puts out 480 horses and 634 pound-feet of torque.Ford Performance PartsThe all-electric F-100 Eluminator concept, designed and created by Ford Performance, was built in collaboration with MLe Racecars and sits on a custom chassis by the Roadster Shop.

It’s painted in Avalanche Gray with Cerakote Copper accents applied by Brand X Customs, while the interior features a billet aluminum dash by JJR Fabrication and avocado-tanned leather upholstery by MDM Upholstery. It’s fitted with custom 19×10-inch billet aluminum three-piece wheels by Forgeline wrapped in MichelinLatitudeSport 275/45-19 high-performance tires.

Part No. M-9000-MACH-E, the e-crate motor was available for a few short days at authorized Ford parts warehouse dealers or online at Ford Performance Parts. Retailing at $3,900, it is targeted for builders looking for a transverse-oriented powertrain to electrify a range of vehicles from modern to vintage cars, trucks and SUVs.

Each Eluminator e-crate motor produces 281 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque and is street-legal in all 50 states.

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Wacker Neuson has entered the compact utility loader market with the SM100, which has a 1,000-pound rated operating capacity.

“We feel this machine fits our channel well,” says Joe Miller, vice president of sales and marketing, Wacker Neuson. He also notes that this machine category has seen significant growth in the past few years.

Featuring 9-inch-wide tracks for applications requiring low ground pressure, the 35.5-inch-wide SM100 easily fits through doorways and gates. Powered by a 24.7-horsepower Yanmar diesel, the 3,000-pound-operating-weight unit has a radial lift path and a hinge pin height of 85.7 inches for dumping into high-sided trucks. 

The step-up-and-go spring-loaded operator’s platform uses an operator presence system to prevent accidental movement of the lift arm and travel functions. If an operator steps off the platform, these functions are no longer operable. “Some of the early designs in the industry required an operator to hold on to operate, which is taxing to your hands,” Miller says. “Now you simply stand on the machine.”

The Wacker Neuson SM100’s controls and hand rests are designed to reduce operator fatigue.Equipment World”We spend a lot of time on the controls,” Miller says. Forward-angled joysticks position the operator’s hand in the neutral position. The left hand rest circles the left joystick, and the right hand rest provides a straight segment for grabbing, giving additional stability when going over rough terrain. “You can rest your hands on here and get full mobility with the machine,” Miller says. “Especially in rental, you’re dealing with a lot of novice operators, so you want the controls to be ergonomic and simple to use.”

A sloped hood gives visibility to attachments and the front work area. A common industry attachment interface allows the use of compatible attachments. Front-mounted coolers keep hot or dirty air off the operator’s legs. In addition, the triple-flanged rollers on the undercarriage reduce wear and de-tracking. “The raised drive motor is out of the dirt, which helps provide undercarriage reliability and long life,”  Miller says. 

Wacker Neuson has several entries in the compact equipment field, including skid steers, compact track loaders and compact excavators, and started looking at adding a compact utility loader four years ago, he says. (Wacker calls the machine a “utility track loader.” The exact nomenclature for these machines is still shaking out; competitive machines have also been called compact track loaders, mini skid steers, mini track loaders and stand-on skid steers.)

The SM100 is produced in the company’s Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, plant.

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Striking UAW members at 12 facilities in Illinois, Iowa and Kansas turned down the second Deere/UAW contract offer, sending both the company and the union back to the negotiating table and increasing the prospects of the strike lingering into the holidays. 

But there was progress toward an agreement: with the first offer, a resounding 90% of union members said no. This time, 55% checked the no box.

“The strike against John Deere and Company will continue as we discuss next steps with the company,” said a two-paragraph UAW statement this morning. “Pickets will continue, and any updates will be provided through the local union.”

Deere issued this statement last night: “Through the agreements reached with the UAW, John Deere would have invested an additional $3.5 billion in our employees, and by extension, our communities, to significantly enhance wages and benefits that were already the best and most comprehensive in our industries,” said Marc A. Howze, group president, lifecycle solutions and chief administrative officer for Deere. “This investment was the right one for Deere, our employees, and everyone we serve together. Even though it would have created greater competitive challenges within our industries, we had faith in our employees’ ability to sharpen our competitive edge. With the rejection of the agreement covering our Midwest facilities, we will execute the next phase of our Customer Service Continuation Plan.”

Under this plan, “employees and others will be entering our factories daily to keep our operations running,” said Deere at the beginning of the strike. “Our immediate concern is meeting the needs of our customers, who work in time-sensitive and critical industries such as agriculture and construction.”

As previously reported, the Waterloo, Iowa, Courier said the proposed second contract included a 10% increase in the first year, and 5% raises in the contract’s third and fifth years. In addition, the proposal included a 3% lump sums in years two, four and six of the contract along with cost-of-living adjustments.

The second proposal also had UAW members receiving a ratification bonus of $8,500 and no increase in health insurance costs. New hires would receive coverage after 30 days, and members would receive two weeks of full-paid parental leave, vision and autism care coverage, said the paper, citing the UAW Local 838’s Facebook page.

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Construction starts will rise 6% in 2022, which is above levels for peak year 2019, according to a new forecast by Dodge Construction Network.

That’s a drop in growth from this year, which Dodge predicts will be at 12%. But it still edges higher overall, to $946 billion, from this year’s predicted total starts of $863 billion.

Dodge Chief Economist Richard Branch cautioned that the main driver of the increase has been residential construction, and when taking those numbers out, construction starts would rise by only 4% and drop below 2019 figures.

“There is a long road back here to full recovery for the construction space,” Branch said.  

Branch noted, too, that the forecast factors in Congress preventing a government shutdown before a December 3 deadline, as well as raising the debt ceiling, and passing the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill.

“But assuming that all comes to pass, we’re looking at a fairly modest to moderate pace of growth in construction starts in 2022,” he said.

He pointed to Dodge’s Momentum Index, which has risen throughout 2021 and is now at a 13-year high. The index measures nonresidential construction projects in planning. He also noted that the count of general building projects in bidding is ahead of where the industry was at the beginning of 2020 and is a little behind 2019. Some of those projects are under construction, with the rest starting in the final quarter of this year or early next year.

The Dodge Momentum Index reaches a 13-year high in 2021.Dodge Construction Network

Material prices and shortages

Aside from Congress, the construction industry faces rising material prices and supply shortages that could dampen starts in 2022, Branch said.

Branch noted that material price increases are starting to erode, but they’re still 30% up over last year. He expects increases to continue until mid-2022, begin to pull back in the second half of the year, and remain high throughout 2022.

This chart shows the rapid increase in inflation of construction material prices versus overall consumer prices.Dodge Construction NetworkMaterial delivery delays are affecting 60% of small construction businesses. “And that is causing production delays, causing shipping delays and continuing to ripple through the lifecycle of a project,” he says. “So even as those prices cool in 2022, this web is very tangled, and these issues will continue to exert downward pressure on construction starts as we move into 2022.”

This also translates into construction projects taking longer to get started and completed.

“When we look at projects in our pre-planning stages, they are currently taking about nine months longer to break ground than they were prior to February 2020,” he says.

Another challenge is the labor shortage, but he notes that is not a new or temporary problem for construction. There are 350,000 construction jobs open. That compares to 400,000 openings in 2019.

“I think it’s very clear as we put all this together, that if not for the challenges and for the shortages and prices that we’re currently facing, that construction activity would be much stronger than it currently is,” he said.

Sectors looking up…and those not so much

Branch sees a continued increase in single-family home construction in 2022 but not at the rapid pace of 2021, which is expected to post a 14% increase in total dollar amount.

He’s seen a drop in home construction in the second half of the year after an exceptionally strong late 2020 and early 2021.

Still, 2021 is a banner year for single-family home construction and on track to top 1 million units built for the first time since 2006. But the sector is also more vulnerable to high material, labor and land prices, and supply shortages, he says.

As the single-family market cools down some, the multifamily sector has taken off as the supply of affordable housing has shrunk dramatically. “We haven’t seen this kind of strength since the mid-80s,” Branch said.

The multifamily trend has also shifted from urban high rises to smaller suburban projects in the $25 million to $50 million range. The national vacancy rate has dropped to 2.9%, the lowest level since 1994. But he also expects the sector to hit a more normal rate of growth in 2022 as many projects were hastened in 2021 out of a fear of rising material prices.

The warehouse sector also continues its tear, with Amazon leading the way building massive distribution centers. Warehouse construction has been the main driver of the commercial building sector and that will continue.

But Branch also believes commercial growth will become more broadbased in 2022, with a greater focus on office additions and renovations. Data centers are another big area of growth for the sector.

The manufacturing sector has also shown surprising growth, particularly in the petro-chemical industry.

Branch saw a turning point in the third quarter for hotel starts, but the beleagured sector is still way behind its pre-pandemic levels and will continue in that position for the next five years.

Retail also continues to lag, but he notes that as more people migrate from urban areas to the suburbs, retail projects will follow.

Charts tell the story

These charts released by Dodge Construction Network show how various sectors of the construction industry are forecast to perform:

Dodge Construction Network 

Dodge Construction Network

 

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You know that feeling when you want to sell a piece of equipment on the Internet, and you have to open a half-dozen tabs and manually toggle back and forth to gather up all the relevant information?

Record360 has designed a mobile-based product that takes all this digital complexity out of assessing and selling used equipment. The product is called SalesPro, and it is designed to meet the needs of construction firms, dealerships, vehicle rental fleets and other commercial equipment owners. With SalesPro you can identify equipment for sale, determine its condition, price it appropriately and respond to interest from potential buyers.

“Selling a piece of used equipment, whether it’s a rental car or truck, a tractor, loader, crane, backhoe or other industrial equipment asset, is a painfully manual process,” says Record360 CEO Abby Chao. “It’s difficult to know with any degree of reliability what’s available and what shape the asset is in,” she explains. “It’s even more tedious and cumbersome to create an effective listing and then market it to the right person at the right time over the proper channels.”

SalesPro solves these problems by enabling sellers to select the best photos or videos of the equipment, attach those to a detailed listing and share listings to leads across multiple channels in less than a minute. Additionally, the software can create a listing using the latest Record360 image, and then text or email that offer to an interested buyer, or with a single tap, populate the listing over popular social media platforms.

Rather than force you to search for information, SalesPro automatically imports the latest inventory data from your ERP. It identifies whether equipment is out on rent, sold, damaged or otherwise unavailable for sale. And it filters for make, model, year, hours, price and other data to match buyer need to available inventory and set proper pricing. Additionally, quotes can be sent directly to customers by email or text.

For rental equipment agencies, the platform also provides additional benefits by bringing together what were formerly siloed operations — rental managers on one side of the house and sales reps on the other — in a collaborative process.         

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Shawn Wilson made history with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, becoming the 107-year-old organization’s first African-American president.

Wilson is the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. The AASHTO board also elected Roger Millar, secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation, as its vice president.

“This is truly an honor that I approach with tremendous humility and excitement,” Dr. Wilson said. “I am looking forward to an incredible year with AASHTO and the great people I’ll be working with at state departments of transportation around the country. One of the significant advantages of serving as AASHTO president is that it gives me a platform to address issues that matter.”

Wilson served as AASHTO vice president and has been Louisiana’s transportation secretary since 2016. That same year he joined the AASHTO board and was its only African-American member at the time. “Today, he is among six African-American board members – a board that now also includes 13 female members,” AASHTO says.

Wilson says he plans to do more as president to expand that diversity.

“I’m interested in how we sustain that opportunity to achieve equity,” he said. “How are we, as state DOTs, building a bench of leaders that reflects the population in the communities we serve? How do we diversify, not just with race, but with gender, with disciplines? How do we change what we do as a department of transportation in a way that opens up the opportunity to recruit and retain a more capable, qualified and inclusive professional workforce?”

Wilson has a bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Louisiana, a master’s degree in public administration from Southern University, and a doctorate in public policy from Southern University

Roger MillarWashington State DOTVice President Millar has led the Washington State Department of Transportation since 2016. He is a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners. He also serves as vice chair of ASCE’s Transportation and Development Institute and vice chair of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America’s board of directors.

He is a member of the National Complete Streets Coalition Steering Committee, chair of the AASHTO Council on Public Transportation and co-chair of the Cooperative Automated Transportation Coalition. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 1982.

 

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